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MichaIng/DietPi

A lightweight Debian-based OS for single-board computers, with menu tools to configure the system and install ready-to-run software.

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What is it?

DietPi is a Debian-based operating system built for single-board computers such as Raspberry Pi, Odroid, Orange Pi, NanoPi, Pine64 and Radxa boards. It is tuned for minimal CPU and RAM usage so that small hardware can spend its resources on the workload you run.

The system is managed through whiptail-based text menus. dietpi-config handles device configuration, and dietpi-software installs a catalogue of applications, from media servers, file servers and VPN tools to home automation, webserver stacks and Pi-hole, with the necessary configuration and service startup done automatically. dietpi-services adjusts process priority, and dietpi-update checks for and applies updates without writing a new image.

For repeatable deployments, DietPi supports fully unattended installation: settings placed in dietpi.txt before first boot are applied with no user input.

Key features

  • 01Debian-based system tuned for low CPU and RAM usage on SBCs.
  • 02dietpi-config provides text-menu device configuration.
  • 03dietpi-software installs and configures many ready-to-run applications.
  • 04dietpi-update applies updates without writing a new image.
  • 05Fully unattended installation driven by dietpi.txt.

Use cases

  • Running a home media server or file server on a Raspberry Pi or similar board.
  • Setting up a Pi-hole DNS server or home automation hub on low-power hardware.
  • Deploying many identical SBC installations with unattended configuration.
  • Hosting a webserver stack such as Nginx or Apache on a small device.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Download the DietPi image from the downloads page

  2. 2

    Write the image to an SD card or drive and boot your single-board computer

  3. 3

    Install ready-to-run software with the dietpi-software menu tool

    dietpi-software

Things to know

  • Designed for single-board computers, so it is not a general-purpose desktop OS.
  • Licensed under GPL-2.0, a copyleft license that requires derivative works to remain open source.

In collections

Self-hosted appsEmbedded systems & microcontroller projects

Topics

#sbc#debian#raspberry-pi#linux-distribution#self-hosted#shell#embedded#bash#dietpi#lightweight

FAQ

What is DietPi?
A lightweight Debian-based OS for single-board computers, with menu tools to configure the system and install ready-to-run software. DietPi is a Debian-based operating system built for single-board computers such as Raspberry Pi, Odroid, Orange Pi, NanoPi, Pine64 and Radxa boards. It is tuned for minimal CPU and RAM usage so that small hardware can spend its resources on the workload you run.
Is DietPi free to use? What license does it have?
DietPi is open source under the GPL-2.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is DietPi still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to DietPi was on Nov 6, 2026.
What can I use DietPi for?
Running a home media server or file server on a Raspberry Pi or similar board. Setting up a Pi-hole DNS server or home automation hub on low-power hardware. Deploying many identical SBC installations with unattended configuration. Hosting a webserver stack such as Nginx or Apache on a small device.
How do I install DietPi?
Download the DietPi image from the downloads page Write the image to an SD card or drive and boot your single-board computer Install ready-to-run software with the dietpi-software menu tool: dietpi-software
Where can I get DietPi?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi

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