Is the Pi Zero software-equivalent to a 1.x B+?

Question

Is it generally safe to assume that anything (software-related) that works with a Pi Zero will ALSO work with a 1.2 B+, or are there things that even the Zero can do that the old 1.2 B+ can't?

Why: I'm attempting to get started with C# and Mono on the Pi, but only have a Pi 1.2 B+ right now, and I'm having a really hard time finding recent documentation about up to date active projects that are compatible with the older B+. If it turns out that the Zero is basically identical from a software standpoint, that'll make searching a lot easier... I can just start by searching for things that are compatible with the Zero, instead of trying to constantly dig myself out of the irrelevant avalanche of 2/3/4-specific information.

Answer 1

Is it generally safe to assume that anything (software-related) that works with a Pi Zero will ALSO work with a 1.2 B+,

Yes. They have exactly the same core components including the SoC/CPU; the one on the Zero is just binned with a higher clock speed.

Are there things that even the Zero can do that the old 1.2 B+ can't?

Nothing beyond the obvious (mostly, the working OTG port).

Answer 2

Not sure which Pi model you are talking about.

If you have a model with the 40-pin expansion header you can assume that anything which works on any model of Pi will work on your model. There is one exception and that is software targeted for the compute module extra GPIO.