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 13.6 It is also (currently) known as Stable or by its codename “trixie” (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 “sid” 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

Installing, Step by Step from the The Debian Administrator's Handbook, with pictures.

If you want to know everything, the

Debian GNU/Linux Installation Guide has all the information.

The Debian Community

Debian Social Contract

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.

The [https://www.debian.org/code_of_conduct Debian Code of Conduct]

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.

[https://www.debian.org/intro/diversity Statement of Diversity]

The Debian Project welcomes and encourages participation and contributions from everyone as long as they interact constructively with our community.

Mailing Lists

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 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.

IRC

The Debian Project hosts all its official IRC channels on OFTC IRC network on irc.oftc.net (or its alias irc.debian.org) and also has a thriving community on irc.libera.chat.

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: #Debian (webchat)

Forums

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

About Debian

DebianIntroduction: Introduction to Debian. If you are new to Debian, browse this portal.
News: Debian News and not-so News.
DebianInstall: All about installation of Debian. More than you need to know.
Community: Debian's Community Portal.
BugTracker: The Debian Bug Tracker.

Users

DesktopEnvironment: 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.
Software: Portal focusing on software for Debian. All about installing Debian software packages and finding software for your computer.
Hardware: The Hardware portal has information about lots of hardware supported by Debian, and how to get it to work correctly.
PackageManagement: All about package management in Debian. Everything in Debian, every application, every component, everything, is built into a package.

System Administrators

SystemAdministration: Debian Administration portal, covers all aspects of administering Debian GNU/Linux systems, including installation, package management, configuration, monitoring and security.
Network: Internet and Network Software portal.
CommandLineInterface: This portal covers some aspects of using the command line interface (CLI) on Debian and in GNU/Linux in general.

Developers' Section

DebianDevelopment: Portal for Debian Development.
The Debian Policy Manual: 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.
The New Maintainer's Guide: contains guidelines and best practices for package maintainers, and outlines the policies and software tools maintainers and developers need to know about.
ProgrammingLanguage: Debian currently support 44 difference programming languages. This Page has information about them all.
ProgrammingApplication: This portal discusses various programming tools, such as editors, IDEs, source control systems, etc.

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 bugs.debian.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

Go here to find a list of Frequently Asked Questions.