Lightweight distributions for the Raspberry Pi
New Cards
The Raspberry Pi is a Linux machine, and its default distribution is Raspberry Pi OS. But Linux is all about choices….
The default operating system for the Raspberry Pi is the 32-bit version of Raspberry Pi OS [1], formerly known as Raspbian, which was short for Rasp(berry-Pi-De)bian: The distribution is based on Debian GNU/Linux. 2022 saw the official release of a 64-bit version, but the 32-bit edition remains the standard.
Many of the other big Linux distributions have released ARM versions that run on the Rasp Pi, for example Ubuntu, openSUSE, Fedora, Manjaro, Gentoo, Arch Linux, Slackware, and Pop!_OS – some of which will only run on the Rasp Pi 4 and Rasp Pi 400. Kali Linux and Recalbox, which I mention elsewhere in this issue, are also available for the Rasp Pi. Rather than enumerating these Rasp Pi versions of everyday Linux, this article highlights some alternative distros you might not know about.
Finding Distributions
If you want to get an overview of Linux distributions for the Raspberry Pi, you can check the RPi Distributions page in the Embedded Linux Wiki [2]. However, many of the entries on that page are outdated. You can also use your favorite search engine to find distributions, or you can simply download the official Raspberry Pi Imager from the same web page that hosts Raspberry Pi OS [1]: The imager lets you download various distro images and write them to an SD card (Figure 1).
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Cairo Dock 3.6 Now Available for More Compositors
If you're a fan of third-party desktop docks, then the latest release of Cairo Dock with Wayland support is for you.
-
System76 Unleashes Pop!_OS 24.04 Beta
System76's first beta of Pop!_OS 24.04 is an impressive feat.
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 is Available
Linus Torvalds has announced that the latest kernel has been released with plenty of core improvements and even more hardware support.
-
Kali Linux 2025.3 Released with New Hacking Tools
If you're a Kali Linux fan, you'll be glad to know that the third release of this famous pen-testing distribution is now available with updates for key components.
-
Zorin OS 18 Beta Available for Testing
The latest release from the team behind Zorin OS is ready for public testing, and it includes plenty of improvements to make it more powerful, user-friendly, and productive.
-
Fedora Linux 43 Beta Now Available for Testing
Fedora Linux 43 Beta ships with Gnome 49 and KDE Plasma 6.4 (and other goodies).
-
USB4 Maintainer Leaves Intel
Michael Jamet, one of the primary maintainers of USB4 and Thunderbolt drivers, has left Intel, leaving a gaping hole for the Linux community to deal with.
-
Budgie 10.9.3 Now Available
The latest version of this elegant and configurable Linux desktop aligns with changes in Gnome 49.
-
KDE Linux Alpha Available for Daring Users
It's official, KDE Linux has arrived, but it's not quite ready for prime time.
-
AMD Initiates Graphics Driver Updates for Linux Kernel 6.18
This new AMD update focuses on power management, display handling, and hardware support for Radeon GPUs.