Why 2022 Became the Year Linux Dominated Desktop OS Rankings

"2022 is the year of Linux desktop," writes a programmer from Amazon's K8s team, citing the Stack Overflow 2022 Developer Survey.

The survey shows that 40.23% of respondents use Linux as their primary operating system, overtaking macOS and creating a 9% gap. Last year the two were almost equal, differing by only 0.13%.

About 15% of users run Linux via the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), further indicating Linux's growing popularity.

First Time Beating macOS

More than 70,000 developers participated in the survey. For personal use, 40.23% chose Linux (28,765 respondents) versus 31.07% for macOS (22,217 respondents), a gap of nearly 10%.

For work use, 39.89% selected Linux (28,523 respondents) compared with 32.97% for macOS (23,578 respondents), a difference of about 7%.

Beyond operating systems, the survey notes that Linux’s market share on the Steam platform rose from 1.06% in January to 1.44% in November, driven by the popularity of the Steam Deck handheld.

At the Akademy 2022 conference, it was reported that Steam Deck shipments have exceeded one million units.

Is Linux Really That Popular?

Some respondents question the data because the survey allowed multiple OS selections, causing totals to exceed 100%.

"For those who primarily use an OS for work, the numbers are astonishingly high; for developers who use Linux daily, the numbers feel too low," the survey notes, highlighting mixed perceptions of Linux usability.

Nevertheless, many users observe a steady rise in Linux adoption, citing factors such as cloud growth, mature desktop distributions, Raspberry Pi’s reliance on Linux, multi‑platform software support, and improved hardware compatibility (especially with Manjaro).

Additional attractions include Linux’s ad‑free environment and extensive customization options. Some users adopt a hybrid approach, using Linux privately and macOS for work.

Interesting Points from the Survey

Programming Languages : Rust remains the most loved language for the seventh consecutive year, with 87% of developers wanting to continue using it. Python and TypeScript are also among the top three languages developers wish to learn.

Tools : Docker overtook Git as the most used tool, rising from 55% to 69% usage. Docker and Kubernetes rank first and second among the most loved and desired tools.

Web Frameworks : Phoenix replaces Svelte as the most popular web framework. Angular.js remains the most disliked framework, while React.js continues to be the most desired to learn.

Highest‑Income Language : Clojure tops the list for developer earnings.

Highest‑Paid Tools : Chef developers earn the highest salaries, though many consider Chef a daunting tool.

Database Earnings : DynamoDB, Couchbase, and Cassandra are the top three highest‑earning database systems.

Learning Trends : The proportion of developers who enjoy online coding education rose from 60% to 70%. 62% of respondents spend more than 30 minutes daily solving problems, and 85% report that their companies support remote work.

For more details, see the full report at Stack Overflow 2022 Survey .