How do I install the Raspberry Pi skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add modbender/raspberry-pi in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

What does the Raspberry Pi skill do?

Set up and maintain Raspberry Pi avoiding common hardware and configuration pitfalls. It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.

Is Raspberry Pi safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: WARNING. Capability flags: makes network calls, reads secrets. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Raspberry Pi?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Raspberry Pi free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Raspberry Pi?

modbender (@modbender) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Raspberry Pi by modbender — Agent Skill

Name: Raspberry Pi
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: modbender

File contents

Power Supply Issues

Lightning bolt icon = undervoltage — random crashes, corruption, weird behavior until fixed
Pi 4/5 needs 3A+ supply — older 2A adapters cause instability
USB peripherals draw from Pi's power budget — use powered hub for multiple devices
Official power supply recommended — cheap adapters often can't sustain required amperage

Storage Reliability

SD cards fail under heavy writes — databases and logs kill them within months
USB boot with SSD for reliability — SD for bootloader only, root on SSD
Quality SD cards matter — Samsung EVO, SanDisk Extreme; not generic cards
Read-only filesystem for kiosks — prevents corruption on power loss

GPIO Dangers

3.3V logic only — 5V input permanently damages the Pi, no protection
Check operating voltage of sensors/modules — many Arduino accessories are 5V
Some GPIO used by default — I2C, SPI, UART pins need dtparam to free up
Hardware PWM only on GPIO 18 — software PWM on others is less precise

Network Setup Traps

WiFi country code required — won't connect without proper regulatory setting
Headless SSH: empty file named ssh in boot partition — not ssh.txt
Static IP via /etc/dhcpcd.conf — editing wrong file does nothing
Don't port forward SSH — use Tailscale, Cloudflare Tunnel, or WireGuard

Docker on Pi

ARM images only — linux/arm64 or linux/arm/v7, many images unavailable
32-bit OS limits to 3GB RAM — use 64-bit for 4GB+ models
SD card unsuitable for Docker — volume writes accelerate card death
Install via curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh — apt version is outdated

Headless Setup

Configure hostname, WiFi, user in Raspberry Pi Imager — before first boot
Username pi with default password deprecated — create custom user
First boot takes 2-3 minutes — filesystem resize, don't panic

Performance Tuning

gpu_mem=16 for headless — frees RAM when no display connected
ZRAM for swap on low-RAM models — better than SD swap
Disable Bluetooth and GUI if unused — saves resources

Troubleshooting Patterns

Red light issue — no boot attempt, check supply
Green light blinking patterns = specific boot failures — check documentation
No HDMI output — connect before powering, Pi doesn't hot-plug HDMI
Kernel panic on boot = corrupted SD — reflash image
SSH refused — verify SSH enabled, check IP, check firewall

---name: raspberry-pidescription: Set up and maintain Raspberry Pi avoiding common hardware and configuration pitfalls.--- ## Power Supply Issues - Lightning bolt icon = undervoltage — random crashes, corruption, weird behavior until fixed - Pi 4/5 needs 3A+ supply — older 2A adapters cause instability - USB peripherals draw from Pi's power budget — use powered hub for multiple devices - Official power supply recommended — cheap adapters often can't sustain required amperage ## Storage Reliability - SD cards fail under heavy writes — databases and logs kill them within months - USB boot with SSD for reliability — SD for bootloader only, root on SSD - Quality SD cards matter — Samsung EVO, SanDisk Extreme; not generic cards - Read-only filesystem for kiosks — prevents corruption on power loss ## GPIO Dangers - 3.3V logic only — 5V input permanently damages the Pi, no protection - Check operating voltage of sensors/modules — many Arduino accessories are 5V - Some GPIO used by default — I2C, SPI, UART pins need dtparam to free up - Hardware PWM only on GPIO 18 — software PWM on others is less precise ## Network Setup Traps - WiFi country code required — won't connect without proper regulatory setting - Headless SSH: empty file named `ssh` in boot partition — not `ssh.txt` - Static IP via `/etc/dhcpcd.conf` — editing wrong file does nothing - Don't port forward SSH — use Tailscale, Cloudflare Tunnel, or WireGuard ## Docker on Pi - ARM images only — `linux/arm64` or `linux/arm/v7`, many images unavailable - 32-bit OS limits to 3GB RAM — use 64-bit for 4GB+ models - SD card unsuitable for Docker — volume writes accelerate card death - Install via `curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh` — apt version is outdated ## Headless Setup - Configure hostname, WiFi, user in Raspberry Pi Imager — before first boot - Username `pi` with default password deprecated — create custom user - First boot takes 2-3 minutes — filesystem resize, don't panic ## Performance Tuning - `gpu_mem=16` for headless — frees RAM when no display connected - ZRAM for swap on low-RAM models — better than SD swap - Disable Bluetooth and GUI if unused — saves resources ## Troubleshooting Patterns - Red light only = power issue — no boot attempt, check supply - Green light blinking patterns = specific boot failures — check documentation - No HDMI output — connect before powering, Pi doesn't hot-plug HDMI - Kernel panic on boot = corrupted SD — reflash image - SSH refused — verify SSH enabled, check IP, check firewall

Frequently asked questions

Raspberry Pi