Editing Debian (section)

== Features ==
[[File:Debian 12 GRUB, UEFI mode.png|thumb|Debian 12 installation menu (UEFI Mode)]]
[[File:Debian10-text-installer.png|thumb|Text version of the [[Debian Installer]] ]]
[[File:Debian 12 Graphical Installer.png|thumb|Graphical version of the Debian Installer]]
[[File:Debian 12 CLI-Console mode.png|thumb|Debian 12 console login and welcome message]]
Debian has access to online [[software repository|repositories]] that contain over 51,000 [[Package (package management system)|packages]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Treinen |first=Ralf |date=8 Feb 2016 |title=50.000 binary packages |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2016/02/msg00122.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213234055/https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2016/02/msg00122.html |archive-date=February 13, 2016 |access-date=February 8, 2016 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> Debian officially contains only free software, but non-free software can be downloaded and installed from the Debian repositories.<ref name="packages">{{Cite web |title=Packages |url=http://www.debian.org/distrib/packages |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140621193509/http://www.debian.org/distrib/packages |archive-date=June 21, 2014 |access-date=2014-06-22 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> Debian includes popular free programs such as [[LibreOffice]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Debian Moves to LibreOffice |url=http://www.debian.org/News/2011/20110623 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111222046/http://www.debian.org/News/2011/20110623 |archive-date=January 11, 2012 |access-date=2012-03-05 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> [[Firefox]] web browser, [[GNOME Evolution|Evolution]] mail, [[K3b]] disc burner, [[VLC media player]], [[GIMP]] image editor, and [[Evince]] document viewer.<ref name="packages" /> Debian is a popular choice for [[server (computing)|servers]], for example as the operating system component of a [[LAMP (software bundle)|LAMP]] stack.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Noyes |first=Katherine |date=2012-01-11 |title=Debian Linux Named Most Popular Distro for Web Servers |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/247845/debian_linux_named_most_popular_distro_for_web_servers.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130209000744/http://www.pcworld.com/article/247845/debian_linux_named_most_popular_distro_for_web_servers.html |archive-date=February 9, 2013 |access-date=2013-02-14 |magazine=[[PC World]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Usage statistics and market share of Linux for websites |url=http://w3techs.com/technologies/details/os-linux/all/all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718181627/http://w3techs.com/technologies/details/os-linux/all/all |archive-date=July 18, 2012 |access-date=2014-06-10 |publisher=W3Techs.com}}</ref>

Beyond the typical server environment, Debian is increasingly used in cloud computing, containerization, and AI development. It serves as a foundation for Docker containers and is supported by Google Cloud's deep learning VMs, positioning it as a platform for new workloads.<ref name="Introduction to Deep Learning VM">{{Cite web |date=2025 |title=Introduction to Deep Learning VM |url=https://cloud.google.com/deep-learning-vm/docs/introduction |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=Google Cloud}}</ref>

=== Kernels ===
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Debian supports the [[Linux kernel]] officially, having offered [[Debian GNU/kFreeBSD]] for version 7 but not 8,<ref name="new-in-7">{{Cite web |title=Chapter 2. What's new in Debian 7.0 |url=http://www.debian.org/releases/wheezy/i386/release-notes/ch-whats-new.html |access-date=2014-05-27 |website=Release Notes for Debian 7.0 (wheezy), 32-bit PC |publisher=Debian}}</ref> and [[GNU Hurd]] unofficially.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-05-01 |title=Debian GNU/Hurd |url=http://www.debian.org/ports/hurd/ |access-date=2014-06-10 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> GNU/kFreeBSD was released as a technology preview for [[IA-32]] and [[x86-64]] [[computer architecture|architectures]],<ref name="new-in-7" /> and lacked the amount of software available in Debian's Linux distribution.<ref>{{Cite web |title=architecture requalification status for wheezy |url=https://release.debian.org/wheezy/arch_qualify.html |access-date=2014-08-15 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> Official support for kFreeBSD was removed for version 8, which did not provide a kFreeBSD-based distribution. [[Dyson (operating system)|Dyson]] is an unofficial derivative of Debian that implements the [[illumos]] kernel and [[Service Management Facility]] [[init]] system.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About - Dyson - Dyson — Debian GNU/kOpenSolaris |url=https://www.osdyson.org/projects/dyson/wiki |access-date=2019-07-25 |website=www.osdyson.org}}</ref>
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Several flavors of the Linux kernel exist for each port. For example, the i386 port has flavors for IA-32 [[IBM PC compatible|PCs]] supporting [[Physical Address Extension]] and [[real-time computing]], for older PCs, and for x86-64 PCs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Virtual Package: linux-image |url=https://packages.debian.org/wheezy/linux-image |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084518/https://packages.debian.org/wheezy/linux-image |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |access-date=2014-08-15 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> The Linux kernel does not officially contain [[firmware]] lacking source code, although such firmware is available in non-free packages and alternative installation media.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-12-14 |title=Chapter 2 – Debian kernel source |url=https://kernel-handbook.alioth.debian.org/ch-source.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140604095349/http://kernel-handbook.alioth.debian.org/ch-source.html |archive-date=June 4, 2014 |access-date=2014-08-15 |website=Debian Linux Kernel Handbook |publisher=[[Alioth (Debian)|Alioth]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Unofficial non-free CDs including firmware packages |url=http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/cd-including-firmware/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816095235/http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/cd-including-firmware/ |archive-date=August 16, 2014 |access-date=2014-08-16 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

=== Desktop environments ===
[[File:XFCE 4.12.3 on Debian 9.3.png|thumb|Xfce is default on CD images and non-Linux ports.]]

Debian offers CD and DVD images specifically built for [[Xfce]], [[GNOME]], [[KDE]], [[MATE (desktop environment)|MATE]], [[Cinnamon (desktop environment)|Cinnamon]], [[LXDE]], and [[LXQt]].<ref name="squeeze released">{{Cite web |date=2011-02-06 |title=Debian 6.0 'Squeeze' released |url=http://www.debian.org/News/2011/20110205a |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221183035/http://www.debian.org/News/2011/20110205a |archive-date=February 21, 2011 |access-date=2011-02-06 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> [[MATE (desktop environment)|MATE]] support was added in 2014,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Package: mate-desktop (1.8.1+dfsg1-1~bpo70+1) |url=https://packages.debian.org/wheezy-backports/mate-desktop |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714115428/https://packages.debian.org/wheezy-backports/mate-desktop |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |access-date=2014-07-06 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> and [[Cinnamon (desktop environment)|Cinnamon]] support was added with Debian 8 Jessie.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Details of package cinnamon in jessie |url=https://packages.debian.org/en/jessie/cinnamon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909035505/https://packages.debian.org/en/jessie/cinnamon |archive-date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=2015-09-06 |website=packages.debian.org}}</ref> Less common [[window manager]]s such as [[Enlightenment (window manager)|Enlightenment]], [[Openbox]], [[Fluxbox]], [[IceWM]], [[Window Maker]] and others are available.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Virtual Package: x-window-manager |url=https://packages.debian.org/sid/x-window-manager |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527231641/https://packages.debian.org/sid/x-window-manager |archive-date=May 27, 2014 |access-date=2014-05-27 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

The default desktop environment of version 7 Wheezy was temporarily switched to Xfce, because GNOME 3 did not fit on the first CD of the set.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Larabel |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Larabel |date=2012-08-08 |title=Debian Now Defaults To Xfce Desktop |url=http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTE1NTk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810220558/http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTE1NTk |archive-date=August 10, 2012 |access-date=2012-08-27 |publisher=[[Phoronix]]}}</ref> The default for the version 8 Jessie was changed again to Xfce in November 2013,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stahie |first=Silviu |date=2013-11-05 |title=Debian 8.0 'Jessie' Ditches GNOME and Adopts Xfce |url=http://linux.softpedia.com/blog/Debian-8-0-quot-Jessie-quot-Ditches-GNOME-and-Adopts-Xfce-397262.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129051655/http://linux.softpedia.com/blog/Debian-8-0-quot-Jessie-quot-Ditches-GNOME-and-Adopts-Xfce-397262.shtml |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=2014-11-22 |publisher=[[Softpedia]]}}</ref> and back to GNOME in September 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hess |first=Joey |date=2014-09-19 |title=switch default desktop to GNOME |url=https://anonscm.debian.org/cgit/tasksel/tasksel.git/commit/?id=dce99f5f8d84e4c885e6beb4cc1bb5bb1d9ee6d7 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104013603/https://anonscm.debian.org/cgit/tasksel/tasksel.git/commit/?id=dce99f5f8d84e4c885e6beb4cc1bb5bb1d9ee6d7 |archive-date=November 4, 2014 |access-date=2014-11-03 |publisher=[[Alioth (Debian)|Alioth]]}}</ref>

=== Localization ===
Several parts of Debian are translated into languages other than American English, including package descriptions, configuration messages, documentation and the website.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Central Debian translation statistics |url=http://www.debian.org/international/l10n/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704193725/http://www.debian.org/international/l10n/ |archive-date=July 4, 2014 |access-date=2014-07-02 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> The level of software localization depends on the language, ranging from the highly supported [[German language|German]] and [[French language|French]] to the barely translated [[Muscogee language|Creek]] and [[Samoan language|Samoan]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Status of the l10n in Debian — ranking PO files between languages |url=http://www.debian.org/international/l10n/po/rank |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709123015/https://www.debian.org/international/l10n/po/rank |archive-date=July 9, 2014 |access-date=2014-07-02 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> The Debian 10 installer is available in 76 languages.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-03 |title=Debian Installer Buster RC 3 release |url=https://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/News/2019/20190703 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823013102/https://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/News/2019/20190703 |archive-date=August 23, 2019 |access-date=2019-08-22 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

=== Multimedia support ===

Multimedia support has been problematic in Debian regarding [[codec]]s threatened by possible patent infringements, lacking source code, or under too restrictive licenses.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mejia |first=Andres |date=2012-03-18 |title=Diff for 'MultimediaCodecs' |url=https://wiki.debian.org/MultimediaCodecs?action=diff&rev1=56&rev2=59 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020092141/https://wiki.debian.org/MultimediaCodecs?action=diff&rev1=56&rev2=59 |archive-date=October 20, 2014 |access-date=2014-10-16 |publisher=Debian Wiki}}</ref> Even though packages with problems related to their distribution could go into the non-free area, software such as [[libdvdcss]] is not hosted at Debian .<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-07-25 |title=RFP: libdvdcss – Library to read scrambled DVDs |url=https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=154281 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202162508/https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=154281 |archive-date=December 2, 2018 |access-date=2014-07-09 |publisher=Debian BTS}}</ref>

A notable third party repository exists, formerly named Debian-multimedia.org,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbertson |first=Scott |date=2009-02-16 |title='Lenny': Debian for the masses? |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/Print/2009/02/16/debian_lenny_review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810091102/https://www.theregister.co.uk/Print/2009/02/16/debian_lenny_review/ |archive-date=August 10, 2017 |access-date=2014-07-13 |website=[[The Register]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Granneman |first=Scott |date=2008-02-06 |title=Cool APT Repositories for Ubuntu and Debian |url=http://www.linux-mag.com/id/5006/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714144223/http://www.linux-mag.com/id/5006/ |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |access-date=2014-07-13 |magazine=[[Linux Magazine]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nestor |first=Marius |date=2012-03-19 |title=Window Maker Live CD 2012-03-18 Available for Download |url=http://linux.softpedia.com/blog/Window-Maker-Live-CD-2012-03-18-Available-for-Download-259448.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129051818/http://linux.softpedia.com/blog/Window-Maker-Live-CD-2012-03-18-Available-for-Download-259448.shtml |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=2014-11-22 |publisher=[[Softpedia]]}}</ref> providing software not present in Debian such as [[Windows API|Windows]] codecs, libdvdcss and the [[Adobe Flash Player]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Packages |url=http://deb-multimedia.org/pool/main/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714191242/http://deb-multimedia.org/pool/main/ |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |access-date=2014-07-13 |publisher=deb-multimedia.org}}</ref> Even though this repository is maintained by Christian Marillat, a Debian developer, it is not part of the project and is not hosted on a Debian server. The repository provides packages already included in Debian, interfering with the official maintenance. Eventually, project leader Stefano Zacchiroli asked Marillat to either settle an agreement about the packaging or to stop using the "Debian" name.<ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Zacchiroli |first=Stefano |title=on package duplication between Debian and debian-multimedia |mailing-list=pkg-multimedia-maintainers |date=2012-05-05 |url=https://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/pkg-multimedia-maintainers/2012-May/026678.html |access-date=2014-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605095724/http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/pkg-multimedia-maintainers/2012-May/026678.html |archive-date=June 5, 2014 |url-status=live |publisher=[[Alioth (Debian)|Alioth]] |author-link=Stefano Zacchiroli}}</ref> Marillat chose the latter and renamed the repository to deb-multimedia.org. The repository was so popular that the switchover was announced by the official blog of the Debian project.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-06-14 |title=Remove unofficial debian-multimedia.org repository from your sources |url=https://bits.debian.org/2013/06/remove-debian-multimedia.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808052055/https://bits.debian.org/2013/06/remove-debian-multimedia.html |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |access-date=2014-07-13 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>