Yes—a Samsung Galaxy can handle several small Raspberry Pi-style projects, especially command-line learning, a lightweight development service, or a dedicated display. The easiest route is usually to leave Android installed and use Termux, an Android terminal and Linux environment. That gives you a useful project host, but not a Pi running Raspberry Pi OS: Android controls the hardware and can restrict apps running in the background. Check your Galaxy model, Android and One UI versions, and whether your chosen app stays active with the screen off before relying on it unattended.
1. Use it as a pocket development and SSH box
Termux gives you a command-line environment on Android, with an APT package manager and development tools; it does not require root. The Termux project describes it as a “Terminal emulator and Linux environment for Android.” See the official Termux site for its capabilities and installation information.
For a more Linux-like userspace, you can run a distribution such as Debian inside Termux using PRoot, then install OpenSSH to connect remotely. A documented Termux, PRoot Debian, and OpenSSH setup illustrates this approach. It is suitable for experimenting, learning shell commands, or light development; it remains an Android-hosted environment, not a standard Raspberry Pi OS installation.
2. Try a small local web or utility service
Termux packages can support experiments such as a personal development endpoint, a simple web server on your local network, or a small network utility. This is a reasonable way to test an idea or access a project from another device, but it is not evidence that an unspecified Galaxy will make a dependable public-facing server.
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Android’s background and battery rules can limit work when an app is not in use. Read Android’s background optimization guidance, and test your actual service with the screen off and the network conditions you expect. Package availability and behavior depend on the Android version and setup.
3. Turn its camera into a fixed-view experiment
The built-in camera can make an old phone useful for a time-lapse or a fixed-view monitoring experiment. A phone camera is one possible security-camera endpoint, but the idea does not guarantee that a particular Galaxy or app can record continuously. An overview of using a phone as a security camera describes the general use case.
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Before leaving the phone in place, check whether the chosen app keeps running, how it handles network access and storage, and whether the device gets hot while recording and charging. For an always-on camera, those practical constraints matter more than the fact that the phone has a camera.
4. Make it a smart-home display—or test an experimental node
A Galaxy can work as a dedicated screen for a smart-home dashboard or control app. This is different from making the phone the automation system itself: a display can be useful when opened as needed, while an unattended controller must stay available and continue running reliably.
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A community-maintained Termux project and its examples include a Home Assistant-related setup. Treat that as an experimental, community-supported route, not a one-click or officially supported Home Assistant installation. For a display, first check that the dashboard app is compatible with the phone’s Android version and that the screen can remain usable in its intended location.
5. Attempt a personal media server
It is possible to experiment with Jellyfin through Termux and a PRoot Linux environment, but the setup is more involved than installing a typical Android app. An independent Jellyfin-on-Termux guide describes this kind of approach and notes that it is not a one-tap Android setup.
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Whether it works well depends on the particular phone, media, client devices, and configuration. The available guidance does not establish transcoding performance, simultaneous-user capacity, uninterrupted operation, or usable storage for an unspecified Galaxy, so treat this as an advanced personal project rather than a guaranteed replacement for a dedicated server.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What a phone cannot automatically replace
It is not a conventional Linux board
Termux supplies command-line tools within Android. Even when you add a distro-like userspace under PRoot, you have not booted the phone into a normal Raspberry Pi OS environment, and you do not automatically gain the same system privileges or hardware interfaces. Samsung’s 2017 Linux on Galaxy article is historical context: it described a Linux distribution running as an app while Android controlled resources. It does not establish current availability or support for today’s Galaxy devices.
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Background behavior depends on Android and Samsung settings
Android can restrict background execution, and Samsung provides controls for sleeping and deep-sleeping apps. Samsung’s application-management guidance explains these controls, including the Never sleeping apps setting. Menu names and behavior vary by Android and One UI version. If the workload needs to run unattended, exempt the relevant app where appropriate, keep the phone powered safely, and test it over time rather than assuming it will stay alive.
Choose by workload, not a blanket performance claim
There is no universal performance winner without knowing the exact Galaxy, Raspberry Pi model, and workload. Compare what your project needs:
- Software: Does it run in Termux or Android, or require a standard Linux installation?
- Reliability: Must it keep running unattended, including with the screen off?
- Hardware access: Does it need board-level GPIO or another interface the phone does not expose in the same way?
- Connectivity and storage: Can the phone provide the network and storage your project needs?
- Useful phone features: Would the built-in display, camera, battery, or portability help?
- Maintenance: Are you comfortable managing an Android-hosted setup and working around its restrictions?
If the project depends on GPIO, a well-documented Pi-specific setup, a standard Linux install, or repeatable unattended operation, use a Raspberry Pi or another host designed for that job. If it is a small personal experiment and the phone’s built-in hardware is useful, reusing the Galaxy can be a practical place to start.
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