Java runs on more than just Raspberry Pi. This tag tracks experiments across
a growing range of single-board computers, from ARM-based boards like
Orange Pi and LattePanda to RISC-V platforms like VisionFive 2, StarFive,
and BeagleBoard. Posts include unboxing and first-boot guides, Java install
steps, performance benchmarks, and architecture comparisons. The live benchmark results table is available here.
Open source software is built on passion, time, and dedication. But passion alone doesn’t guarantee the long-term survival of a project. Maintainers move on, life changes, priorities shift, and sometimes a beloved project simply fades away. Something we want to avoid for the Pi4J project. So I’m very happy that I can share that on February 26, Pi4J got accepted into the Commonhaus Foundation. This is a major step to make sure that this Java library, used by many developers in all kinds of projects, can continue to exist and grow.
In my “Java on Single Board Computers” series, I already published several posts and videos in which I unpack the board, connect it for the first time, and try to install and run some simple Java code. In this post, I want to share some benchmarks of Java on these boards to get a better idea of the performance we can expect from Java on these platforms.
After my initial struggles with the BeagleV-Fire in a previous video, I succeeded in getting Java 25 running on RISC-V-powered BeagleV-Fire! Let me walk you through the journey and the steps I took to make it work.
As part of my 2026 learning goals around Java on RISC-V (see this post about x86 versus ARM versus RISC-V), I’ve asked various suppliers to send me evaluation boards. I already published these:
As part of my 2026 learning goals around Java on RISC-V (see this post about x86 versus ARM versus RISC-V), I’ve asked various suppliers to send me evaluation boards. I already published about two and adding a third one now:
As I shared in previous posts, I want to learn and experiment more with different types of single-board computers in 2026. But I also want to keep them organized and easily accessible. Following the Clean Desk Policy (CDP) in my little home-office also keeps my mind clean :-)
As part of my 2026 learning goals around Java on Single Board Computers and RISC-V (see this post about x86 versus ARM versus RISC-V), I’ve been asking various suppliers to send me evaluation boards. After testing the LattePanda IOTA, I received two boards from OrangePi to evaluate: the OrangePi 5 Ultra (ARM) and the OrangePi RV2 (RISC-V).
Ever since I started my #JavaOnRaspberryPi journey in 2019, which resulted in my book “Getting Started with Java on the Raspberry Pi”, I’ve been fascinated with these tiny, inexpensive computers. For 2026, I’ve set one of my goals to experiment with Java on various Single-Board Computers (SBC), going beyond my “Raspberry Pi comfort zone.” The market is flooded with SBCs ranging from budget boards (tens of euros) to powerhouses (hundreds of euros). One of the reasons of this price range is the difference between the processors they use. Raspberry Pi uses an ARM processor, but RISC-V is gaining momentum, while Intel maintains its presence. So before I start experimenting, now is the perfect time to compare these three processor families and understand their differences.
After years of experimenting with Raspberry Pi boards, Java, JavaFX, and Pi4J to control electronics, I wanted to explore whether my knowledge and experience could be applied to similar boards from other providers. There are many alternatives available these days, based on ARM, Intel processors, and RISC-V architectures.