Linux and Windows Server are two different types of operating systems. Linux is the kernel for free and open source operating systems. Windows, on the other hand, is a commercial operating system. There are a few technical differences that you need to know when making your decision between these two operating systems.
Linux Server has no graphical interface
Linux Server has no graphical interface this means that you need to manage your server via ssh or from the console. Windows Servers can be accessed via its graphical interface and also remotely through the Server Core via MMC, TS RemoteApp Terminal Services, or Remote Shell.
Software installations
Software on Linux Server can be installed via a package management system with local or remote software repositories. It’s also possible to install binary files manually or compile the software from the source code. On Windows Server, you need to manually install binary software.
Applications
Linux and Windows also support different applications. It’s generally known that you can run ASP.net and MSSQL only on Windows Servers. Below you will find more applications which require Windows:
- ASP Classic
- ASP.NET
- MSSQL (Microsoft SQL Server)
- MS Access (Microsoft Access)
- Visual Basic Development
- C#
- Remote Desktop
You’re able to run any number of web servers on Linux. Apache Server and Nginx are the most popular applications that you can run on this operating system.
Applications that require a Linux-based server:
- SSH
- Scripts or applications that require specific Apache modules
