Scratch for Banana Pi

Scratch programming environment on Banana Pi

Summary

Scratch is a visual, block-based programming language developed by MIT, designed to introduce programming concepts to beginners and young learners. Running Scratch on the Banana Pi transforms the affordable single-board computer into a dedicated educational workstation. Combined with the Banana Pi's GPIO pins, students can bridge the gap between on-screen code and physical computing, controlling LEDs, sensors, and motors directly from Scratch projects.

Who This Is For

This guide is intended for educators, parents, and hobbyists who want to set up a Scratch-based learning environment on the Banana Pi. It is particularly useful for classroom deployments where multiple low-cost boards are needed, and for anyone interested in combining visual programming with physical computing projects.

What You'll Do

You will install Scratch on a Banana Pi running Raspbian or Lubuntu, configure the desktop environment for optimal performance, connect GPIO pins for physical computing exercises, and prepare the system for classroom or individual use.

Requirements

  • Banana Pi board (M1 or compatible model)
  • A microSD card (8 GB or larger) with Raspbian or Lubuntu pre-installed
  • A reliable 5V/2A micro-USB power supply
  • HDMI display and USB keyboard/mouse
  • Internet connection for package installation
  • Optional: LEDs, resistors, breadboard, and jumper wires for GPIO projects

Download and Verification

Scratch is installed from the distribution's package repository rather than as a standalone image. Ensure your base OS image (Raspbian or Lubuntu) is downloaded from mirror.lemaker.org and verified with the published SHA-256 checksum before flashing. Once booted, Scratch is installed through the package manager.

Flash Procedure

If you have not already flashed your base OS, write the Raspbian or Lubuntu image to your microSD card using dd on Linux/macOS or Etcher on Windows. Insert the card into the Banana Pi, connect all peripherals, and power on the board. Follow the base OS first-boot wizard if prompted.

First Boot Steps

After booting into your desktop environment, open a terminal and update the system: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y. Install Scratch by running sudo apt install scratch (for Scratch 1.4) or sudo apt install scratch3 if available in your repository. Launch Scratch from the application menu under Education or Programming.

Post-Boot Configuration

To improve performance on the Banana Pi's limited resources, switch to a lightweight desktop environment such as LXDE or LXQt if not already using one. Disable unnecessary startup services with sudo systemctl disable <service>. Allocate minimal GPU memory in the boot configuration if the board supports it. For GPIO integration, install the WiringPi library and use Scratch extensions or the ScratchGPIO add-on to control hardware pins directly from Scratch blocks. Create a dedicated student user account with restricted permissions for classroom use.

Troubleshooting

  • Scratch runs slowly: Close all other applications, reduce screen resolution, and ensure a lightweight desktop is in use. Scratch 1.4 is significantly lighter than Scratch 3.
  • GPIO pins not responding: Verify WiringPi is installed and that the user has permission to access GPIO (add user to the gpio group).
  • Scratch fails to launch: Check for missing dependencies with sudo apt --fix-broken install and ensure sufficient free memory is available.
  • Display issues: Adjust HDMI output settings in /boot/config.txt or the board's boot configuration file.

Related Guides

Author: LeMaker Documentation Team
Last updated: 2026-02-10