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  1. Stackups
  2. Application & Data
  3. Infrastructure as a Service
  4. Operating Systems
  5. Debian vs Raspbian

Debian vs Raspbian

OverviewComparisonAlternatives

Overview

Debian
Debian
Stacks16.4K
Followers11.2K
Votes164
Raspbian
Raspbian
Stacks141
Followers178
Votes10

Debian vs Raspbian: What are the differences?

Debian is a popular Linux distribution that serves as the foundation for many other distributions, while Raspbian is a Debian-based operating system specifically tailored for the Raspberry Pi single-board computers. Let's explore the key differences between the two:

  1. Kernel Optimization: One significant difference between Debian and Raspbian is the kernel optimization. Raspbian is optimized for the ARM architecture used in Raspberry Pi devices, providing better performance and hardware compatibility compared to the generic ARM support in Debian.

  2. Default Software Packages: Another difference lies in the default software packages included in each distribution. Raspbian ships with a curated set of software tailored for the Raspberry Pi, such as Scratch, Sonic Pi, and the Raspberry Pi Configuration Tool. On the other hand, Debian includes a broader range of software packages suitable for a more general-purpose use.

  3. Desktop Environment: Debian offers a range of desktop environments to choose from, including GNOME, KDE Plasma, Xfce, and LXQt. In contrast, Raspbian adopts the lightweight LXDE desktop environment by default to ensure smooth performance on the limited hardware resources of the Raspberry Pi.

  4. Ease of Use: Raspbian is designed with simplicity in mind, providing a user-friendly interface and preinstalled software specifically targeted for beginners and educational purposes. Debian, while still user-friendly, may require more advanced knowledge and configuration to fully utilize its capabilities.

  5. Release Cycle: Debian has a more conservative release cycle, with stable releases occurring every few years. Raspbian, on the other hand, follows a more frequent release schedule to keep up with the latest advancements and hardware improvements of the Raspberry Pi.

  6. Community Support: Due to its popularity and widespread usage, Debian has a large and active community that provides extensive support, documentation, and resources. Raspbian benefits from the broader Debian community while also having its own dedicated community focused on Raspberry Pi-specific issues and optimizations.

In summary, Debian is a versatile, community-driven Linux distribution known for its stability and wide range of supported architectures, suitable for diverse server and desktop environments. Raspbian, on the other hand, is a Debian-based operating system specifically optimized for Raspberry Pi single-board computers, offering tailored configurations and pre-installed tools to enhance the user experience on this hardware platform.

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Detailed Comparison

Debian
Debian
Raspbian
Raspbian

Debian systems currently use the Linux kernel or the FreeBSD kernel. Linux is a piece of software started by Linus Torvalds and supported by thousands of programmers worldwide. FreeBSD is an operating system including a kernel and other software.

It is optimized for the Raspberry Pi hardware. It provides more than a pure OS: it comes with over 35,000 packages, pre-compiled software bundled in a nice format for easy installation on your Raspberry Pi.

-
pre-compiled software; comes with over 35,000 packages
Statistics
Stacks
16.4K
Stacks
141
Followers
11.2K
Followers
178
Votes
164
Votes
10
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 54
    Massively supported
  • 50
    Stable
  • 21
    Reliable
  • 9
    Aptitude
  • 8
    Customizable
Cons
  • 10
    Old versions of software
  • 2
    Can be difficult to set up on vanilla Debian
Pros
  • 7
    Runs well on rpi
  • 2
    Easy to use with little experience
  • 1
    Very Lightweight
Cons
  • 4
    Desktop enviroment is unstable
  • 1
    Uses ARMHF architecture, not commonly supported
Integrations
No integrations available
Raspberry Pi
Raspberry Pi
OpenCV
OpenCV

What are some alternatives to Debian, Raspbian?

Ubuntu

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’. It also means ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.

Arch Linux

Arch Linux

A lightweight and flexible Linux distribution that tries to Keep It Simple.

Fedora

Fedora

Fedora is a Linux-based operating system that provides users with access to the latest free and open source software, in a stable, secure and easy to manage form. Fedora is the largest of many free software creations of the Fedora Project. Because of its predominance, the word "Fedora" is often used interchangeably to mean both the Fedora Project and the Fedora operating system.

Linux Mint

Linux Mint

The purpose of Linux Mint is to produce a modern, elegant and comfortable operating system which is both powerful and easy to use.

CentOS

CentOS

The CentOS Project is a community-driven free software effort focused on delivering a robust open source ecosystem. For users, we offer a consistent manageable platform that suits a wide variety of deployments. For open source communities, we offer a solid, predictable base to build upon, along with extensive resources to build, test, release, and maintain their code.

Linux

Linux

A clone of the operating system Unix, written from scratch by Linus Torvalds with assistance from a loosely-knit team of hackers across the Net. It aims towards POSIX and Single UNIX Specification compliance.

CoreOS

CoreOS

It is designed for security, consistency, and reliability. Instead of installing packages via yum or apt, it uses Linux containers to manage your services at a higher level of abstraction. A single service's code and all dependencies are packaged within a container that can be run on one or many machines.

Gentoo Linux

Gentoo Linux

It is a free operating system based on either Linux or FreeBSD that can be automatically optimized and customized for just about any application or need.

Alpine Linux

Alpine Linux

Alpine Linux is a security-oriented, lightweight Linux distribution based on musl libc and busybox.

Manjaro

Manjaro

It is an accessible, friendly, open-source Linux distribution and community. Based on Arch Linux, it provides all the benefits of cutting-edge software combined with a focus on getting started quickly, automated tools to require less manual intervention, and help readily available when needed.

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