With more than 10 years on the market, the Raspberry Pi has become a benchmark in the market if we are looking for a small computer to perform all types of tasks via software. Most users use Raspberry Pi OS, their Raspbian successoran operating system designed specifically for this type of device and which is Linux based.
If Raspberry Pi OS falls short in functions, on the market we can find all types of Linux distributions that adapt to any user need. However, there are many users who do not enter this very particular ecosystem due to Linux, an operating system that remains completely unknown to millions of users around the world due to the complexity of use with which it has always been associated.
The Linux distributions that we can find on the market have changed a lot and have little or nothing to do with the first versions. In fact, most of them are designed to perform all types of tasks using the graphical interface so that the command line is not necessary except for very specific cases that not all home users have.
Operating systems for the Raspberry Pi not based on Linux
The Raspberry Pi uses ARM architecture, the same architecture that we can find in mobile devices, Apple Macs with the M1 processor and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus processors for PCs.
In this way, we can install any operating system that has a version for ARM processors and thus stop using Raspberry Pi OS or any other Linux distribution. If you want to know what the best alternatives are.
- Chrome OS. ChromeOS is another operating system from Google, an operating system designed for very low-resource computers and whose operation is completely based on the cloud, although it can be worked without the need for an Internet connection, although it greatly limits its actions. The user interface is similar to what we can find in the Android application drawer and everything works at the graphical interface level, without a command line.
- Windows. ARM-based Windows has been available since 2019, when Microsoft launched the Surface Pro With the launch of the first computers with Qualcomm ARM processors, Microsoft has designed Windows 11 from scratch to make it work on computers with this processor. However, for the Raspberry Pi, ARM-based Windows 10 will always work better as it meets the minimum requirements.
- Android. Another option that we must also analyze as an alternative to install on a Raspberry Pi is Android. While it is true that it is based on Linux, it has nothing to do with the Linux that we can find in any distribution, since all configuration options are made through the available applications. Basic is like having an Android mobile on a horizontal screen with the advantages and disadvantages that it entails.
- RISC OS. Although not the most modern or the most recommended option, another option is to install RISC OS, an operating system with a long history in the market that has not received the attention it initially should, since the attention was focused on the ARM architecture and not in RISC. The graphical interface leaves a lot to be desired, as does the number of applications that we can find for this operating system.
- OpenBSD. This is one of the best options if we are looking for equipment to set up a server to store data so that it is accessible through a local network or even on the Internet. Its operation is very similar to FreeBSD. It can be installed on a USB or memory card without problem and is compatible from the Raspberry Pi 3 onwards.