Newbie's intro

I am a fresh computer science student. I want to purchase a laptop to run Linux on, so I can learn how to use terminal commands, and also continue learning C++, Python, and Java. The only think I know about Linux is that it is obviously an operating system, but there are different versions called distros? How do I pick the best version for just coding and web searches? That's really all I'd need. I'm somewhat comfortable with Windows 10 and it's command prompt / powershell, if that context matters here.

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Just looking for tips on the correct direction to head!

https://redd.it/1upe415
@r_linux