Linux continues to grow in popularity – running on over 3% of personal computers

The freer and more secure Linux operating system has reached another milestone in the computer market and now has more than 3% of the market share for mainstream computers, according to data from online statistics firm Statcounter.

Windows still has the largest share of the market but has dropped to 68.15%, while MacOS has 21.38%. The Google-developed Chrome OS, based on Linux, has a share of 4.15 percent, bringing the total market share of Linux-based systems to 7.23 percent.

While the share may seem small, it shows a continued steady direction with the highest ever listing for the operating system in the personal computer market. In addition, Linux dominates heavily in markets such as servers, supercomputers and embedded systems, where its open source, security and versatility stand out.

The continued growth of Linux may accelerate even more in the future as the release of products such as Steam Deck (running the Linux operating system) is expected to continue to increase the acceptance of Linux among gamers and in turn raise awareness of its increasing suitability for gaming.

In parallel with the increase in market share, experts emphasize Linux’s clear advantages in terms of customization, privacy and security, compared to competitors such as Windows and Mac.

Ubuntu, a popular Linux distribution, is often highlighted as an alternative that offers greater privacy and security, not least because it is open source. It also eliminates the need to connect to clouds and privacy-invasive services such as Google and Microsoft accounts, and reduces surveillance of the user and their computer.