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= Welcome to the Debian Wiki =

Debian is a free as in speech operating system for your computer.
Debian uses the Linux kernel, but most of the basic OS tools come from
the GNU project and thus we refer to Debian as the Debian GNU/Linux
operating system, giving credit to all its main originators. Debian
GNU/Linux provides much more than just the OS---a wide range of
application software is included too. It comes with a total of over
70,000 packages, precompiled software bundled up in a nice format for
easy and safe installation on your machine.

Debian is under continous development and software packages are
constantly updated, but periodically, typically after two years of
development, a new version of Debian is declared as "Stable". Each
Stable release contains a (mostly) fixed set of software: as the name
"Stable" suggests, software in Stable does not change: however,
security issues are tracked and fixed as quickly as possible. A stable
version of Debian is available for several computer architectures and
typically has Long Term Support.

The latest release is Debian {{DebianInfo|Version|stable}} It is also
(currently) known as Stable or by its codename
“{{DebianInfo|Codename|stable}}” (Debian releases always
get their codenames from characters in the Toy Story universe.) Unlike
a rolling release, where each package has an individual update path,
the entire set of packages in Debian Stable form a coherent,
extensively tested unit, where all packages are part of a whole,
tested against each other.

Debian also provides two development versions: Unstable and Testing,
mostly for developers and users who wish to help Debian by reporting
bugs and test the newest software packages. These are continually
updated and eventually the entire set of packages form the next Stable
release.

During development, the latest software packages are first added by
package maintainers to Unstable (which always has the codename
“<onlyinclude>{{DebianInfo|Codename|{{{1|unstable}}}}}</onlyinclude>”
after the troubled kid in Toy Story). Packages automatically migrate
from Unstable to Testing if there are no release-critical bugs within
a period of 2-10 days, and when any dependencies are satisfied by
packages also in Testing.

= Installing Debian =

* For the impatient, we have
[https://debian-handbook.info/browse/stable/sect.installation-steps.html Installing, Step by Step]
from the The Debian Administrator's Handbook, with pictures.
* If you want to know everything, the
[https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/ Debian GNU/Linux Installation Guide]
has all the information.

= The Debian Community =

<dl> 

<dt>[[social_contract|Debian Social Contract]]</dt>
<dd> The Debian Social Contract is a commitment made by the
Debian Project to the free software community, outlining its core
principles and responsibilities. It was most recently updated and
ratified as Version 1.2 on October 1, 2022, superseding previous
versions from 2004 and 1997. The contract emphasizes Debian’s
dedication to maintaining a fully free software distribution, ensuring
that all software included in Debian remains free and accessible to
users without restrictions.

The Social Contract also includes a section about the Debian Free
Software Guidelines (DFSG), which define the criteria for what
constitutes free software within the Debian ecosystem. These
guidelines serve as a framework for evaluating licenses and ensuring
that Debian’s software remains in line with its philosophical and
ethical commitments to the free software movement. The contract
reflects Debian’s broader mission to create a community-driven,
transparent, and inclusive operating system.</dd>

<dt>The [https://www.debian.org/code_of_conduct Debian Code of
Conduct]</dt>
<dd>Debian has adopted a Code of Conduct for participants in mailing
lists, IRC channels and other forms of communication within the
project. The Community Team has offered
[https://www.debian.org/code_of_conduct_interpretation addtional
guidance] on how to use the Code of Conduct in practice.</dd>

<dt>[https://www.debian.org/intro/diversity Statement of
Diversity]</dt>
<dd>The Debian Project welcomes and encourages participation and
contributions from everyone as long as they interact constructively
with our community. </dd>

<dt>[https://www.debian.org/MailingLists/ Mailing Lists]</dt>
<dd>
There is a great number of mailing lists supporting the different
aspects of work in Debian, and e-mail is the preferred way to discuss
various items.

All Debian mailing lists are hosted on
[https://lists.debian.org/ a dedicated server]
and serve as public forums where any emails sent to them are archived
in publicly accessible mailing list archives that can be browsed and
searched without the need to be subscribed.

This deliberate openness fosters transparency and collaboration
within the Debian community, and enables users and developers
worldwide to participate in discussions, seek assistance, or stay
informed about project updates. Some lists may be moderated or focused
on specific topics, so users are advised to review the guidelines for
each list before posting. The archives and subscription options are
designed to be accessible, supporting both email-based and web-based
interactions.
</dd>

<dt>[[IRC]]</dt>
<dd>
The Debian Project hosts all its official IRC channels on
[https://www.oftc.net/ OFTC IRC network] on <kbd>irc.oftc.net</kbd>
(or its alias <kbd>irc.debian.org</kbd>) and also has a thriving
community on <kbd>irc.libera.chat</kbd>.

IRC chat on most busy channels has rather strict (informal) rules
about how to ask questions, but don't be afraid to ask, the atmosphere
on the IRC channels is friendly. But be respectful of the fact that
everybody is volunteering their time and knowledge. It's a good idea
to read the [https://wiki.debian.org/GettingHelpOnIrc guidelines for
getting help on IRC] before you start.
Try it here: {{DebianIRC|Debian}}
</dd>

<dt>[https://forums.debian.net/ Forums]</dt>

<dd>The Debian User Forum is also available for users to ask and
answer questions on [https://forums.debian.net
forums.debian.net].</dd>

</dl> 

= About Debian =

<dl>
<dt>[[DebianIntroduction]]</dt>
<dd>Introduction to Debian. If you are new to Debian, browse this portal.</dd>

<dt>[[News]]</dt>
<dd>Debian News and not-so News.</dd>

<dt>[[DebianInstall]]</dt>
<dd>All about installation of Debian. More than you need to know.</dd>

<dt>[[Community]]</dt>
<dd>Debian's Community Portal.</dd>

<dt>[[BugTracker]]</dt>
<dd>The Debian Bug Tracker.</dd>

</dl>

= Users =

<dl>
<dt>[[DesktopEnvironment]]</dt>
<dd> Debian supports many different graphical environments, ranging
from full-featured desktop environments, to lighter alternatives and
even minimalist but powerful window managers. This portal has all the
information.</dd>

<dt>[[Software]]</dt>
<dd> Portal focusing on software for Debian. All about installing
Debian software packages and finding software for your computer.</dd>

<dt>[[Hardware]]</dt>
<dd> The Hardware portal has information about lots of hardware
supported by Debian, and how to get it to work correctly.</dd>

<dt>[[PackageManagement]]</dt>
<dd> All about package management in Debian. Everything in Debian,
every application, every component, everything, is built into a
package.</dd>
</dl>

= System Administrators =

<dl>
<dt>[[SystemAdministration]]</dt>
<dd>Debian Administration portal, covers all aspects of administering
Debian GNU/Linux systems, including installation, package management,
configuration, monitoring and security.</dd>

<dt>[[Network]]</dt><dd>Internet and Network Software portal.</dd>

<dt>[[CommandLineInterface]]</dt>
<dd>This portal covers some aspects of using the command line
interface (CLI) on Debian and in GNU/Linux in general.</dd>
</dl>

= Developers' Section =

<dl>
<dt>[[DebianDevelopment]]</dt>
<dd>Portal for Debian Development.</dd>

<dt>[https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ The Debian Policy Manual]</dt>
<dd> describes the policy requirements for the Debian distribution,
including the structure and contents of the Debian archive and several
design issues of the operating system, as well as technical
requirements that each package must satisfy to be included in the
distribution. The current Policy version is 4.7.4.1, released on
2026-03-31.</dd>

<dt>[https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/maint-guide/ The New Maintainer's Guide]</dt>
<dd>contains guidelines and best practices for package maintainers,
and outlines the policies and software tools maintainers and
developers need to know about.</dd>

<dt>[[ProgrammingLanguage]]</dt>
<dd>Debian currently support 44 difference
programming languages. This Page has information about them all.</dd>

<dt>[[ProgrammingApplication]]</dt>
<dd>This portal discusses various programming tools, such as editors,
IDEs, source control systems, etc.</dd>
</dl>

= Using this Wiki =

During the fall of 2026, Debian has switched from using the MoinMoin
wiki to MediaWiki.

The reason is the following: The current version of MoinMoin (1.9)
only works with Python 2.7, which had end-of-life on Jan. 1, 2020, and
is therefore no longer supported in Debian. MoinMoin 2.0 is still in
development, and moving so to that version would still involve migrating
the wiki's content.

For this reason, the Debian Wiki Team has decided switch the wiki to
MediaWiki, which is very mature, tried and tested wiki software.
However, the transition and migration of content has not been
straightforward.

Although we have done our best to ensure the quality of the Debian
Wiki, there may still be migration artefacts and things that look
strange. We ask for your understanding, and hope you will help us by
reporting any strange looking pages at our Bug Tracker at
<code>bugs.debian.org</code>.

= Frequently Asked Questions =

Go [[FAQ|here]] to find a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

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