How should a Windows-using computer science student get started with Linux?

The installation itself is usually straightforward: create a bootable USB, start the computer from it, and follow the installer. Fedora and Mint both provide beginner-friendly installers, so you don’t need to understand every Linux concept beforehand. Just check hardware compatibility and make a backup before changing your partitions.

Linux Mint is a strong starting point. It’s stable, easy to install, and its desktop feels familiar if you’re coming from Windows. There isn’t one universally best distribution, though—Fedora is also a good choice if you already have some experience with it. The desktop environment matters too; KDE Plasma provides a particularly Windows-like layout.

Linux is free and open source, and it gives you excellent command-line tools, scripting, package management, and a development environment that’s very similar to what you’ll encounter on many servers. For web development, that can make working with tools like Git, SSH, containers, and language runtimes feel more natural. It may also run smoothly on older hardware and generally avoids the advertising and bundled services found in Windows.

You don’t have to erase Windows immediately. Since you’re still in college, some classes may require Windows-only software, so dual-booting or installing Linux on a separate SSD is safer. Back up important files first, and consider trying Linux in a virtual machine or from a live USB before installing it permanently.