Linux Dominates Public Server Space, But What About the Desktop Usage?

As per recent statistics, Linux has established itself as a dominant force in public servers, accounting for 35.9 percent of usage in February 2015. With Windows closely following at 32.3 percent market share in the same period, it appears that Linux has won the hearts of the server world. This substantial lead may have been the motivating factor for Microsoft’s announcement in March of its plans to integrate its SQL database into Linux, highlighting the influence of this open-source software.

But how does Linux fare on the desktop front? When compared to other operating systems, the Linux desktop usage still has some ground to cover. According to W3Counters, Linux desktops accounted for a small slice of only 2.48 percent of all web visits from tracked websites in the previous month.

Below, we have consolidated the top 10 platforms that accounted for web visits:

1. Windows 7 – 23.72%
2. iOS 9 – 14.16%
3. Android 4 – 12.16%
4. Windows 10 – 12.16%
5. Android 5 – 10.59%
6. Windows 8.1 – 5.10%
7. Android 6 – 4.41%
8. Mac OS X – 3.82%
9. Windows XP – 2.83%
10. Linux – 2.48%

These figures portray browser usage, with Google Chrome remaining the preferred browser for users worldwide. But more importantly, they reveal the operating systems being used to access the internet.

Further data from NetMarketShare recorded a slightly lower 2.02 percent market share for Linux in June 2016. Simultaneously, StatCounter also tracked a marginal difference with a 1.46 percent for Linux during the same period.

Expanding our understanding further, the “Developer Survey Results 2016” report posted on StackOverflow and later referenced in a Wikipedia article, presents an interesting perspective on the “Desktop Operating System” preferences among English-speaking users. The report intriguingly suggests that by 2017, fewer than 50% of developers may be using Windows as their preferred platform and instead switch to other operating systems like Linux or Apple.

| Year | Microsoft Windows: 52.02% | Apple: 26.2% | Linux kernel based: 21.7% |
| ———— | ————— | ——- | —————— |
| 2016 | 20.8% | 26.2% | 12.3% |

This transition among developers could potentially tilt the scales over the next few years, solidifying Linux’s position on the desktop front as it has in the server market. Until then, the battle for dominance continues.

This article was updated in 2025 to reflect modern realities.