The Best Operating Systems for Your Raspberry Pi Projects

If you’re new to the Raspberry Pi, that tiny $35 computer we all love,there’s a good chance you’ve downloaded (or purchased an SD card that includes) NOOBS. NOOBS makes getting started with Pi easy, and includes a bunch of different operating systems to choose from. Which you should choose depends, of course, on your project. Here’s how to make the right choice.

What Is NOOBS?

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The Raspberry Pi itself doesn’t come with an operating system. For that,you need NOOBS, short forNew Out of the Box Software. It’s an operatingsystem manager that makes it easy to download, install, and set up yourRaspberry Pi. When you first boot up NOOBS, you’ll get a selection of OSesto choose from. Which operating systems are available depends on whichmodel of Raspberry Pi you are using. For this guide, we’ll stick to the mostcommon OSesoperating systems available on the newest models of theRaspberry Pi. Right now, that’s Raspbian, OSMC, OpenELEC, Windows IoTCore, and RISC OS.

The Raspberry Pi itself doesn’t come with an operating system. For that,you need NOOBS, short forNew Out of the Box Software. It’s an operatingsystem manager that makes it easy to download, install, and set up yourRaspberry Pi. When you first boot up NOOBS, you’ll get a selection of OSesto choose from. Which operating systems are available depends on whichmodel of Raspberry Pi you are using. For this guide, we’ll stick to the mostcommon OSesoperating systems available on the newest models of theRaspberry Pi. Right now, that’s Raspbian, OSMC, OpenELEC, Windows IoTCore, and RISC OS.

While downloading NOOBS is simple, you can buy an SD card with NOOBSpreinstalled for around $12 at Adafruit. If you prefer the DIY route, thesetup process is very straightforward and you’ll find a full guide over onthe Raspberry Pi site. On the first boot, NOOBS greets you with a selectionof operating systems. You can install as many as you want that’ll fit onyour SD card. Let’s dig into which of those choices is best for yourparticular plans for your Raspberry Pi.

Raspbian Is the Best All-Around Operating System

Raspbian is the “official” operating system of the Raspberry Pi and becauseof that, it’s the one most people will want to start with.

Raspbian is a version of Linux built specifically for the Raspberry Pi. Itcomes packed with all the software you’ll need for every basic task with acomputer. You’ll get LibreOffice as an office suite, a web browser, emailprogram, and some tools to teach programming to kids and adults alike.Heck, it even includes a special (no longer in development) version ofMinecraft. Raspbian is the backbone for pretty much every DIY project outthere, so if you’re looking to make something, Raspbian is most likelywhere you want to start. Because it’s so widely used, it’s also easy to findguides and troubleshooting tips.

If you’re new to Linux, Raspbian will be a little confusing for you. The RpiBeginners wiki is a great starting point, as are the official Raspberry Piresources. Both walk you through everything you need to use Raspbian,from making games to getting a grip on the default programs. If videos aremore your thing, the Raspberry Pi for Beginners YouTube channel hasplenty to watch, as does the Raspberry Pi Tutorials Channel.

OSMC Is the Best, Most Feature-Rich Media Center Software

OSMC (Open Source Media Center) is media center software based on Kodi(formerly XBMC), but it’s easier to set up and use. In fact, it doesn’t looklike Kodi at all, and that’s a good thing. It’s probably the easiest to usemedia center software available on the Pi. If you’re new to media centers oryou’re trying to set one up for non-techy people, OSMC is the one you wantto use.

Compared to Kodi, OSMC features a clean interface that cuts a lot of thecrap out. You get a menu on the left side of the screen that lets you to selectmedia (videos/music/pictures), dig into the settings, or check out otherprograms. It’s all tidy and self explanatory. Of course, you can still installKodi add-ons for media streams and set up remotes so you don’t have touse a keyboard. In fact, OSMC has presets for several popular remotes soyou don’t even need to scratch your head trying to set one up. As for localmedia, you can play videos and photos from USB storage.

OSMC still has plenty of room to tinker, though. It runs a full version ofDebian under the hood, so you can set up SSH, FTP, Samba sharing, andplenty more if you’re an advanced user.

OpenELEC Is a Media Center for People Who Want a Barebones, Speedy Experience

If OSMC doesn’t suit your needs, OpenELEC (Open Embedded LinuxEntertainment Center) is worth a look. OpenELEC is a more direct port ofKodi, so if you’re familiar with Kodi and how it works, you’ll be right athome. Where OSMC is a feature-rich and customizable media center thatcan do whatever you want, OpenELEC is built for one thing: playing media.If you have a ton of movies or music already on a hard drive and just want asimple way to play them on your television, OpenELEC is the way to do it.

We’ve dug into OpenELEC before, but its main appeal is its speed.OpenELEC takes Kodi and cuts out a lot of the customization options tokeep it barebones, fast, and simple. However, it’s not as open as OSMC, soyou can’t make system level changes like altering the Pi’s overclock speedwithout delving into complex menus. OpenELEC also limits access tocertain services, like SSH, so it’s not as easy to set up.

Windows 10 IoT Core Is for Developers Making Connected Devices

Windows 10 IoT is a special version of Windows built for the Raspberry Pi.It is not a full version of Windows. Instead, it’s meant as a developmentplatform for coders and programmers to prototype internet connecteddevices using the Raspberry Pi and Windows 10. Windows 10 IoT is onlycompatible with Windows 10 and you cannot do anything with it unless youhave another computer with Windows 10 installed.

When you first boot into Windows 10 IoT, all you’ll see on your Pi is thescreen above. You can’t control or do anything on the Pi by itself. For that,you’ll need to download and install Visual Studio on your Windows PC.Once you do, you can program and control your Raspberry Pi from VisualStudio in Windows 10. This means you can trigger blinking lights, connectto push buttons, control motors, and countless other things.

To get started using Windows IoT Core, Microsoft has a fantastic collectionof projects that teach you how to use it. Give those projects a look and see ifany are interesting to you to decide if Windows 10 IoT Core is worthinstalling.

RISC OS Is for Anyone Looking to Play with a Completely Different Type of Operating System

If there’s an odd-duck here, it’s RISC OS. RISC OS is not built on Linux, noris it really made help electronics tinkerers prototype. Instead, it’s anoperating system all its own. It’s rather weird too, but it can be fun to playaround with.

RISC OS doesn’t have a lot in common with other operating systems likeLinux, OS X, or even Windows. It was initially designed in 1987 and hasroots in the BBC Micro. RISC OS is much simpler than modern operatingsystems. A single app can take over the whole operating system, it onlyworks as a single-user system, apps are just directories with anexclamation point in front of the name, and it doesn’t have much in theway of security. RISC OS is also super into drag and drop, where if you wantto save, you drag a “save as” icon to a folder. Basically, it’s a baffling littleoperating system, but it’s fascinating nonetheless.

Most people should not install RISC OS. You can’t really use it as a primaryoperating system, it doesn’t have much in the way of modern softwaresupport, and it doesn’t work like any other operating system available rightnow. That said, it is fun to play around with if you’re the curious type. Forstarter’s guides, Ident Showcase has a good walkthrough on YouTube, theRISC OS welcome page guides you through some basics, or check out theRISC OS forums for tips.

NOOBS is a great way to test out new operating systems and get to knowyour Raspberry Pi, so it’s worthwhile to experiment with all of them a littlebit. If you’re looking for other options, there are a ton of other ready-madeprojects not included on NOOBS that are worth a look.