 The official Debian logo | |
| Release Status | Maintained |
|---|---|
| Release Model | Rolling Release / Stable |
| Package Manager | dpkg |
| Default Desktops | GNOME, Xfce, KDE Plasma, Cinnamon, MATE, LXDE, LXQt |
| Usage Type | Desktop, Server |
| Architectures | amd64, aarch64, armel, armhf, i686, mipsel, mips64el, ppc64el, s390x |
| Website | debian.org |
Debian (/ˈdɛbiən/),[1] also known as Debian GNU/Linux, is a Linux distribution developed by the community-supported Debian Project, which was established by Ian Murdock on August 16, 1993. The first version of Debian (0.01) was released on September 15, 1993.[2]
History
Debian adheres to the principles of the GNU Project and Free Software[3][4] and has been developed openly and distributed freely. The Free Software Foundation sponsored the project from November 1994 to November 1995.[5]
In 1997, the Debian Project established Software in the Public Interest as a nonprofit organization to provide ongoing financial support. However, it no longer receives endorsement from GNU and the FSF due to its long-standing practice of hosting non-free software repositories and, since 2022, including non-free firmware in its installation media by default.[3][6]
Features
Release Cycle
Debian maintains three primary development branches:
- Stable - The current official release, recommended for production systems
- Testing - The next planned stable release, featuring newer software versions
- Unstable (Sid) - The rolling development branch where new packages are initially introduced
Package Management System
Debian uses the APT (Advanced Package Tool) built on top of dpkg, featuring:
- Over 59,000 ready-to-install software packages
- Multiple repository sections (main, contrib, non-free)
- Secure package verification through signed repositories
- Sophisticated dependency resolution
Project Management
The project is managed by a team of volunteers led by the Debian Project Leader, and it adheres to foundational documents such as:
- The Debian Social Contract
- The Debian Constitution
- The Debian Free Software Guidelines
Hardware requirements
Debian's hardware requirements are at minimum those needed by the kernel and GNU tool set.[7] The recommended system requirements vary based on the extent of the installation, with more extensive installations requiring more resources.[8]
| Install type | RAM (minimum) | RAM (recommended) | Hard Drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| No desktop | 256 megabytes | 512 megabytes | 4 gigabytes |
| With desktop | 1 gigabytes | 2 gigabytes | 10 gigabytes |
The actual minimum memory requirements depend on the architecture and can be significantly lower than the numbers listed in the table. For example, it is possible to install Debian on an x86-64 system with just 170 MB of RAM.[8]
Graphical user interfaces can run on older or low-end systems, but it is advisable to install Window Managers instead of Desktop Environments, as they are less resource-intensive. The requirements for individual software vary greatly and should be considered alongside the base operating environment's requirements.[8]
Installation
Debian provides multiple installation methods:
- Full DVD/CD sets containing the complete repository
- Network installation images for minimal downloads
- Live images for testing before installation
- Architecture-specific installers
- Cloud images for virtual deployment
References
- ↑ "Debian -- About". Debian. Archived from the original on January 17, 1999. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ↑ "ChangeLog". ibiblio. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Explaining Why We Don't Endorse Other Systems". GNU. Archived from the original on November 2, 2023.
- ↑ "Debian Social Contract". Debian. October 1, 2022.
- ↑ "A Brief History of Debian". Archived from the original on November 3, 2023.
- ↑ "General Resolution: non-free firmware: results". Archived from the original on November 2, 2023.
- ↑ "2.1. Supported Hardware". Debian GNU/Linux Installation Guide. Debian. 2019. Archived from the original on December 28. 2020.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "3.4. Meeting Minimum Hardware Requirements". Debian GNU/Linux Installation Guide. Debian. 2019. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021.