OSS TanbouOverview
`raspberrypi/linux` is the downstream Linux kernel source tree used for Raspberry Pi-provided builds, adding Raspberry Pi-specific hardware support, device-tree changes, and maintained release branches on top of upstream Linux.
Features and best fit
Based on official documentation; not hands-on tested · Content checked:
Maintain Raspberry Pi kernel source and hardware support
Raspberry Pi kernel branches, drivers, device-tree definitions, and related hardware enablement are maintained in this tree.
Use standard Linux kernel build and documentation workflows
The repository follows the Linux kernel build system and documentation layout, with CI testing on Raspberry Pi branches.
For investigating Raspberry Pi drivers, device trees, and low-level kernel behavior
It is relevant to kernel development and debugging around Raspberry Pi OS and Raspberry Pi hardware enablement.
Sources: [1]
Account for downstream differences and file-level licensing
This is a downstream kernel tree rather than upstream Linux. COPYING centers on GPL-2.0 WITH Linux-syscall-note but explicitly notes that additional licenses apply to some files.
Official sources
- [1]raspberrypi/linux repository(2026-09-21)
- [2]Raspberry Pi Linux README(2026-09-21)
- [3]Linux kernel licensing rules(2026-09-21)
- [4]Raspberry Pi Linux COPYING(2026-09-21)
Supplemental curator note
This repository is not the upstream `torvalds/linux` tree; it is the downstream source used for Raspberry Pi-provided kernel builds. The current default branch is `rpi-6.18.y`. COPYING identifies GPL-2.0 WITH Linux-syscall-note as the primary license while noting that other licenses also apply at file level, so it is stored as `NOASSERTION`.
Try it in 3 steps
- 1
Get the source
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/raspberrypi/linux.git - 2
Enter the repository
cd linux - 3
Check the official steps
Continue with the commands in the README Installation, Quick Start, or Getting Started section.
find . -maxdepth 1 -iname 'README*' -exec sed -n '1,220p' {} \; -quit
Growth
Growth trends · Last 30 days
13,185 Stars
Trend data is still being collected.
Development activity
Last 90 days · weekly
- Commits (last 30 days)
- 3,030
- Open PRs
- 75
Development activity is still being collected.
Built with
Categories and tags
Categories
GitHub data
GitHub dataView detailed GitHub data
- Stars
- 13,185
- Forks
- 5,463
- Watchers
- 744
- Open issues
- 972
- Primary language
- C
- License
- Not determined
- Repository last updated
- Sep 16, 2026
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