The Devuan GNU+Linux community has introduced Raspberry Pi images for its latest release, Devuan 6.1, also known as "Excalibur." I tested this distribution on my Raspberry Pi 5 to explore its capabilities.
Released on January 1, 2026, Devuan 6.1 is an updated version of Devuan 6.0, which was based on the recent Debian 13 "Trixie" series and utilizes the long-term support Linux kernel 6.12 LTS.
The available Raspberry Pi images support models 2, 3, 4, and 5; however, only newer iterations (such as Excalibur 6.0 and Daedalus 5.0) are compatible with the latest hardware like Raspberry Pi 4 and 5.
Devuan GNU+Linux is an offshoot of Debian GNU/Linux that operates without the systemd init system, opting for SysVinit instead. This design decision encourages quicker boot times and offers users greater flexibility.
Although it’s performant, clean, and adaptable, Devuan does not come with a pre-installed graphical environment, so users must manually set one up. This makes Devuan resemble a DIY Linux distribution, allowing users to customize their setup.
The release includes a configuration tool called menu-config, which facilitates initial setups. It allows users to configure various settings like network connection, hostname, timezone, users, and even Raspberry Pi-specific options.
You can keep the menu-config tool accessible from the console or a terminal emulator, although installing a graphical environment is necessary for full access. For my setup, I chose the lightweight Xfce desktop environment.
Additionally, setting up a display server and a login manager is necessary to automatically log into a graphical interface after booting your Devuan system.
Overall, Devuan appears to be an excellent choice for Raspberry Pi enthusiasts and advocates of software freedom. It provides the Debian experience without the systemd ecosystem. If you’re interested in trying out Devuan on your Raspberry Pi, the latest images are available for download here.