The Raspberry Pi 3 is a great device for learning how to code. It comes with an operating system called Raspbian, which ships with a variety of programming languages that you can use to program the Raspberry Pi. This is the best software for Raspberry Pi 3. The Raspberry Pi 3 is a really great piece of kit. You can do so much with it, from watching videos, to checking your email, editing photos, playing games and more. But after you have spent your hard earned cash on the board itself there are so many things you will need to get it up and running. So, are visiting shops or have spent hours online looking for all you need?
1. LibreOffice
The Raspberry Pi can be a desktop computer replacement if you use it correctly, and LibreOffice can help the Pi fulfill this task. With full compatibility with Microsoft Office, it’s the best suite of Office applications that aren’t made by the Windows folks.
2. Chromium
Chromium replaced the former web browser Epiphany in the last major update for the Pi. As the similarity of the name hints, it’s related to Google’s Chrome web browser – Chrome derives most of its source code from the open-source Chromium Project.
One consequence of this is that you can install many Chrome add-ons such as the Google Hangouts plugin from the Chrome Web Store.
If you do not already have Chromium installed on your Raspberry Pi, back up any
personal data, then open the Terminal or connect via SSH and run the following commands, one after the other, to upgrade to the latest version of Raspbian complete with this new browser:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
Note:- I have written a post for people looking for the Best Monitor for Raspberry Pi to buy?, do read it If you are interested.
3. Minecraft Pi
Minecraft Pi is a version of the insanely successful Minecraft game written specifically for the Raspberry Pi. It is based on the Pocket edition, so may not have all the features of the full-blown version. Gameplay is “Creative” mode only, and multiplayer with users of the regular Minecraft game is not supported. The advantage to this, however, is
that no one can destroy your structures.
If you want to get more from Minecraft or just try Python programming, press the Tab key
and open Python 3 (IDLE) from Applications > Programming.
From here you can type commands to automatically drop blocks as you walk, automatically create structures, and teleport yourself from place to place.
For instance, to place a stone block immediately behind you, type:
x, y, z = mc.player.getPos() mc.setBlock(x+1, y, z, 1)
Visit the official blog here for a worksheet of basic commands.
You can find Minecraft Pipre-installed in Applications > Games on your Pi.
The Raspberry Pi will also happily run a Minecraft server, allowing you and your friends
to build your own virtual world provided you each have the official version of the game.
There are a number of guides available to do this. We recommend that you use the
SpigotMC server software as it runs well on the Pi.
4. Node-RED
Created by the clever people over at IBM, Node-RED is an application that enables
you to program and connect together Internet of Things devices by using a graphical interface to drag, drop and link different elements, much like you would with chunks of code in Scratch.
5. RetroPie
Many people like to use their Pi as an arcade emulator, enabling them to play classic games spanning everything from the Amiga to the Game Boy platforms.
RetroPie is the best project for this sort of thing – just make sure you own the original games before you emulate!
Read How to Build Retro pie gaming rig in Raspberry Pi
6. Deluge ( Download files via BitTorrent)
The Pi supports a number of apps for downloading via BitTorrent, the peer-to-peer file
sharing protocol, but Deluge trumps them all in terms of the sheer number of features.
If you run your Pi without a monitor, Deluge can be accessed via a web interface from another device. This is extremely useful if you wish to download files while
away from home. Simply open a browser and go to https:// ipaddressofyourpi:8112.
Deluge is protected by a password (the default is “deluge”). Instructions
are on the Deluge Wiki at https://dev.deluge-torrent.org/wiki/UserGuide/ThinClient.
While there is nothing illegal in itself about downloading files via BitTorrent (most Linux distributions can be downloaded this way), your ISP may restrict or throttle BitTorrent traffic.
Consider using Deluge’s Blocklist plugin to automatically block IP addresses of organizations who are likely to try to prevent you from using BitTorrent.
You can install the Deluge program using the Add/Remove Software window. If you’re
running your Pi without a monitor and want to control Deluge via SSH run the following:
sudo apt-get install deluged
deluge-console python-mako
deluge-web
7. Kodi
While there are distros like OSMC and Xbian for turning your Raspberry Pi into
a media server, you may just want to do that inside Raspbian. For this, go straight
to the source and download Kodi, the program that the previously mentioned
media server distros are all based on.
Read How to install KODI in Raspberry Pi 3 and turn old TV/Monitor into Smart TV
8. Synaptic Package Manager (Turbocharge your package management)
Like Add/Remove Software in Applications > Preferences, Synaptic is a pleasant graphical
front-end for installing the vast number of programs available for the Pi. But if you already have something to install new apps, why would you need Synaptic?
First, Synaptic contains a good many more categories than the very broad ones offered by Add/Remove Software. Instead of one “internet” section, for instance, you can select “Communication, “Email”, “Networking” and so on.
Synaptic can also ensure that you have the most up-to-date version of each program. Click the Reload button to scan the available software for Raspbian
and update the Pi.
Another huge advantage of Synaptic is that if you select a program for installation that
requires others in order to work properly, it will automatically mark these for download too.
The buttons at the bottom left help to narrow down the various programs much more easily too.
For instance, clicking the Status button followed by Installing in the window above will list all installed programs. Click Mark all Upgrades to automatically flag any programs that can be updated. When ready, click Apply to download the relevant files.
9. OpenVPN
Every computer should connect to the internet via a VPN. While there are no VPN clients for the Raspberry Pi, there is OpenVPN.
This is a VPN client app that lets you connect to your preferred VPN server using existing account credentials. For example, you can connect to ExpressVPN VPN servers using the configuration files they provide.
Install OpenVPN with
sudo apt install openvpnBe sure to download the OVPN configuration file for your preferred server and save it on your Pi. Most VPN services provide OpenVPN support so this should be straightforward.
Check our guide to setting up a VPN on the Raspberry Pi for configuration tips.
10. Steam Link
While the Raspberry Pi doesn’t have the hardware to run standard PC games, it is good enough to stream them. This is possible thanks to the Steam Link software from Valve, which lets you stream games from a PC.
With the games you want to play installed on your PC and streaming enabled, setup is simple. Just connect your Raspberry Pi to your TV and run
Conclusion
Raspberry Pi 3 has become immensely popular in recent years, with more and more people finding projects that they can complete using their Raspberry Pi 3. When the first versions of the Raspberry Pi came out many Sys Admins may have considered them unnecessary, but there are numerous options for turning these small computers into real production systems.