In short: My private desktop has been running Linux Mint since 2024, and I don't miss Windows there. In December 2025 I switched at work too: my new work computer is a TUXEDO notebook with TUXEDO OS, without dual boot and without Windows as a fallback. The installation was the easy part. Moving my development environment took the real effort. After the first weeks I can say: Linux fits my work as a PHP and Shopware developer very well.
From Linux Mint to my workstation
How I came to Linux privately after more than 30 years of Windows is described in Why I Switched to Linux and Miss Nothing. Back then, the trigger was a dead SSD in my desktop PC.
After that, one question was answered for me: whether I can get along with Linux. So when a new work notebook was due, it was only about which device and which system would suit my work best. At work I wanted to go all the way: my new work computer was to run Linux entirely. No dual boot as a safety net and no Windows as the actual main system.
Why for work too?
I develop PHP and Symfony applications and work with Shopware, databases, Docker and many small tools. On my previous work computer with Windows 11, I had built a working environment for this. WSL2 made a lot possible, but alongside the Linux world it always brought the Windows layer too: file system boundaries, different paths, their own network details and more moving parts.
The servers my projects run on use Linux anyway. With Linux on my workstation too, the Windows layer is gone.
Why TUXEDO OS?
I wanted to spend as little time as possible on drivers, power management or other hardware details. That is why I chose a notebook from TUXEDO Computers with TUXEDO OS preinstalled. Hardware and system are tuned to each other, and that is exactly what I wanted.
At home I use Linux Mint with Cinnamon, on my workstation now TUXEDO OS with KDE Plasma. KDE doesn't feel foreign to long-time Windows users either: start menu, taskbar, windows and lots of settings. Still, KDE is not Windows with a different logo. Window behaviour, shortcuts and system administration in particular work differently in places.
What worked straight away and what didn't
Browser, Git, SSH and most programs from my daily work were no problem. PhpStorm, my most important IDE, is available for Linux too. Docker and other server tools feel at home here anyway.
The effort wasn't the installation but moving my existing setup. Development environments, containers, databases and project files had to be moved in a structured way. And then there are the small things you only notice in daily use:
- How does the taskbar group several browser windows?
- Which keyboard shortcuts do I use now?
- How do I access old NTFS drives and my BitLocker-encrypted backup?
What has changed for me
I have to switch less between a Windows working world and a Linux server world. Many tools now run where I run them on the servers anyway. That doesn't mean everything is easier on Linux or that every piece of software is available. If you want to switch, check beforehand whether there are suitable alternatives for the Windows programs you can't do without.
What I would recommend
- Try it privately first if you can. My experience with Linux Mint took a lot of uncertainty out of switching at work.
- Check your workflow first, then pick the distribution. What matters is whether your tools run on Linux.
- Plan the move. Containers, databases and backups in particular need a plan.
- Don't forget old drives. Encrypted or NTFS-formatted disks should be checked before the switch.
Conclusion
Now my work computer runs entirely on Linux too. The biggest effort was moving my environment, not changing the operating system. If you work in a similar way, with PHP, Symfony, Docker and Linux servers, you should seriously consider Linux as your main system. You have to get used to it, but you don't have to give up your productivity.
Frequently asked questions
Can you work entirely on Linux as a PHP and Shopware developer?
Yes. PHP, Docker, databases, PhpStorm, Git and SSH run on Linux without restrictions. Many of the servers that shops later run on use Linux anyway.
Linux Mint or TUXEDO OS?
Both work very well for me. Linux Mint is particularly beginner-friendly, TUXEDO OS is tuned to TUXEDO hardware and comes with KDE Plasma.
Do I still need Windows just in case?
I deliberately went without dual boot. The important thing is to check beforehand whether there is a program you really can only use on Windows.