Raspberry Pi Documentation

What it covers

Raspberry Pi's official documentation is organised around its products. For the computers it covers getting started with Raspberry Pi Imager, Raspberry Pi OS, configuration with raspi-config and the config.txt file, the Linux kernel, remote access over SSH and VNC, camera and AI software, and hardware pages for each board, including the GPIO header, power supply requirements and the processors and I/O controllers inside. A separate section documents the microcontroller side: the Raspberry Pi Pico boards and their chips.

Why read the official docs rather than a tutorial?

Raspberry Pi OS has changed in ways that break older tutorials. The documentation states that the current Raspberry Pi OS is based on Debian Trixie, and that from the Bookworm release onwards you cannot install Python libraries with pip into the system Python: you create a virtual environment for your project instead, or you see an "externally managed environment" error. The Raspberry Pi 5 moved its GPIO to a new I/O controller, which is why the old RPi.GPIO library does not work on it and gpiozero, which the documentation recommends, is the safe choice on every model. The official pages are kept current with these changes; many blog posts are not.

Is it worth your time?

Yes, for any Pi project. The configuration pages alone save hours: how to enable I2C, SPI and the serial port, how to free the UART from the login console, how to set up headless Wi-Fi and SSH from Raspberry Pi Imager, and which power supply your model needs. Under-voltage causes crashes and corrupted SD cards, and the hardware pages explain how to avoid it.

Prerequisites and time

No prior Linux experience is needed for the getting started pages, though basic terminal skills help. Setting up a headless Pi from these pages takes an hour or two. After that you will use the configuration and GPIO pages whenever you add hardware.

What you can do after it

• Install Raspberry Pi OS with Imager and reach the Pi over SSH without a screen.
• Enable I2C, SPI and serial interfaces and find the right pins on the header.
• Control GPIO from Python with gpiozero inside a virtual environment.
• Choose a suitable power supply and diagnose power-related crashes.
• Start with a Raspberry Pi Pico when a job needs exact timing or analogue inputs.

Free or paid?

The documentation is free. The hardware is sold separately through approved resellers.

Common questions

Which Python GPIO library should I use? The documentation uses GPIO Zero, which works on every model including the Pi 5.

Where is the pinout? In the GPIO section of the computer hardware pages, and from the pinout command on the Pi itself.

Best for: anyone building with a Raspberry Pi, from a first LED to an always-on IoT gateway.