Pieman
A script for creating custom OS images for single-board computers like Raspberry Pi and Orange Pi.
What is Pieman?
Pieman is a script for creating custom operating system images for single-board computers such as Raspberry Pi and Orange Pi. It supports multiple Linux distributions and provides extensive customization options through environment variables, enabling developers and hobbyists to build tailored embedded systems. It was created as an extensible alternative to earlier tools that were limited to specific hardware and operating systems.
Developers and hobbyists building custom embedded systems on Raspberry Pi or Orange Pi hardware who need to create tailored OS images with specific packages, configurations, or over-the-air update capabilities. It is also suitable for those requiring multi-distribution support beyond Debian-based systems.
Developers choose Pieman for its flexibility in supporting multiple Linux distributions (Alpine, Debian, Kali, Raspberry Pi OS, Ubuntu) and hardware platforms, along with its modular design that allows extensive customization via environment variables. Unlike earlier tools like rpi23-gen-image, it is extensible to different operating systems and single-board computers.
Overview
A script for creating custom OS images for single-board computers
Use Cases
Best For
- Creating custom Raspberry Pi OS images with pre-installed packages like htop and mc for specific projects.
- Building embedded system images for Orange Pi devices using Debian or Kali Linux distributions.
- Generating OS images with over-the-air update capabilities via Mender integration for remote device management.
- Developing tailored Alpine Linux images for lightweight, security-focused applications on single-board computers.
- Producing Ubuntu-based images (including 64-bit) for Raspberry Pi 3 or newer models with custom networking and user configurations.
- Creating chroot environments or Mender artifacts separately to streamline image-building workflows.
Not Ideal For
- Projects requiring a graphical user interface or point-and-click image creation tools
- Teams needing over-the-air updates for devices beyond Raspberry Pi 3 with 32-bit Raspberry Pi OS, due to limited Mender support
- Environments with strict dependency constraints, as Pieman requires numerous mandatory tools like GNU Bison and Python development libraries
- Users targeting the latest hardware models or OS versions not listed in the compatibility table, such as Ubuntu 22.04 or newer Raspberry Pi models
Pros & Cons
Pros
Supports Alpine, Debian, Kali, Raspberry Pi OS, and Ubuntu, including 64-bit versions for Ubuntu on specific devices, as detailed in the OS compatibility table.
Allows granular control via environment variables for networking, users, packages, and image properties, with over 40 parameters documented in the README.
Can be run via Docker for easier setup or manually, and supports creating only chroot environments or Mender artifacts to streamline workflows.
Integrates Mender for over-the-air updates, enabling remote device management for supported configurations like 32-bit Raspberry Pi OS on Raspberry Pi 3.
Cons
Mender integration is restricted to 32-bit Raspberry Pi OS on Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, excluding other devices and OSes from OTA updates.
Requires installing numerous mandatory and optional dependencies, including development tools and specific libraries, which can be cumbersome and error-prone.
Only thoroughly tested on Debian 9, Fedora 29, Ubuntu 16.04, and macOS via Docker, potentially leading to compatibility issues on other systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
pwnagotchi(⌐■_■) - Deep Reinforcement Learning instrumenting bettercap for WiFi pwning.
PiShrinkMake your pi images smaller!
pi-genTool used to create the official Raspberry Pi OS images
Pi-AppsRaspberry Pi App Store for Open Source Projects
Found a gem we're missing?
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.