The official operating system for the Raspberry Pi board, previously known as Raspbian, is now called Raspberry Pi OS. It is based on the Debian distribution and offers over 35,000 software packages to explore. There are three versions of the Raspberry Pi OS to choose from: desktop version, desktop with recommended software, and Lite (without a graphical interface, only command line). All versions are optimized for Raspberry Pi, ensuring compatibility.

Installing the Raspberry Pi OS is a breeze since it was developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. You just need to download the OS installer app called Raspberry Pi Imager (also made by the foundation), insert your microSD card into your computer, and select your preferred version of Raspberry Pi OS from the list.

What makes the Raspberry Pi OS ideal for beginners is its versatility. If you’re a developer, you can install any necessary software for your projects. You can even connect hardware like sensors and Arduino microcontrollers to the GPIO pins and ports, which are likely to be recognized seamlessly. If you’re not a developer, you can simply use the Raspberry Pi as a regular computer. You can browse the internet, listen to music, write documents, and watch videos without any hassle.