When we talk about the Raspberry Pi we are talking about one of the most popular micro-computers that we can find. For 40 euros we can have a device that we can use for whatever we want, both to program and to mount our own home server, have a retro-console or carry a computer in our pocket. One of the strongest pillars of the RPi is the freedom it offers us when choosing the operating system that we are going to use. And although on the network we can find a large number of distros for this micro-computer, it has its official distro: Raspberry Pi OS .
Raspberry Pi OS, formerly known as Raspbian , is one of the best general-purpose distros for the Raspberry Pi that we can find. This distro first saw the light of day in 2015 as the official Debian-based distro to run this micro-computer.
Raspberry Pi OS Features
Raspberry Pi OS is a Debian based Linux distro . Its managers use this distro as a base and, on it, implement all its improvements and features. The main difference of Raspberry Pi OS compared to other Linux distros is that it is optimized to work on ARM processors , specifically that of the Raspberry Pi, not generating failures or errors and being able to take full advantage of these CPUs.
This distro uses a PIXEL desktop (Pi Improved X-Window Environment, Lightweight), a modified version of LXDE with an Openbox window manager and a very distinctive custom theme.
Another of its best features is the ” raspi-config ” program. With it we will be able to configure the distro and the Raspberry Pi very easily. The configurations that are usually made through the terminal can be done with this tool, such as changing the password, managing startup, updating or overclocking the RPi.
3 editions to choose from
Those responsible for this distro offer us 3 different editions so that each user can choose the one that best suits their needs.
On the one hand we are going to find the most complete edition that includes the PIXEL desktop , the recommended programs and a significant amount of recommended software . This is the most complete edition and will allow us to have everything from the moment we start it. This edition occupies 2.5 GB.
On the other hand we have the edition that only comes with the desktop and the basic programs , without additional recommended software. For users who want to have the simple distro and install what they need is one of the best options. This edition occupies 1.1 GB.
And finally we have the “Lite” edition . This is the minimum image based on Debian, it occupies 400 MB and it brings just enough to boot the device, but it is the user who has to install the programs he needs. It requires more knowledge to start it, since it does not bring a graphical environment, but in the end it is the one that will offer us the best performance.
When to use this distro
Raspberry Pi OS, Raspbian, is usually the gateway for most users. Almost all those who buy a micro-computer usually opt for this distro to start testing it. Later, when they already have it controlled, they can keep it or choose much more specific alternatives. But, almost always, you usually start with this distro.
If we want to use our Raspberry Pi a bit for everything , especially with its graphical interface, then this OS is one of the most complete that we will find. And it will offer us a very good performance, especially in the most recent editions of the micro-computer (Pi 3 and Pi 4). If we have an old version, we can choose the Lite edition, which is smaller and more customizable.
In addition, if we like this distro, we can also find a specific version for PC, being able to install this Debian-based distro with your PIXEL desktop on any computer and use it in our day to day.
Download Raspberry Pi OS
This distro for the Raspberry Pi is completely free for all users. The latest version of each of its editions can be found at the following link , from where we can download them both by direct download and through the torrent network.
We remember that Raspberry Pi OS is downloaded in image format, so we will have to use a program, such as the Raspberry Pi Imager , to record this image to the memory card in order to use it. This tool is also official, and we can download it from the previous link, along with the distros.
Requirements
Being a distro specially designed and optimized to work on the Raspberry Pi, all we need is to have this micro-computer in our possession. Even on the Pi 1, with its limited hardware, it will work perfectly.
In addition, we will need to have an 8 GB micro-SD, if possible a high category, that allows us to install the entire system and start working with it without space problems. If we are going to install Raspberry Pi OS through NOOBS we must have a 16 GB micro-SD.
Optionally, we must also have an HDMI cable to connect the output to the monitor and a keyboard and mouse to control it.
Best alternatives
It is true that there is nothing like the official distro if we want to use the micro-computer a bit for everything. However, if we have a specific idea of the use that we are going to make of the computer, we may be more interested in using a specialized distro for this purpose. In this way we will avoid having unnecessary programs and resources and the operation of the micro-computer will be 100% focused on that objective.
Ubuntu Server
Although Raspberry Pi OS Lite is a much smaller distro than the normal one, if you want to set up your own home server (for example, to download, a VPN, storage, etc.), it is best to use a server distro. Canonical has a special version of Ubuntu Server for the Raspberry Pi.
This distro, which we can download from here , offers us a minimal environment which we can configure and customize to our liking. Thus we can install only the programs, services and packages that we need and nothing else.
FreeELEC
Another of the most common uses of the Raspberry Pi is for entertainment. For this reason, LibreELEC allows us to convert this micro-computer into a complete multimedia center with Kodi (and nothing else) so that we have a specific device to use this program and connect it to any television.
We can download LibreELEC from the following link .
Lakka / Recalbox
Continuing with entertainment, one of the most popular uses of this device is also to turn it into a retro-console. We can install the Libretro emulators on practically any system, but, as expected, there are distros for the Raspberry Pi specially designed for this purpose.
Lakka , on the one hand, is the official Libretro distro to allow us to turn the device into a retro console, with emulators and settings included, so we only have to put the games in and start spending hours playing. And for users that Lakka may find somewhat complicated, Recalbox brings us a much simpler, complete and intuitive interface to carry out this work.
