What exactly is unix/linux programming?

I never really knew what people mean when they mention unix/linux programming? Is unix some kind of language? I assume its an operating system. But if thats true then what does it mean to learn unix/linux programming? Why are there classes to learn it? Please help me understand.


Thanks

You are correct in saying that Unix and Linux are operating systems. Just as companies develop programs that only work on Windows, there are programs that only work on Linux or Unix. Boards with this type of development in mind will focus on the issues of some respected system and ignore most other stuff.

Classes exist for Linux and Unix probably because of the same reason that Windows ones do, in that you are likely to encounter the platform sometime and should how to do work.

thanks. But what is unix/linux programming??

Writing code (programs) for Linux/Unix.

For example, learning to use the POSIX API rather than the Win32 API.
And possibly one of several different GUI API's on offer (say Qt or vxWindows)

Settle down for a nice long read.
http://www.advancedlinuxprogramming.com/

Oh so your saying I could write any program in any language on linux/unix like C++ but it will be slightly different in commands?

C++ is not specific to lets say, Windows of Linux/Unix. But rather, the API/GUI that are used for that specific operating system.

> Oh so your saying I could write any program in any language on linux/unix like C++
Most languages - except those invented by microsoft - don't give a damn about which OS you're using. C for example runs on pretty much anything from a mobile phone to a Linux cluster, and a fair number of things outside that range as well.

If you separate learning the language from learning an implementation, then you can pretty much program whatever you feel like once you've got to grips which whatever APIs are provided.

You can make programs with most programming languages to a mobile phone, pocket PC and other devices when you learn the right commands and find the right libraries. But you would need a cross-compiler for this.