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HiFiBerryOS – Quo vadis?
You might have noticed that we’ve been working on a new 64-bit version of HiFiBerryOS for quite some time to ensure compatibility with the latest Raspberry Pi models. Unfortunately, it has turned out to be much more labor-intensive than expected. Currently, HiFiBerryOS is built on a system called Buildroot, which allows us to create a compact image with only the essential packages. While this approach remains beneficial, one decision significantly increased the complexity: including a user interface that can run directly on the Pi. This requires not just a full graphical user interface but also a web browser, which dramatically increases the number of necessary packages. It now requires not only multiple packages but also graphics card drivers with hardware acceleration. Managing all of this within the Buildroot system has become increasingly time-consuming. Since HiFiBerryOS is not a commercial product but a free offering, we cannot afford to have somebody working full time on this.
Therefore, we do not plan to continue developing HiFiBerryOS in its current form. However, this doesn’t mean we’re stopping altogether! We plan to transition everything to a Raspberry Pi OS-based distribution. This shift means we will have to sacrifice a few things:
- The minimal footprint
- The updater that allows for system upgrades with the option for a full restoration of the previous version.
- Some parts of the user interface that can be already handled quite well using tools like raspi-config.
On the other hand, we hope this change will simplify system extensions for users and help attract more contributors. It will also allow you to easier install additional software on the system. This transition will take some time, so we ask for your patience. Stay tuned!
February 10, 2025
