Revealing seven aspects of why Debian became the mainstream Linux operating system

The first time I installed Debian was 16 years ago. Since then I've tried countless Linux distributions and even stuck with one or two for several months, but my primary distribution has always been Debian, or at least one of Debian's many derivatives.

Familiarity may explain to some extent why I favor it. However, I prefer it mainly because other distributions can't compare to Debian.

I think there are at least seven reasons why Debian is still my preferred Linux distribution:

7. Software package management

Software packages in Debian are managed by dpkg and apt-get. Nowadays, their ability to manage dependencies is no longer very unique; several similar tools (such as dnf and urpmi) have an option or two that dpkg and apt-get do not have. However, they are still the core of a large set of useful tools for viewing and working with software packages. No other tool of its kind offers as many options for resolving installation conflicts. After all these years, dpkg and apt-get still hold their own.

6. Risk choice

Debian's three main software libraries are Stable (stable), Testing (testing) and Unstable (unstable). These names reflect how far along the testing path the packages in each repository are, allowing users to balance the latest packages and stability according to their own circumstances.

If your main concern is stability, stick with Stable. In contrast, if you want the latest software, you can use Unstable, but you face risks: more software bugs, incompatibilities, etc. Testing usually falls somewhere in between these two extremes.

Of course, the degree of risk is relative. Many Debian-based distributions (including Ubuntu) use Testing or Unstable packages, but do their own testing before releasing them. Unless you are preparing for a major technical change, such as switching to systemd in the last version, Unstable is generally safe enough, especially if the packages you want to use are limited to non-core elements (such as desktop environments).

5. Freedom of choice

The Debian software library is divided into three parts: Main (main), Contrib (normal) and Non-Free (non-free). Main only includes software under a free license, Contrib includes software that is itself under a free license but relies on other non-free software, and Non-Free includes software released under a proprietary license.

Debian was installed with only Main enabled, so the preference for that project is obvious. However, adding the other two sections only takes five minutes of editing /etc/apt/sources.list. I'm content to stick with the defaults, but I appreciate that Debian offers a choice and then reassures users that they make the right choice.

4. Rich and diverse documentation

Debian documentation is scattered across countless websites and is not often discussed. However, I've found over the years that if I add "Debian" to my Internet searches, selecting recent results, I will almost always find a web page that gives detailed step-by-step instructions to help solve the problem I'm trying to solve. .

3. Fix errors quickly

I don't know of another distribution that responds to security or technical issues as quickly as Debian. Whether Debian maintainers work alone or as a team, their response times demonstrate the hard work that users can rely on. If Debian sometimes seems to be updated more frequently than other distributions, that's not because it has more bugs, but because its developers are improving in small steps.

2. Control the installation process

Debian has come a long way, debunking the myth that it is difficult to install. The current installer is one of the most flexible on the market. If you accept the defaults and install the bunch of packages it suggests, it will install in about the same time as Fedora's Anaconda. However, if you choose on your own, it will take much longer to install and select individual packages. This is why Ubuntu, which pioneered the quick installer, recommends using the Debian installer version when troubleshooting.

1. Debian Community

In addition to the technical aspects, Debian also has one of the largest and most innovative communities in free software. Policy and technical choices are discussed lively on the project's mailing list; major issues are voted on among Debian maintainers, including who will be the next project leader. All voting depends on the Condorcet method, one of the most impartial voting methods. In the past, the community was often unwelcoming to women, but that's improving; overall, Debian is as well-known for its work toward inclusion as it is for its technical literacy.

Mainstream distribution

Some people may object to Debian because releases are slow and even the latest packages are often not very advanced. However, if you are installing a server and your main concern is stability, this disadvantage can actually be an advantage. Furthermore, unless you insist on always having the latest version, most major free software has matured enough that essential new features are now rare. You can often wait a few months, especially if you're running other distributions in a virtual machine to satisfy your curiosity.

Let the numbers speak for themselves! Today, two-thirds of active Linux distributions are based on Debian; for several years now, three of the top four distributions by page views on the Distrowatch website have been Debian and its most popular derivatives: Linux Mint and Ubuntu. In many ways, Debian has become an upstream source for other upstream sources.

Debian may be one of the oldest distributions, but it clearly can still teach other distributions a few tricks. Without Debian, the situation in the Linux field would be very different and would be much overshadowed.

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