Skip to main content

Linux in practice

Summary: Linux is not confined to a dusty server room. It runs five grounds of modern digital life: the web server, the cloud, the containers, the embedded systems and the developer workstations. This lesson gives a concrete example of each.

Case 1 · The web server​

It is the most visible use. Every time you open a website, there is very probably a Linux server answering your request.

How many sites run on Linux?

  • Nginx (Linux-native): ~34% of the top 1 million sites.
  • Apache (largely on Linux): ~30%.
  • LiteSpeed, Caddy, Cloudflare: another ~10%.

In other words, more than 70% of the world's websites depend on a Linux server. Facebook, Google, Wikipedia, the BBC, Amazon, your bank, your favourite site: very probably, a Linux is running underneath.

Case 2 · The cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure)​

When a company "migrates to the cloud", it actually rents Linux virtual machines from a provider. That is what hides behind marketing terms like "EC2 instance", "Compute Engine machine" or "Azure VM".

The default images offered by the big three:

ProviderMost popular Linux image
AWSUbuntu Server LTS, Amazon Linux
Google CloudDebian, Ubuntu, Container-Optimized OS
Microsoft AzureUbuntu Server LTS, RHEL

Even at Microsoft, more than half of Azure virtual machines are Linux, not Windows. That figure has been confirmed by Satya Nadella himself (Microsoft's CEO) in several interviews.

Case 3 · Docker and Kubernetes containers​

Since 2013, the way software is deployed has been revolutionized by Docker, which relies entirely on Linux kernel features (cgroups, namespaces).

The fundamental point to understand: a Docker container does not embed a complete Linux system. It shares the host machine's kernel. That is why a container can weigh 5 MB instead of several gigabytes for a virtual machine. Without Linux, Docker simply would not exist.

Kubernetes, the orchestrator that manages thousands of containers in parallel, is also written in Go and runs exclusively on Linux (with a few Windows adaptations for display, but the orchestration remains Linux).

These two tools have dedicated courses in our premium path: Docker and Kubernetes.

Case 4 · Embedded systems and the Internet of Things​

It is the most discreet ground, and yet the most massive in number of devices. Linux runs:

Android = Linux. It is a Linux distribution modified by Google, with a different graphical interface and a specific application framework (Java/Kotlin). The underlying kernel is exactly the same Linux kernel as on servers.

Result: the total number of devices running a Linux kernel is counted in billions, far more than Windows.

Case 5 · The developer workstation​

This last case is the one that will concern you most directly. For about ten years, the majority of professional developers have been using Linux directly on their workstations — either:

  • As the main system (Ubuntu, Fedora, Pop!_OS…).
  • Through WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) for those who keep Windows.
  • Through a virtual machine or a container for those who stay on macOS.

Why are developers massively adopting Linux?

  • Consistency with production: your code will run on a Linux server, so you might as well test it on Linux from the start.
  • Powerful terminal: command-line tools are native and fast.
  • Gigantic software ecosystem: apt install postgresql in 3 seconds vs installing and configuring a service on Windows.
  • Zero friction with Docker and Kubernetes: Linux is natively supported, no emulation.

Summary: the 5 grounds of Linux​

You cannot work in tech in 2026 without meeting Linux every day. The question is not whether you will need it, but when.

Remember in 30 seconds​

  • Web: ~70% of the world's sites run on Linux (Nginx, Apache).
  • Cloud: the big three (AWS, GCP, Azure) offer Linux by default. Majority of VMs = Linux.
  • Containers: Docker and Kubernetes exist thanks to Linux. Without it, no modern containers.
  • Embedded / IoT: Android, internet boxes, cars, TVs, routers — Linux kernel everywhere.
  • Dev workstation: Ubuntu, Fedora, or Linux under WSL have become the standard.

Next: Recap and FAQ →