Linux has surpassed a 4% share in the desktop operating system market as of the end of February 2024. According to the latest data from StatCounter, a leading web traffic analysis tool, Linux’s market share has reached 4.03%.
At first glance, the number might seem modest, but it represents a significant leap. Let’s break it down. It took Linux 30 years to secure a 3% share of desktop operating systems, a milestone reached last June.
Impressively, the open-source operating system has surged by an additional 1% in the last eight months.
Now, we’re all curious about the journey Linux is on and where it’ll end up by the year’s end. Will we be celebrating a milestone of surpassing 5% market share? It’s a goal many of us who champion open source are eagerly hoping to achieve.
The rise in Linux’s popularity can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the open-source nature of Linux has made it a favored choice among developers, IT professionals, and tech enthusiasts who appreciate the flexibility and control it offers.
Additionally, the security and stability of Linux have been key selling points, making it an attractive option for both personal and professional use.
However, while having great features is important, an attractive presentation often captures attention first, something both Windows and macOS understand well. This is precisely where the top Linux desktop distros have made remarkable strides, significantly enhancing their appearance and user-friendliness in recent years.
With the continuous improvement and user-friendly designs of distributions such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, and many others, Linux has become more accessible to a broader audience, including those who may not be as technically inclined.
Is the much-anticipated “Linux on the Desktop” year upon us? Well, not exactly. The truth is, seeing Linux dominate desktops any time soon is quite unlikely, but then again, achieving widespread desktop dominance was never the primary aim of Linux. It’s more of an ongoing, lighthearted debate among enthusiasts than a serious expectation.
However, it’s worth noting and celebrating that Linux’s desktop usage has surpassed 4% and even saw a growth of 1% in just the last eight months – a feat that was beyond the expectations of many. So, let’s take a moment to appreciate this achievement. It may seem small to some, but it’s a significant stride forward for those who hold Linux dear.
Is this counting Chromebooks and Steam deck as well? If so this can not only be contributed to Linux desktop, or well I guess the Steam deck could as it’s kde, however I feel the article should reflect this. Anyway thanks for all your articles, I love reading them.
No, ChromeOS is excluded. SteamDeck probably is included.
Steam Deck definitely counts, StatCounter uses the useragent info to make the data, you can read about it on their FAQ.
AND gaming on Linux, leaded by steam has honestly been a great contribution of this
Two aspects to this comment. I assume the statistic was for USA alone, since Linux market share for European Union (EU) – 27 countries of 400+ million citizens, as well as China’s Linux mandate for 450+ “just” Government users would represent a much larger percentage than stated.
In any case such percentages are of no consequence in USA which judges everything by quantity rather than quality.
No, it is not just USA, it’s the whole open internet (so china maybe excluded because of their firewall). But i would not say that the percentages in Europe are that much higher, here in The Netherlands the percentage is just above 1 percentage according to statcounter. I would rather guess for instance places like India that might be cranking up the numbers, where buying windows or Mac is not as affordable.
Why would I care about market share? Linux has not slick advertising campaign, most people I talk to about Linux have never heard of it. The few that have believe that it is hard to use. I don’t care, as long as Linux exists I will use it as I see it as far superior to MS and way more affordable to Apple, which is also Unix based. I am also that total GUI guy that uses Linux, so know it is not hard to use. Market share means nothing to me.
I share you sentiments, but like the fact there are just enough users for devices to be supported. It does matter there are at least a few of us. I like having around 5% market share, but would be horrified if it exceeded 10%. That is the point where there will be a “zeitheist” when corporations pile to take it over.
Those who think the world will be a better place if everyone just used Linux because … open source … are naive. Android is built on top of Linux kernel, but it is not something that I want to use (although I am forced to at the moment). Over time, corporations found a business model to monitize open source and, ultimately, they’ll just steal it if they had to (and legitimise the theft). Legalities are only respected when they benefit those with institutional power.
At the same time, I recognise that it is the way of things. All things are in the process of coming into existence and ceasing to exist. So when I see the writing on the wall that standard distro are built for those who do not care, and distros are locked down and loaded with crudware, spying, news feeds and ads, I will be looking for something else.
Thinking about it… how will they legitimise the theft? Well, a starting point would be that programmers will need a license to write code, which could be withdrawn for non-compliance with some mandate. But don’t worry, it will be done only to prevent “online harm” and keep people safe.
I think as lone as Linux is around on super computers, servers and in embedded devices, they will maintain desktops for users. It is good PR and just makes sense.
Great article. Maybe the long awaited “year of the Linux desktop” is finally going to happen someday.
till then the meme lives on.