What to do With a Raspberry Pi

Start here for a practical, up-to-date list of projects that fit skill level, budget, and curiosity. Tom’s Hardware curates “Top Raspberry Pi Projects for March 2025,” and this page highlights standout builds from classic models through the latest board.

This guide curates raspberry projects from makers across the web, with open code and parts lists when available. Expect clear notes on tools, skills, safety, and planning so people can follow along at their own pace.

We preview categories like smart home, retro gaming, show-stopping displays, servers and networking, AI demos, portable computers, and high-impact art pieces. Each section focuses on repeatability and real-world usefulness — from a home VOIP setup to an offline AI demo on modern boards.

Beginners and seasoned makers will find weekend builds and longer challenges. Safety around power, screens, and moving parts is a key theme, and each project notes where makers shared files or walkthroughs.

Key takeaways: Practical projects categorized by goal; open code and parts lists; guidance for skills, safety, and planning.

Before You Start: Safety, GPIO Basics, and the Raspberry Pi Learning Curve

Start projects by mastering safe GPIO handling; electrical mistakes damage hardware faster than buggy code. Learn pin voltage and current limits before making any connection. That habit will save time and parts and help every build work as intended.

GPIO voltage, current, and safe connections

Verify specs for each pin and never exceed them. Use inline resistors and level shifters for mixed-voltage parts. For motors or relays, add transistor or MOSFET drivers and diode protection to shield the device from back-EMF.

Breadboard-first: switches, push buttons, and testing before the controller

Assemble circuits on a breadboard and test switches and push buttons before connecting the board. Code cannot fix bad wiring; logic errors and shorted pins are different problems. Label wires, document every connection, then integrate the controller.

• Use a proper power supply and fuses where appropriate.
• Practice incremental testing for each sub-circuit.
• Learn basics of input pull-ups, debouncing, PWM, and safe shutdown routines in programming.

Follow these steps and the learning curve will feel manageable. Community guides stress that careful wiring and staged tests are core to successful raspberry projects.

Smart Home Ideas You Can Build at Home

Small automation steps can make a big difference in comfort and safety. Start by focusing on one room or device. That keeps costs low and learning fast.

Automated pet and cat house features with sensors and heated floors

Visible_Turnover3952 shared a luxury automated cat house that uses heated floors and environmental sensors. Makers can replicate those features using temperature sensors, relays, and timed control logic.

DIY home monitoring: temperature, motion, and environment tracking

Core features to copy: temperature and humidity monitoring, motion detection, and scheduled ventilation or heating. Isolate mains wiring from low-voltage sensor runs. Use relays or MOSFETs for safe heating control.

Voice control and smartphone integration for everyday tasks

Host a simple web UI on the board or add MQTT for remote toggles and data feeds. Voice layers come later; prioritize robust on-device logic and fallback schedules first.

• Start with a single-room monitor, then scale.
• Build dashboards and alerts for thresholds.
• Document modules for easy maintenance and expansion.

Retro Gaming and Fun: From Classic Emulators to Custom Controllers

Build a clean, modular stack that makes it simple to play classics. Use SD card images for system boots and place large ROM sets on external USB storage. This keeps your main card tidy and easy to back up.

Organize media and mappings by creating folders for cores, BIOS files, and controller configs. Keep controller mappings consistent so switching systems does not break inputs.

Spacewar Controller and Specialty Builds

Tominator2000’s Raspberry Pico Spacewar controller uses a Pico as the main controller with dual joysticks. It shows how custom controls can change feel and portability for convention demos or home bartops.

• Start with one system; solve input and audio issues first.
• Use short USB cables, quality hubs, and tuned polling rates for low latency.
• Add a small display and powered speakers for a self-contained player station.

Show-Stopping Displays and Creative Screens

Creative screens can steal the show in any maker space or living room. These display projects mix optics, code, and tidy wiring to turn data into craft. Pick a display path that matches space and skill before buying parts.

Glass dome “Pepper’s Ghost” transparent screen

VEEB Projects built a glass dome Pepper’s Ghost display that projects images onto clear film. The open source code and parts list let makers reproduce the exact effect. This technique creates a floating, high-impact image that works well for art and info panels.

LCD, matrix panels, and fiber optics

LCD panels give crisp text and images for dashboards and calendars. Matrix panels offer bold patterns and color animation for maps and status boards. Fiber optics route light through tight paths for intricate city-map effects like the Manhattan build by bicapitate.

Wiring, enclosures, and content pipeline

Route power and signal lines cleanly for matrix builds to avoid noise and visible artifacts on the device. Use separate power injection points, short signal runs, and quality connectors.

For enclosures, seal domes and frames against dust while adding vents for cooling. Keep touch points covered and use removable panels for maintenance.

• Use image caching and scheduled updates for slick media loops.
• Trigger updates via small webhooks or cron jobs for timely content.
• Bookmark project pages for parts and code when planning a build.

Servers and Networking You Can Run at Home

Turn spare boards into low-cost servers that handle chat, file sharing, and whole-home music playback. These builds keep data local and cut cloud fees.

Home VOIP can be lightweight. Tom’s Hardware staff proved Mumble runs even on the original raspberry model, making a budget communications server realistic for small groups.

• Set a static IP or DHCP reservation, open required ports carefully, and apply basic hardening before exposing services.
• Use simple file and media shares with clear permissions so households stay organized and secure.
• Pick a compact music player server that streams across devices but uses little CPU and RAM.

Monitor CPU, memory, and disk so the system stays responsive. Upgrade when bottlenecks appear rather than guessing.

Rack flair: Aforsberg’s raspberry pico WOPR replica uses daisy-chained matrix panels for randomized status lights. It adds visual cues and character beside practical kit.

Group services by function, schedule backups, and document each project so future tweaks go smoothly.

AI, Programming, and Open Source Projects

Run compact AI demos on local boards for private, low-latency results. Tom’s Hardware outlines a step-by-step for running DeepSeek R1 on the Raspberry Pi 5, noting it works offline and keeps user data local.

Programming habits matter. Pin environments, build efficient software binaries, and disable nonessential services so the small computer stays responsive and cool.

Model sizing and deployment

Pick a model size that fits available memory. Cache weights on fast storage and use swap sparingly. That avoids thrashing and thermal spikes during demos.

Open source, parts, and guides

• Most makers publish source and parts lists with direct links.
• Follow concise guide steps for setup and benchmarking so results are comparable.
• Contribute back by forking repos and improving documentation.

Portable Builds: Cyberdecks, Handhelds, and Pico Power

Small form-factor systems reward careful choices in screens, batteries, and modular cabling more than raw specs. That approach fits both handcrafted cyberdecks and compact dual-board minis. Focus on fit, ergonomics, and serviceability before chasing benchmarks.

Wood-finished handheld with custom keypad

Nicholas LaBonte’s wood-finished cyberdeck blends craft and function. The custom-milled keypad improves feel and keeps the unit compact. Choose batteries with safe chemistry and room for a small BMS to protect cells.

Dual pico mini PC concept

Abe’s Dual raspberry pico portable mini computer uses one pico for core tasks and a second for graphics-like offload. This split reduces single-board load and extends usable runtime when screens are low power.

• Pick low-power screens and efficient backlights for longer runs.
• Design enclosures with removable panels and standard fasteners for repairs.
• Document wiring looms and pinouts so makers can put together upgrades quickly.
• Prioritize natural airflow and heat spreaders to avoid noisy fans.

What to do With a Raspberry Pi: High-Impact Ideas That Inspire

Real-time Manhattan subway map visualizes trains by combining fiber optics and matrix panels in a 3D-printed frame. bicapitate’s build uses colored panels to show when trains switch tracks and which line runs where. The effect is immediate and intuitive.

Modeling routes means mapping each line, track, and transfer point in code, then polling transit feeds at sensible intervals. Choose refresh rates that balance timeliness against API limits and visible flicker. Cache recent states and smooth sudden changes for clearer time-based transitions.

Magnetic sand Dune Weaver table

Tuan Nguyen’s Dune Weaver draws images into sand with magnets beneath the bed and accepts smartphone playlists for queued patterns. It pairs tactile motion and sound so people linger and play with the interface.

These kinetic pieces make ideal conversation starters and rank among the best raspberry projects for living spaces. They need careful calibration, quiet motors, and routine belt or magnet checks. Plan service access and alignment fixes up front.

• Combine live data and motion for calming, informative displays.
• Remix maps, seasonal images, or city data for custom installations.

Conclusion

Begin with an easy weekend project that gives clear, useful results at home. Pick one or two projects—maybe a compact music player, a simple home monitor, or a tasteful screen that shows time and alerts—and finish them before scaling up.

, Breadboard circuits first, then deploy. Keep a separate card or USB for gaming and retro gaming tests so your main media library stays safe.

Choose a model that matches goals, follow concise guides, grab code and parts lists from monthly roundups, and share progress with the maker community. Steady planning, careful connections, and ongoing programming practice yield low‑power computer builds that consistently delight on small screens and clean signal paths.