Running applications in fullscreen mode can be crucial for various projects and use cases, such as digital signage, kiosks, gaming, or media centers. On the Raspberry Pi, achieving fullscreen mode can be done through different methods depending on the application and the desktop environment in use. This article will guide you through several ways to run applications in fullscreen mode on a Raspberry Pi, ensuring an immersive and distraction-free experience.

Examples:

1. Using the startx Command for X11 Applications: If you are running a graphical desktop environment like LXDE or XFCE, you can start applications in fullscreen mode using the startx command.

   startx /usr/bin/chromium-browser --kiosk

   This command starts the Chromium browser in kiosk mode, which is a fullscreen mode without any window decorations or controls.

2. Python Script Using Pygame: Pygame is a popular library for creating games and multimedia applications in Python. You can use Pygame to run applications in fullscreen mode.

   import pygame
   from pygame.locals import *
   
   pygame.init()
   screen = pygame.display.set_mode((0, 0), FULLSCREEN)
   running = True
   
   while running:
      for event in pygame.event.get():
          if event.type == QUIT:
              running = False
          elif event.type == KEYDOWN and event.key == K_ESCAPE:
              running = False
   
      screen.fill((0, 0, 0))
      pygame.display.flip()
   
   pygame.quit()

   This script initializes a fullscreen Pygame window and runs a simple event loop that allows you to exit the application by pressing the ESC key.

3. Using omxplayer for Video Playback: omxplayer is a command-line multimedia player for the Raspberry Pi that can play video files in fullscreen mode.

   omxplayer --aspect-mode fill /path/to/video.mp4

   This command plays the specified video file in fullscreen mode, filling the entire screen.

4. Setting Up a Fullscreen Terminal: For terminal-based applications, you can use tmux or screen to create a fullscreen terminal session.

   tmux new-session -d -s fullscreen_session
   tmux attach-session -t fullscreen_session

   This command creates a new tmux session and attaches to it, effectively running a fullscreen terminal session.