Difference Between Linux and Windows

By Anjnee Bhatnagar|Updated : October 6th, 2022

Both Linux and windows are types of operating systems. An operating system is an interface between the user and the hardware. Several operating systems are available in the market, like Unix, Windows, WindowsNT, iOS, etc. Here in the context of this article, we will only focus on the two operating systems, that is, Linux and Windows, and will also learn the Difference Between Linux and Windows as we proceed through the articles.

Difference Between Linux and Windows PDF

This article provides information on the different Linux and Windows functionalities individually. Let us understand Linux and windows and get to know the origin and functionalities it provides to the user as an interface. Let us check the difference between Linux and windows given below.

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Difference Between Linux and Windows

The war between Linux and Windows to be the best is an age-old fight. It is also considered an important topic in the GATE CSE syllabus. Before discussing the functionalities of each one separately, let us see the difference between Linux and windows listed in the table below.

Key Differences Between Linux and Windows

Linux

Windows

It is available free of cost to use.

It is not available free of cost.

It is an open-source kernel.

It is not an open-source kernel.

It uses a monolithic kernel.

It uses a micro-lithic kernel.

It has a case-sensitive file system.

Its file system is not case-sensitive.

It works efficiently in the case of operations.

For operations, windows OS is way less efficient than Linux OS.

It uses slash as a path separator.

It uses a backslash as a path separator.

Linux is efficient for hacking purposes.

Windows is not a good option for hacking purposes.

What is Linux OS?

Linux OS is based on Unix OS, an open-source and free-to-use operating system. It was mainly developed for personal computers designed using Intel x86 architecture. It contains a large installed base for the general-purpose OS. It can run even on embedded systems.

The Linux kernel uses the monolithic kernel, which consumes a large running space; this surfaces the difference between Linux and windows, as window OS uses a micro-kernel that takes less space. However, a Linux kernel runs more efficiently than a windows kernel.

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What is Windows OS?

Windows is a simple, easy-to-use, and licensed OS. The first windows OS was a GUI(Graphical User Interface) with an extension of the disk operating system. This OS is frequently used among commercial users for personal and business purposes. There is a striking difference between Linux and Windows regarding availability, which is also important for the GATE exam. Windows OS is not free of cost, while Linux is freely available for use.

The Windows OS has many features that make it the users' choice. Almost around 90% of the users work on Windows OS. The features that window OS offers are:

  • Portability
  • Extensibility
  • Virtual memory
  • Multiprogramming environment
  • Client-server computing

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Further, let us see some other related articles.

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Difference between algorithm and flowchartDifference between the half adder and full adder
Difference between impact and non-impact printersDifference between linker and loader

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FAQs on Difference Between Linux and Windows

  • Linux and Windows both are operating systems. The major difference between these two is that Linux is an open source operating system that is free to use, whereas Windows is a proprietary operating system.

  • Based on the difference between Linux and windows, the windows OS is more popular because of its simplicity and ease of functionality. In contrast, the Linux OS has a plethora of OS to choose from. Therefore, it is complex to decide for the user to choose among the ample choices available.

  • In terms of the kernel, the difference between Linux and windows is that Linux uses a monolithic kernel while a windows operating system uses a microlithic kernel. Due to the same reason, the Linux OS occupies more space than the windows OS does.

  • The difference between Linux and windows is that the file system in the Linux operating system is strictly case-sensitive. On the other hand, the file system in windows is not case sensitive, which makes windows a choice over Linux among the users.

  • Based on the availability, the difference between Linux and Windows is that the Linux kernel is a free, open-source kernel available to the user. Therefore, it is easily accessible to use. In contrast, the windows operating system is not freely available and is not an open-source kernel to use windows. There is a certain market price that a user pays before operating windows.

  • Puppy Linux is by far the fastest of all Linux. Chrome OS is another one that I believe is incredibly quick. When it comes to booting up, it is surprisingly fast and quite rapid for a fresh operating system.

  • The use of an operating system depends on the requirements. If security is the main concern, then Linux operating system is preferred. If storage space is the concern, then the windows operating system is preferred as it acquires less space than Linux. So based on the concern and purpose, one must choose between Linux and windows.

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