Don’t Overthink Your Raspberry Pi OS Choice
Beginners tend to start with Raspberry Pi OS because it’s what they get on their SD card or it seems like the logical choice, which is fine.
Then, they learn about other systems. There are probably more than 100 listed in Raspberry Pi Imager alone, and many others can run on a Raspberry Pi. Seeing this, many users start to overthink it when they shouldn’t.
Raspberry Pi OS is the best operating system for 99% of Raspberry Pi projects. Provided by the manufacturer, it is updated to the latest Debian version, making it fully compatible with your hardware. It even includes most Python libraries for the Raspberry Pi.
If you want a clearer path than jumping from tutorial to tutorial, my book gives you a step-by-step roadmap to really understand your Raspberry Pi.
Check the book here
Don’t try to be clever. Obviously, you could use DietPi for a 5% performance boost, LibreElec for a media center, or OpenMediaVault for a NAS. But all of those can also run on Raspberry Pi OS. So, if you want to keep things simple, don’t even think about it; start with Raspberry Pi OS.
When you start a new project, you probably have to decide between Lite and Desktop, depending on whether you’ll need a GUI. In both cases, I’d use Raspberry Pi OS. That’s what I do, and I recommend it for most people.
Bonus tip: if you hesitate between Lite and Desktop. Start with Lite; you can always add a desktop environment later.
If you consider yourself an expert and can think of edge cases where another system might be better for your project, check out my top 15 distributions for Raspberry Pi. But don’t worry about this at first.
By the way, if you’re not sure where to start or what to try next, you should definitely get Master Raspberry Pi in 30 Days. You’ll see that at least the first half of the book is about Raspberry Pi OS. It’s only near the end that we start experimenting with other systems.
Whenever you’re ready, here are other ways I can help you:
Test Your Raspberry Pi Level (Free): Not sure why everything takes so long on your Raspberry Pi? Take this free 3-minute assessment and see what’s causing the problems.
The RaspberryTips Community: Need help or want to discuss your Raspberry Pi projects with others who actually get it? Join the RaspberryTips Community and get access to private forums, exclusive lessons, and direct help.
Master your Raspberry Pi in 30 days: If you are looking for the best tips to become an expert on Raspberry Pi, this book is for you. Learn useful Linux skills and practice multiple projects with step-by-step guides.
Master Python on Raspberry Pi: Create, understand, and improve any Python script for your Raspberry Pi. Learn the essentials step-by-step without losing time understanding useless concepts.
Master Linux Commands: Overwhelmed with Linux commands? This book is your essential guide to mastering the terminal. It includes practical tips, real-world examples, and a bonus cheat sheet to keep by your side.
You can also find all my recommendations for tools and hardware on this page.
