Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

General Discussion

Greg Kitchin
Greg Kitchin
31,522 Points
Posted by Greg Kitchin
Greg Kitchin
31,522 Points

What to look for in a development computer.

I'm thinking of getting a laptop at some point, and wondering what I should look for in a laptop that I would use for coding and web development. I'd go for an Apple machine of some kind, simply because I'd want to try making apps as well, but I'm sure some others would want to stick with a Windows machine.

Basic web coding should not require much, but what about app development and programming in the likes of Java, Python or Ruby? Is memory the most important feature available? Processor speed?

1 Answer

Ethan Lowry
PLUS
Ethan Lowry
Courses Plus Student 7,323 Points
Ethan Lowry
Ethan Lowry
Courses Plus Student 7,323 Points

Any modern machine will have no problem with anything you're likely to have to do with the technologies you've mentioned and most others. Any relatively recent Mac would certainly do the job wonderfully - and I'd recommend either a Mac or Linux for development in languages like Python/Ruby etc as getting Windows to play nicely with them can be a real nightmare.