DietPi, a lightweight Debian-based Linux distribution for SBCs (such as Raspberry Pi) and server systems with the option to install desktop environments, has just unveiled its latest iteration, version 9.12.
Among the most prominent additions is official support for the Fish Shell—a welcome alternative to more traditional ones like Bash or Zsh. The new integration isn’t just a package drop-in; it includes a tailored DietPi configuration script that enables dietpi-* aliases and sets up the login environment for first-time users.
Retro computing enthusiasts will be happy to see that Amiberry, the popular Amiga emulator, has been updated to version 7. The upgrade introduces Amiberry-Lite, a streamlined version recommended for less powerful systems such as ARM and RISC-V boards below Raspberry Pi 4 in performance.
Crucially, DietPi handles the transition gracefully by backing up the previous configuration from version 5, meaning users can easily revert or switch to the Lite version if needed.
Moreover, DietPi 9.12 brings a series of thoughtful improvements across its software suite:
- DietPi-Backup now supports writing directly to SSHFS, enabling remote and secure backup operations.
- WiringPi receives Orange Pi support through Xunlong’s wiringOP fork, extending GPIO control to more hardware platforms.
- Spotifyd compatibility has been extended to ARMv8 and x86_64 systems running Bookworm or Trixie, thanks to the latest upstream release.
- For Raspberry Pi users, DietPi now automatically installs python3-rpi-lgpio to ensure compatibility with the modern GPIO kernel interface—bridging the gap left by the deprecated legacy API.
- Pi-hole instances set up via DietPi will now, by default, listen on TCP port 8489 for HTTPS, bringing alignment with Pi-hole v6’s newer web interface.
Finally, a handful of bugs have also been addressed in this release, with the more important ones being:
- A fix was applied to support waveshare32 LCD panels on Raspberry Pi running newer firmware.
- O!MPD had a permissions issue that affected UI-based configuration changes and cover storage, which is now resolved.
- For FreshRSS, compatibility has been restored on Bullseye systems by pinning the installation to version 1.24.3, as newer versions require PHP 8.1 or later.
Refer to the release announcement for a detailed overview of all changes. Downloads are available here.
