DistroIndependentFixed release
Debian
A non-commercial, community-governed distribution prized worldwide for stability, strict free-software principles, and reliability.
At a glance
Debian
- Family
- Independent
- First release
- 1993
- Release model
- Fixed release (approx. 2-year cycle)
- Package manager
- apt (dpkg)
- Init system
- systemd (sysvinit optional)
- Architecture
- amd64, arm64, armel, armhf, i386, mips64el, ppc64el, riscv64, s390x
- Installer
- Debian Installer (text and graphical)
- Default desktop
- GNOME (Xfce, KDE Plasma, and others selectable)
Overview
Debian is one of the oldest and most influential open source operating systems. It forms the foundation for hundreds of downstream distributions including Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
Debian prioritizes rock-solid stability and thorough testing over cutting-edge package versions. Each Stable release undergoes months of freezes, making it the premier choice for servers and mission-critical devices.
Is it for you?
Good fit if you…
- need absolute predictability and uptime for production servers
- appreciate strict free software standards and democratic governance
- want a stable base system that rarely introduces breaking changes
Look elsewhere if you…
- need the latest desktop software, kernels, or cutting-edge GPU drivers (try Arch Linux or Fedora)
- want a polished out-of-the-box desktop experience with proprietary codecs preconfigured (try Linux Mint)
Everyday commands
Full cheat sheet →sudo apt updatesudo apt upgradeapt search <query>sudo apt install <package>sudo apt remove --purge <package>apt-cache policy <package>Official resources
- Debian Documentation ↗debian.org
- Debian Wiki ↗wiki.debian.org
- Package Directory ↗packages.debian.org
- Download ↗debian.org