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Mac Tips

Ever wondered why programmers use Macs? So did we. We’ve talked to our developers and found out why Macs are so great for programming—and not only on macOS and iOS. In this article, we’ll talk about the best Macs for app and web development and the best configurations of MacBook Air and MacBook pro for coding. We’ll also cover the minimum tech specs a computer should have for you to code comfortably.

Nov 09, 2017 Many Team Hybrid entrepreneurs echoed the Mac/PC division Landers described. 'As a SaaS company, we have a big mix of people, from customer support to developers to graphic designers,' said.

Here’s our personal ranking of Macs for programming:

• Absolute best: MacBook Pro (16-inch or 13-inch)
• Best alternative: MacBook Air (2020)
• Best desktop computer: 27-inch iMac with 5K Retina display

1. With Mac it's a bit easier to install and run open source apps. And everything is more polished. Although today with Windows PowerShell and Visual Studio Code, it's never been better to do web development on Windows. Like andren mentioned, it's more about which apps you prefer to use.
2. The Macintosh (mainly Mac since 1998) is a family of personal computers designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple Inc. Since January 1984. The original Macintosh is the first successful mass-market personal computer to have featured a graphical user interface, built-in screen, and mouse. Apple sold the Macintosh alongside its popular Apple II family of computers for almost ten years until the.

Why choose a Mac for app development?

Just a few years ago the IT world was dominated by Windows-based computers. However, Apple machines have been steadily gaining popularity among developers in recent years. Why did programmers suddenly get so into Macs?

In a nutshell, the answer lies in the Unix command line. Most of the currently existing servers and file systems are built on top of Unix, so the Unix-based OS X / macOS is now everyone’s favorite. You can also benefit from macOS cross-platform compatibility and easily run both Linux and Windows.

On top of everything, the architecture of any Mac is exceptionally attractive. However, some models are more suited for coding than others—let’s see what the essential features are in the next section.

Recommended system requirements

First of all, it’s important to keep your Mac up to date—not just for coders, for any user. But programmers will especially benefit from it, since some essential software, such as Xcode, only works with the latest versions of the operating system.

Other specifications of high importance are listed below.

Screen

Having a large screen with a high-definition Retina display is important for app development. It’s likely that you’ll be using at least three windows simultaneously. A big display is what you need to fit all of them on the same screen and eliminate the need to constantly switch.

A 27-inch iMac with a 5K Retina display is the number one candidate in terms of screen size and quality resolution. The pixel-dense screen with 500 nits of brightness will make small letters and numbers of code look pleasantly smooth and pretty much perfect.

However, is a 27-inch screen really worth the money for a programmer? Not so sure about that. After all, nothing is preventing you from plugging in one or two separate displays to a smaller and more affordable MacBook Pro, or even an Air. You save money and you gain portability—what’s not to love.

When it comes to GPU, that’s not an important specification in programming unless you’re creating something very graphics-heavy, so we’re not covering that here.

CPU

Having a processor that is powerful enough to manage all of the essential app development software is crucial. It doesn’t have to be the best one on the market—a Mac Pro with its 28-core beast would definitely be an overkill. However, you want to make sure that you’re getting the best value for money.

In general, you don’t need to get anything too fancy. A dual-core i5 or even an i3 will suffice, even though you will benefit from a faster processor with more cores. If you’re running the latest versions of Xcode, i5 is the minimum requirement. However, if you use an IDE, a virtual machine, or work on a graphics-heavy project, you’ll need a Core i7 and substantially large RAM.

GPU

Unless you are working in game development, you shouldn’t be concerned about your graphics card. The default option that comes with any up-to-date Mac will do a perfectly fine job for creating an app.

RAM and storage

Of all the things that we have listed so far, random access memory is the most important. Xcode alone is very RAM-heavy, and along with other apps getting any work done will be a real struggle.

Currently, the minimum amount of RAM you need for a comfortable coding experience is 8GB. Older MacBooks that have 4GB are out of the picture unless you manage to upgrade their RAM and install the latest versions of macOS. Ideally, you should be looking at 16GB and more to create a safety net for future updates.

As for storage, you don’t need much for programming, although we do recommend that you opt for a solid-state drive rather than a hard drive.

Battery life

Software development tends to be energy-costly. Consequently, battery life is something you shouldn’t ignore. Luckily, new generations of MacBooks offer up to 12 hours of battery life, particularly the 2020 MacBook Air. If you are into vintage and would rather buy an old or a second-hand model, be prepared to charge your laptop frequently and remain tied to your desk.

Ports

Make sure that your Mac has enough ports so that you can connect all of your peripherals. As a coder, you might want to use an external display, a keyboard, a mouse, or a flash drive. Some models of MacBook only have a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports, such as the 2020 MacBook Air—in this case, you would need a USB hub. In contrast, a big desktop computer such as a 27-inch iMac has four USB-C ports and two Thunderbolt 3s.

The best Macs for software development

MacBook Pro for app development

Both the 2019 16-inch and the 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro are the ideal options for app development. In both the devices portability and light weight are combined with a powerful processor, high-definition Retina display, 8GB RAM, and 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports.

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro that arrived in 2020 will be a good solution for those who like the latest technological advances and don’t mind the smaller screen size. The base model has a 1.4GHz quad-core 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor which can be upgraded to a 2.0 GHz quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core i5. Base 8GB RAM can be expanded to 16GB and 256GB storage can be boosted up to 512GB. The price range for this model is from $1,299 to $1,799.

Let’s compare it to the 16-inch MacBook Pro. This model replaced the 15-inch Mac in 2019 and has much better specs. The 2.6GHz 6-core 9th Gen i7 processor can be upgraded to a 2.3GHz 8-core 9th Gen i9, 16GB RAM and up to 1TB storage. The price range here is from $2,399 to $2,799.

Overall, although the 16-inch Pro has much better specs, the 13-inch one is enough for all of your programming needs.

Optimal specs for the 13-inch model:

• 2.0GHz quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU
• 16GB RAM
• 512GB SSD

Optimal specs for the 16-inch model:

• 2.6GHz 6-core 9th Gen i7 CPU
• 16GB RAM
• 512GB SSD

If you would like to have a bigger screen when you’re at your desk, get an external monitor. Don’t rush and buy the Pro Display XDR—there are a lot of affordable options that match its quality.

MacBook Air for app development

MacBook Air has always been a topic of controversy among creatives. It’s kind of borderline meeting the requirements for most professional users, including coders. What did we learn about Air?

The new 2020 release introduced to the world the most powerful Air yet. The tiny 1.27 kg laptop is equipped with an impressive 1.1GHz quad-core 10th Gen Core i5 processor with a Turbo Boost option up to 3.5GHz. 8GB built-in RAM (can be configured to 16GB) is combined with 512GB of SSD storage in addition to two Thunderbolt 3 ports and a 13.3-inch Retina display with True Tone. All of this in a cheapest MacBook you can buy—price ranging from $999 to $1,299.

Overall, we can say with confidence that this is a solid option for casual to medium-level app development and will serve you well—just like Apple products always do.

Optimal specs for MacBook Air:

• 1.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 CPU
• 16GB RAM
• 512GB SSD

iMac for app development

If you spend most of your time working at home, you might be looking for a stationary computer. In this case, it’s also worth investing in a device with a large display. Apple has got your back with a 27-inch 5K Retina display iMac.

The base model has 3.1GHz 6-core 10th Gen Core i5 processor with a Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz 8GB of on-board RAM that can be configured to 32GB, 1TB fusion drive, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and 4 USB-C ports. The price ranges from $1,799 to $2,299.

Compare it with the 21.5-inch iMac—the base model has a dual-core processor, which is a no-go for programming. A slightly more expensive variant has a 3.6GHz quad-core 8th Gen Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM (configurable to 32GB), 1TB hard drive, and a Retina 4K display as opposed to 5K. It costs $1,299 or $1,499 for a slightly more advanced model.

The 27-inch model is slightly more expensive for something that only adds 6 extra inches to the screen, but if you decide to purchase the smaller iMac instead you will have to swap the hard drive for an SSD and upgrade RAM, adding extra expenses. Is it really worth it?

To sum it up, an iMac is an excellent choice for someone who doesn’t move around for work and prefers sitting at the desk.

Optimal 27-inch iMac specs:

• 3.1GHz 6-core 8th Gen Core i5 CPU
• 16GB RAM
• 512GB SSD

Mac vs. PC for software development

Both Macs and PCs are great for software development. When choosing the best computer for coding, we recommend considering the tools you like to use and their compatibility with both Windows and macOS. You should think about the type of language and framework that you work with.

Pros of coding on a Mac:

• Macs are less susceptible to malware (although not completely virus-free)
• Programs native to Apple don’t slow down the performance of a Mac
• Macs are based on Unix, so they are more suitable for creating back-end web server code
• Macs can run all major operating systems including Windows, Linux, Android, etc.
• Apple offers great service and support

Cons of coding on a Mac:

• Macs are usually more expensive than PCs
• macOS is not the most popular operating system
• There aren’t many third-party tools available on Mac

Pros of coding on a PC:

• PCs’ hardware can be easily customized
• There are a lot of third-party tools for graphics, debugging, and profiling
• Windows has a lot of Linux functionality
• There are more software programs, games, and utilities for Windows because of the number of users

Cons of coding on PC:

• Windows devices are manufactured by companies other than Microsoft, so quality is not always guaranteed
• Running macOS on PC creates an unstable environment that can interfere with your app development process
• You can’t run Xcode on PC, so it’s impossible to develop macOS and iOS apps on non-Apple computers

These are the major pros and cons of both platforms. To avoid getting the wrong device, look out for cross-platform and hardware compatibility to avoid disruption to your work.

How to Optimize your Mac for Programming?

Having chosen a perfect Mac for your coding needs, it's high time to pick an app that will do all the routine tasks for you. By routine, we mean cleaning, optimization, and taking care of security and privacy too.

For you to code interruption-free, MacKeeper will be in charge of clean up space on Mac from accumulated junk files, duplicates, logs, and caches. It can even suggest deleting apps that haven't been used for a long time (read more: how to delete Anaconda from Mac or uninstall Java from Mac). In addition, it will keep your apps updated at all times for the seamless work of your Mac.

Finally, to fully focus on programming, let security and privacy tools in MacKeeper shield your Mac from viruses, online threats, or email breaches. Besides, you can use a built-in VPN to surf more securely or access websites that are geo-blocked.

Conclusion

You can go for any type of Mac depending on your needs—a powerful MacBook Pro, a super-light MacBook Air, or a stationary iMac with a big screen. Regardless of your choice of tech, always make sure to have the latest version of macOS installed on your computer to be able to run Xcode and avoid security threats.

FAQ

Is Core i5 enough for programming?

Depending on the type of coding you practice you might want to invest in a Core i7 processor or go with a cheaper Core i5. For example, a front-end web developer that only uses a text editor and a browser on an everyday basis will do just fine with an i5.

Is 4GB RAM enough for coding?

Generally speaking, 4GB RAM is not enough for most tasks required in modern-day programming. You’re looking at 8GB minimum to run Xcode alone, and that is if you don’t embark on anything too heavy. For more intense projects that need additional tools, consider investing in 16GB or more.

Do you need a powerful computer for coding?

As a programmer, you don’t need a powerful computer at all. A quad-core i5 processor with 8GB RAM and 256GB of SSD memory will suffice. As for screen size and resolution, aim for a 13-inch Retina display to get the best coding experience.

Read more:

Editor's note: Thanks to a June 2019 Windows update that lets users run native Linux command-line tools directly on Windows, students may now use PCs in any of our classes.
We sat down with three developers in three different industries to attempt to answer the new-age old question: Mac or PC?

Interview with Harry Whelchel

Harry has been developing for six years at VC [Venture Capitalist] backed startups, digital agencies, as a consultant, and now the founder of ConvoPanda the #1 community of B2B SaaS founders and marketers who generate leads and grow sales using chatbots. To learn more visit here.

What Development languages do you prefer and why?

“When thinking about what programming languages I prefer it's all about context. First, what's my goal with the project? If I'm looking to monetize a software product I reach for the language I'm most familiar with so that I can move as fast as possible and focus on whether I'm delivering business value to my clients. For me, and for when it's a web-based application, that's Ruby on Rails. On the client side, I start out with simple jQuery and add React components sparingly as necessary.'

“When my goal is to add new programming tools and concepts to my figurative tool belt, I reach for other languages or frameworks. Currently, I'm interested in GraphQL and Elixir. GraphQL isn't a language per se but an interesting new way to build web-based APIs. Elixir has the developer ergonomics of a Ruby but can scale more efficiently and has a lot of useful operational benefits for real-time applications.”

Favorite development environment/IDE if you have one and why?

“My preferred development environment is Sublime Text 3. I really enjoy Sublime and feel productive in it because I invested the time early on into customizing it and learning all the keyboard shortcuts to make myself as efficient as possible. Now, I rely on a lot of muscle memory around the editor, so it would be hard to justify switching to something else. I also like how fast it boots up and how inexpensive it was.” So which do you prefer Mac or PC for development? “Mac for a number of reasons!”

“The majority of web servers use the operating system, Linux, to run the web applications we all use in our day-to-day. Linux and MacOS share the same 'operating system ancestor' Unix. So, by developing on Macs you learn a lot of programs and concepts that are applicable when deploying, operating, and managing production web servers. MacOS also has a fantastic software package management tool called Homebrew.”

“The biggest con would be the upfront financial cost is higher than most PCs. I haven't upgraded to the new era of MacBooks with the new butterfly keyboards, but I've heard from many developers that the keyboard is unfortunately prone to keys getting stuck.”

Can you think of a time when a PC would be best used?

“It all depends on your goals. If you are looking to build and monetize a new software product then reach for the operating system and programming language you're most familiar with.”

Interview with Chris Aquino

Chris started out doing a mix of web design and technical support at an Internet Service Provider in 2002 Colorado. His boss discovered that Chris was interested in programming and let him work on a PHP App. Upon Chris’s return to Atlanta, he started working with Monumental that partnered with marketing agencies. He built websites and mobile apps for Coca-Cola, Turner, and others. Late in 2011, he was contacted by the founder of Big Nerd Ranch to build the curriculum for a JavaScript course. Chris spent 5 years with them as an author, instructor, engineer, and manager. Last year, Chris joined DigitalCrafts as a Full-stack instructor, where he could focus on what has become his mission; teaching JavaScript.

What Development languages do you prefer?

“My two favorite languages at the moment are JavaScript and Python. I love JavaScript's portability - you can use it to build apps for the browser, the server, mobile (iOS and Android), desktop (Mac, Linux, Windows), and VR. That, and it lends itself nicely to Functional Programming techniques. Also, I build little hardware projects with the Raspberry Pi. I do this primarily in Python, as most of the open source libraries for the Pi are written in it.”
Favorite development environment/IDE if you have one and why?

“I don't have one...I have three!”

“My primary editor for teaching is Visual Studio Code, which is a free editor from Microsoft. It has one of the best out-of-the-box experiences. Its default configuration is excellent for front-end and backend development with JavaScript. It's fast, stable, and is updated regularly.”

“I use Vim for quick editing since it runs in the Terminal. It's also ubiquitous on Linux machines, so it's what I use when logged into my servers. It has a cryptic system of shortcut keys (since you don't use the mouse), but once your muscle memory has built up, you can edit huge amounts of code very quickly.”

“Emacs is what I use for journaling, note-taking, and coding (of course). You could say that Emacs is almost an operating system; there are plugins you can install that let you do email, manage your calendar, and even browse the web. I haven't gone quite that far, though.”

Which do you prefer Mac or PC for development?

“The Mac hits the sweet spot for the kind of development that I do the most - front-end and backend web development. Even though the technologies I build with are open source and run on Mac, Linux, and Windows - I prefer the Mac.”

What do you think some of the Pros and Cons are to using a Mac?

“Under the hood, the Mac experience is closer to Linux. You can do almost everything from the Terminal, and you have easy access to a world of open source software. On top of that, all of the popular design and productivity apps run on macOS. This is crucial if you're collaborating on a project with designers, project managers, etc.”

“I'm not in love with the way that macOS is becoming more and more like iOS. I do not use a computer as an 'entertainment appliance' and it's slowly turning into that. It has gotten to the point that with every new release of macOS, I find myself hunting for ways to turn off the new features.”

What do you think some of the Pros and Cons are to using a Windows PC?

“If we're talking about Windows specifically, I think the biggest hurdle is that it does not ship with open source tools already installed. There have been efforts over the years to improve that (such as Cygwin and Microsoft's own 'Linux subsystem for Windows'), but they seem to fall a little short. After you manually install something that facilitates using open source, you then face issues with compatibility and support.”

“On the other hand, I do own 4 Lenovo Thinkpads, and I love them (yes, more than my Mac). Granted, I run Linux and BSD on all of them.”

Can you think of a time when PC or Mac would be best used?

“I think that if you're building for Microsoft's .NET platform, then you should definitely go with Windows, without a doubt. I also hear that PCs have the best support for gaming. Alternatively, if you're developing Mac or iOS applications, you have no choice but to use a Mac.”

Mac Or Pc For Developers Windows 10

“For any other kind of development, you have more flexibility. At that point, you should find out what platform has the best support for that programming ecosystem. If there are any commercial products that you need access to (such as design software), pick the OS that runs those products well.”

Interview with Robert Bunch

Mac Or Pc For Developers Windows 7

Robert Bunch graduated with a Computer Science degree in 2001. This was just in time for the .com bubble to pop so he bounced around until starting up as a developer in 2004. Since then, he has used most mainstream languages professionally and most recently has been teaching. Rob is well adept at development using Node (Express), Python (Flask and Django), JavaScript, PHP (Laravel, Drupal, and Cake), Java (Spring), Ruby (Rails), C#, and various flavors of SQL and NoSQL. Rob has been at huge companies like TBS, small startups, a financial company working on the same code base for years, to marketing agencies where he made a new website every week.

What are your preferred development languages and environments and why?

“For scripting languages (JS, Node, Python, PHP, Ruby) I have been using Sublime Text for so long it's hard to change. The community support is fantastic so there is a plugin for almost everything. I have used Atom and VS Code along with a myriad of others that are outstanding, I just know Sublime well enough that it's likely to remain my default until VS Code takes over. For a compiled language, I lean towards Eclipse in Java, again, only because I've always used it, and Visual Studio for C#. IntelliJ seems to be the rising standard for Java so I've been using that more lately. I hardly write C or C++ anymore, but I always do those on my Windows machine.”

Which do you prefer Mac or PC for development?

Mac Or Pc For Developers Windows 7

“The short answer is Mac, because of the OS and community behind it”

Mac Or Pc Desktop

'The longer answer... Let me start by saying that I am not an Apple fanboi. As both a consumer and a developer, I've been getting more and more frustrated with Apple in recent years. It feels like Apple is doing what Microsoft did back in the late 90s... closing their doors, forcing their hand more frequently, etc. That's another issue but is meant as a point of reference for the fact that I overwhelmingly prefer to work on a Mac. Windows, for me, only wins out in game development like Unity or Unreal, or for .net/C#.

And then Rob summarized every reason developers use Macs!

1. “MacOS shares many of the same commands as Linux, and that is enough reason right there. Unless you are doing .net development, chances are very high your code is going to end up on a Linux machine somewhere, whether it's a JVM, an android app, or a website on Apache. That makes it very easy to drift towards Linux because there are fewer moving parts.”
2. “There is also far more power afforded to the user in MacOS than in Windows. The tradeoff is usability. Nothing is more frightening to a new user than the command line, but super user's want to see all the wires no matter how chaotic; window's users want the wires to be hidden in the walls and out of sight.”
3. “No matter how many times I launch new software, there are always deploy problems that are related to the environment. Always. Windows adds a MASSIVE new element of complexity because it's a fundamentally different OS and UI. Whatever you did in development in Windows, your production machine isn't going to be close. As I work with students on Windows machines, even if everyone has the same version of Windows 10 Pro, it's possible to get entirely unrelated errors and there's no easy way to check logs or troubleshoot.
4. “If you are working with Apache, node, SQL, etc. there is usually an extremely simple package manager that will get it for you. In Mac that might be homebrew, or it might be using curl. With Windows, no installation ever seems simple.”
5. “Settings are easy to change in MacOS via the command line. For instance, global and user path variables are easily changed in a single command. It's a nuisance to find and change anything in Windows.”
6. If you go to stack overflow, the vast majority of answers that are below surface level questions assume Linux.

We then asked Rob why you should not choose a Mac if you are a developer?

Developer Pc Build

1. “Machine performance is not a good reason to choose a Mac. Any hardware in a Mac is available on a PC. PCs tend to be weaker in this area only because you can buy cheaper. Apple gives you no choice; the entry point for their laptops is quite high. If you want a PC that's meant just for email and web browsing, no problem. On Mac, you will overpay. If you need a big machine, you can get an i7 or i9 with tons of ram and a huge SSD on either. You just can't buy cheap with Apple.”
2. “Macs look cool…. Pick your battles, but I couldn't care less what my machine looks like. I want it to be fast, hold charge, and be as bug-free as possible. If it can be made from fighter jet metal... I guess that's OK, but I'm not paying for that.”
3. “I will say that I have a new Surface Book 2 and it is fantastic. It gives me the flexibility of a tablet but is a full version of Windows. I generally don't code without a keyboard, but I can lay on the couch with my tablet and look at my IDE, troubleshoot, etc. with this. There is no way to that with a Mac. It also has an incredible battery life.”
4. “Visual Studio Code is now free and awesome. It has a bevy of cool plugins and tools to suit your needs.
5. “An engineer is in charge at Microsoft again. This is getting all kinds of good momentum, like the superbash in Windows 10.”
6. “If you're doing .NET and C#, then Windows is a no-brainer. I tend to still use my Mac when writing Java, but since the JVM is stack agnostic, it really just depends on what UI you prefer. Tomcat can easily get up and be going on either OS without any effort.”

Pc Or Mac Laptop

In summary, developers are passionate about their Macs, but reasonable in their expectations and can appreciate a good PC at times. In the end, it all comes down to what you are developing, why you are developing it, and how much Open Source community support you need. A primary reason why Mac wins out in our classrooms is continuity. A Mac is a Mac is a Mac, and our instructors can't be experts on every OS out there. For students who can't purchase a Mac for class (required for the Immersive program, encouraged for the Flex program), we do offer a laptop loaner program. Thanks for reading!