Best of both worlds.

The development landscape has traditionally had a clear split: Linux for command-line purists versus Windows for those who prefer graphical interfaces. macOS breaks this divide by seamlessly integrating both qualities. “I have experience with all three major environments,” Marco explains. “Ubuntu has an accessible terminal, but sometimes lacks good UI tools. Windows has excellent UI support, but I always found the native CLI environment awkward. With macOS, I don't have to choose or improvise with solutions such as virtual machines or WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux).”

Unix under the hood.

This unique combination is possible thanks to the solid Unix foundation on which macOS is built. This provides a consistent, powerful and standardized working environment that fully meets the needs of modern developers. “It provides seamless integration with tools such as Go, our primary development language, and gives access to the complete package system provided by every Unix distribution,” says Marco. 

This Unix base translates to concrete day-to-day benefits for developers. For example, it ensures a consistent command-line experience, providing a standard way to communicate and interact with the system. In addition, powerful development tools are readily available, with package managers such as Homebrew making it easy to quickly install essential tools. Unix also offers superior scripting capabilities. “Once you become familiar with CLI tools, you can create shell or bash scripts that automate or streamline some of your tasks. You build your own tools to make your work more efficient and fun,” Marco says. This results in faster development cycles, better code quality and a more standardized work environment within the team.

Developer powerhouse.

The technical benefits of macOS are further enhanced by the impressive hardware performance of Apple devices, especially the latest Apple Silicon processors. “I currently work on a Mac with an M3 chip and have absolutely no performance issues,” Marco notes. “It feels like a real developer powerhouse - everything works smoothly and quickly.” 

Beyond sheer computing power, Apple hardware offers another crucial benefit that is often overlooked: remarkable battery life. “I continue to be really positively surprised by the battery life. It's more than two to three times the battery life of what I was used to with other laptops.” This extended work time without an outlet means more flexibility and fewer interruptions - a productivity benefit that should not be underestimated for developers who don't want to always be glued to their desks.

One persistent misconception Marco likes to correct concerns Docker on macOS. “It used to be true that Docker and macOS did not work together optimally, which caused slowness,” Marco acknowledges. “But these days, those performance issues are largely resolved. I use Docker daily with no noticeable slowdowns, but it's always important to evaluate whether a tool is the right one for the job.” For modern development workflows, where containers play a central role, this means macOS no longer demands compromises. With tools like Docker, Git and IDEs like VS Code or JetBrains GoLand, developers have everything they need at their fingertips.

Productivity and security.

Beyond the technical specifications, macOS offers another crucial advantage: the perfect balance between security and developer productivity - one of the biggest challenges facing IT organizations today. At Pro Warehouse, we manage our devices via MDM, which ensures security without hindering our developers' productivity. This creates an ideal situation for both developers and the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), as strict security requirements can be met without limiting developer creativity and productivity.

Benefits for the entire team.

Mac as a development platform offers clear benefits for the entire development team:

• Higher productivity: Developers can work faster, without constantly switching between environments, thanks to the seamless integration of UI tools and command-line functionality.
• Faster onboarding: New team members are productive faster with the combination of an intuitive interface and readily available development tools.
• Better code: The Unix foundation ensures consistent and scalable development processes. This promotes code quality and prevents code from becoming difficult to maintain or extend over time.

There is another factor not to be underestimated: attraction for talent. Apple ecosystems make a company more attractive to top talent, as more and more developers prefer this platform. Marco: “The screen of a Mac is really beautiful, with vibrant colors that make everything stand out. But it's not just about the screen - the whole machine just looks sleek and premium. That really adds to the experience. After all, you're going to be looking at it all day, so it better be beautiful.”

Ideal combination.

At a time when software development is becoming increasingly complex, macOS offers exactly what developers need: a platform that seamlessly combines powerful technical capabilities with an intuitive user experience. Marco: “If you want a Unix-based machine and have all the options, I recommend trying macOS. You get a powerful Unix environment, very good hardware, and access to a wide variety of UI tools so you probably won't lack anything.” 

Whether you are part of a full development team or an individual developer seeking maximum productivity, the combination of Unix power and Apple's ease of use provides an unparalleled work environment for modern software development.