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Ask HN: Mac or Windows for TypeScript/Node Dev?

1 points by flatiron ↗ HN
I'm coming off working solely on a macOS for about 4 years. I would love to use Linux but the new company said they don't support it. So its either Lenovo 15P or Macbook Pro 16". Development is VSCode+Typescript+Node. I have only used Linux except for work computers, which is why I'm leaning WSL2. What's everyone recommendations in 2021?

4 comments

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STRML
OSX is going to be better for Node development. There are still many projects that assume a POSIX environment when you build them, and I assume you're deploying on Linux. You can mitigate this if you run Node solely in WSL, but it still has some interop issues, including with the filesystem.

The M1 Macbooks are an absolute dream and the best development machines I've ever used. If you can do this, it is the cheapest, fastest, lightest, and highest battery life option.

The 16" Intel has a great screen but is expensive, hot, and slower than the M1s, even when the M1s are emulating x86.

If you can't get an M1 for some reason, it's probably a wash between a Windows laptop (some models like the Dell XPS are really great hardware) and the 16" MBPr.

flatiron
can you expand the WSL issues with Node? As a Linux user I basically wanted to live in WSL except for running Office and stuff.
trinovantes
Off the top of my head:

- File names are not case sensitive (renaming can be a pain)

- Sometimes file changes don't trigger inotify and break hot reloading

- It's a pain to get custom /etc/hosts to resolve in your browser

flatiron
i googled your first nit and it appears that has been fixed. wsl flags an entire directory as case sensitive upon creation. ntfs supports case sensitivity.

the other two im not sure i will use (i have custom dns in my house i can use instead of hosts and don't do local triggers)