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I would like update Node.js to the latest version and I need to choose between ARMv6 and ARMv7. From the package manager point of view this is an ARMv6 processor and dmesg tells it is 

CPU: ARMv6-compatible processor [410fb767] revision 7 (ARMv7)

so... probably ARMv7.

Googling, I saw lot of people used ARMv7 without problem. But is it correct?

Greenonline
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jeanmi
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    ALL Raspbian code (except for kernel) is ARM6, even though Pi2 and up CAN run ARM7, this depends on library support. – Milliways Apr 28 '18 at 07:14

2 Answers2

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First: It's ARMv6.

The Zero uses the original BCM2835 SoC used on the first generation of Pi's and all the other single core models, with a ARM1176JZF-S processor (although the Zero models have ones binned as 1000 Mhz instead of 700).

All ARM11 cores use the ARMv6 instruction set architecture. Since those using ARMv7 or 8 are backward compatible with ARMv6, Raspbian has stuck with that. This is also the reason most of the distros used on the multicore models cannot be used on the Zero -- because they are ARMv7.

goldilocks
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According to the Wikipedia page, these are the instruction sets used for each Pi model:

  • Armv6-M
    • Raspberry Pi Pico
    • Raspberry Pi Pico W
  • ARMv6Z (32-bit)
    • Raspberry Pi 1 Model A
    • Raspberry Pi 1 Model A+
    • Raspberry Pi 1 Model B
    • Raspberry Pi 1 Model B+
    • Compute Module 1
    • Raspberry Pi Zero PCB v1.2
    • Raspberry Pi Zero PCB v1.3
    • Raspberry Pi Zero W
  • ARMv7-A (32-bit)
    • Raspberry Pi 2 Model B
  • ARMv8-A (64/32-bit)
    • Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+
    • Raspberry Pi 2 Model B v1.2
    • Raspberry Pi 3 Model B
    • Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+
    • Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
    • Compute Module 3
    • Compute Module 3 Lite
    • Compute Module 3+
    • Compute Module 3+ Lite
    • Compute Module 4
    • Compute Module 4 Lite
    • Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W
    • Raspberry Pi 400
  • ARMv8.2-A (64/32-bit)
    • Raspberry Pi 5
Molomby
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  • What's the difference between v6-M, v6z, v7-a, etc. The letter adjacent to the ARM version? – Omar Nov 29 '23 at 07:53
  • The numbers and letters differentiate different versions of the architecture. Wikipedia will give you the basics (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_architecture_family). I Guess if you're interested in specifics you could dive into ARMs own docs (https://developer.arm.com/architectures) – Molomby Nov 30 '23 at 23:07