Raspberry Pi is a versatile platform for projects ranging from education to home automation. This page highlights the best Linux distros tailored for Raspberry Pi, ensuring optimal performance and user experience.
Raspberry Pi's limited resources require a distro that is lightweight and efficient, ensuring smooth performance.
User-friendly interfaces and accessible documentation make it easier for beginners and educators to leverage Raspberry Pi.
Distros with built-in educational tools are ideal for learning environments, empowering users to explore coding and electronics.
Strong security features protect your projects, especially when Raspberry Pi is used for IoT or home automation.
Our top picks for raspberry pi, ranked by overall experience.
Official Raspberry Pi Experience
Raspberry Pi OS, formerly Raspbian, is the official distro, designed specifically for Raspberry Pi. It offers a perfect balance of performance and usability.
User-Friendly Mate Desktop
Ubuntu Mate offers a familiar and easy-to-use interface, making it a great choice for users transitioning from other desktop environments.
Arch-Based Flexibility
Manjaro ARM brings the power of Arch Linux to Raspberry Pi, offering cutting-edge software and customization options.
Security and Penetration Testing
Kali Linux is perfect for security professionals and enthusiasts, providing a comprehensive suite of penetration testing tools.
Robust Server Experience
Ubuntu Server offers a stable and robust server environment for Raspberry Pi, ideal for home servers and IoT projects.
Effortless Media Center
LibreELEC transforms your Raspberry Pi into a complete media center, with a focus on ease of use and minimal setup.
Not sure which to pick? These comparisons might help.
Yes, Raspberry Pi OS is specifically designed for Raspberry Pi and offers a user-friendly experience with extensive resources and community support, making it ideal for beginners.
Absolutely, using distros like LibreELEC, you can transform your Raspberry Pi into an efficient media center, perfect for streaming and media playback.
Yes, Raspberry Pi is an excellent platform for learning programming, with many distros offering educational tools to help users start coding in Python, Scratch, and more.
You can install a Linux distro on Raspberry Pi by downloading the image file from the official website, flashing it onto an SD card using tools like Balena Etcher, and then booting your Raspberry Pi with the card.
When using Raspberry Pi, especially for IoT projects, it's important to keep the system updated, change default passwords, and use firewalls to safeguard against unauthorized access.
Yes, Raspberry Pi can handle basic server tasks using distros like Ubuntu Server, suitable for home servers, small web hosting, and IoT applications.
Compare any two distros side-by-side.
