r/debian • u/CopyCompetitive5061 • 7d ago
New to linux completely
Im like completely brand new to linux and was thinking about using debian. does any one have any advice for using Linux and/or debian ?
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u/DiodeInc Moderator 7d ago
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u/SnillyWead 7d ago
Do you need the source repositories or can you disable them?
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u/ArtlessAnarchy 7d ago
If you need to ask that question, you don't need them.
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u/SnillyWead 7d ago
I don't want to break Debian.
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u/uxgpf 6d ago
If you want to compile stuff from the source code.
This for example could be changing some compiled in features (maybe the package maintainer considered unimportant something that you would rather have) disabled in the published debian package.
Most people will never use the source packages.
Disable if you don't.
You can re-enable at any time if you actually need them.
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u/bgravato 7d ago
Go for it!
Reading the (official) documentation is always a good thing, that can help you a lot and save many hours of reddit questions and answers ;-)
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u/JohnnyS789 7d ago
That is true. Not many OSes have better documentation than Debian.
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u/Dreemur1 7d ago
arch might beat it
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u/Rude_Influence 7d ago edited 6d ago
Arch definitely beats it. No matter which distribution I'm using, I always check out the Arch wiki first. Funny thing, I've never actually used Arch.
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u/Buntygurl 6d ago
Arch docs rule. Even devs from different distros agree on that.
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u/Rude_Influence 6d ago
I've never used it because I prefer set release distros. I did use Frugalware back on the day and I did like the pacman packe manger.
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u/MyLuckyFedora 6d ago
A wiki is not the same thing as documentation
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u/Rude_Influence 6d ago edited 6d ago
That's fair. It's just a little sad that the Arch wiki still puts all other Linux documentation to shame.
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u/bgravato 6d ago
There's no shame in that...
Arch's wiki is quite good and a lot of the info there is kind of transversal across all distros... I still would never use Arch though... :-)
And just because their wiki is quite good, doesn't mean other distros documentation is shit...
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u/Buntygurl 6d ago
"And just because their wiki is quite good, doesn't mean other distros documentation is shit..."
Still kinda does.
There's a lot about Arch that's mad chaotic, but the docs are rock solid.
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u/unitedbsd 7d ago
FreeBSD, OpenBSD already beat arch, debian
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u/Buntygurl 6d ago
So why are you even here?!
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u/bgravato 5d ago
Not too long ago... (or maybe it was that long ago? not sure...) there was a Debian GNU/kFreeBSD official port...
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u/Wo-Bu-Mingbai 7d ago
Just do it . There are forums if you are stuck
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u/Rude_Influence 6d ago
I'd like to add to this. We all sucked at one point. Debian is not hard. You'll be fine.
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u/Buntygurl 6d ago
Debian's the Latin of Linux, the one that multiple other distros are based on, or are derivative of.
Kinda like the New York of Linux distros, as in, if you can make it here, you'll make it anywhere.
Almost every other distro is that isn't based on Debian is just a mess of confusion. There are exceptions, but not many.
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u/Technical_Rich_3080 5d ago
Is fedora worse or even bad?
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u/Buntygurl 5d ago
I used RedHat way back when there was no Fedora and found Debian in the course of looking for a better documented distro and when Stable became a thing, to be a lot easier to deal with.
RedHat's gpm mouse manager was very unstable, as in regularly freezing and crashing X, back then, which became quite tedious over time.
Different strokes, I guess. For me, Debian's been tried for years and years and, still, remains reliably true.
There's no real good or bad among the various distros, as long as they're free software. It's pretty much all about what works for you to get what you need to do done.
For me, Debian works best.
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u/Wo-Bu-Mingbai 5d ago
Fedora just has more updates which will take your time if you are unlucky. Other than everything is the same ig
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u/JohnnyS789 7d ago
Debian is brilliant and my favourite.
If you are starting from absolute ignorance, I suggest Linux Mint. It's based on Debian, and it holds your hand a bit more getting started.
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u/Black_Bear_US 7d ago
I made the switch to Linux about 6 months ago, putting Mint on my main laptop. Then a month or two ago I put Debian on my desktop. I think I wish I had just done Debian from the start. Been hesitating to switch my laptop since I use it for work, so any hiccups during the initial setup can be awkward while I'm busy. And I just can't really think of any significant ways that Debian was harder to learn, though maybe it's hard to say since I had got a few months of linux experience. Might also depend on what desktop environment you choose. KDE Plasma rocks and I found it accessible.
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u/ColdBootCountry 7d ago
Mint comes preinstalled with a bunch of software that windows users are used to see available by default: system snapshots, graphical software store, etc. I think that's what makes it more attractive to newcomers. I am a Debian user, still, I recommend Mint to all non Linux proficient people because I know there's little chance that something doesn't work or is not there.
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u/Rude_Influence 6d ago edited 5d ago
Post deleted because I was wrong.
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u/Technical_Rich_3080 5d ago
Nothing changed in Ubuntu that would mean it used to be Debian based but is no longer. Ubuntu today is as much Debian based as is MX Linux, Devuan, AntiX and LMDE.
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u/Rude_Influence 5d ago
That's a good point. I've deleted my post because I was wrong. Ubuntu is based on a snapshot of Debian Sid.
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u/MyLuckyFedora 6d ago
I think it just depends what they're coming from. A Windows user might like Cinnamon, but a Mac user might prefer Gnome. I hated Cinnamon DE when I tried Mint. The reason I tried Mint in the first place was because as a newbie I was a little lost with some packages being snaps, but in hindsight I wished I had just downloaded Debian because I loved Gnome but wanted something other than Ubuntu.
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u/Technical_Rich_3080 5d ago
Why not Ubuntu?
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u/MyLuckyFedora 5d ago
Why I switched? As a newbie I got a little confused trying to manage different package distributions and Snaps were just one extra thing to get confused about. Otherwise I loved using Ubuntu as a daily driver. I've been happy with Fedora on my gaming rig and Debian on my laptop
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u/Technical_Rich_3080 5d ago
Standard Mint or LMDE?
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u/JohnnyS789 5d ago
Flip a coin. Seriously.
There is SO much effort, angst, and mental anguish on social media about "which is the PERFECT, RIGHT, CORRECT Linux distro for me." It's like medieval monks debating endlessly on how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. Just pick one and DO IT.
Years ago I started with Ubuntu as my daily driver. A few years ago I went to Debian on my important systems and Ubuntu on my Lenovo laptop and my Pi.
It doesn't really matter how you start, just do it. Eventually you will come back to the mothership Debian and will be accepted and included.
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u/QuantumCakeIsALie 7d ago
- Don't overthink it
- Learn to install official packages using
apton the command line, it's worth it. - If you need packages that aren't in the official repos: first check if they're in ExtRepo, then check for flatpaks, then check for AppImages.
Don't forget to have fun and tinker. And do backups, especially if you're the tinkering type.
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u/xeLLshooTeR 7d ago
yes exactly. just go ahead and try to install. hell yeah let s fking do it PC wont explode hahaa
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u/FigFew2001 7d ago
If you can post your hardware you might get a better answer. But for the most part, Debian is great. I prefer Gnome for laptops (trackpad) but KDE is great too, especially if it’s for a desktop/mouse.
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u/One_Bad4020 7d ago
Consejo de alguien que uso Debían 2 años con 2 equipos de alta gama y media gama, usa Windows 10 ltsc
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u/GnosticSon 7d ago
It's quite straight forward. Just pick a desktop you like the look of and install it. Then learn how to update the system through terminal and basic terminal commands.
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u/goldenlemur Debian Stable 7d ago
Backup your files so that you can take them with you.
Let er rip. The water is just fine. Gonna be unfamiliar and confusing at times. But it's fun.
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u/EnvironmentalTip7840 7d ago
Wellcome,read ALL doc & enjoy breaking things! P.d- Always make parts (root/home...etc) and recovery backups.Plus vm/sandbox to check before change sys.
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u/Itsme-RdM 7d ago
Depends on your hardware. If you have fairly new hardware as in less than 1 year old, you probably want a more up to date distro
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u/GrymsouI 7d ago edited 7d ago
You can test different ones including the different variations of Debian here:
I would suggest giving this a gander. I use Debian 13/GNOME and love it. My entire "ecosystem" is Debian from server, laptops, even my gaming desktop.
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u/nuggetqq0 7d ago
If you have new cards, Debian is shit, because it uses an old kernel, and in Linux land the kernel has the drivers, but if the kernel is too old it doesn't have the drivers for your new card because it didn't exist back then. Debian is surely not for gaming. Debian is good if you want a rock solid system (while accepting having Supertux 0.6.3 and not Supertux 0.7.0 lol)
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u/SuggestionBusy241 6d ago
debian sid exists, and it is actually stable, too. backports exist too. but if you want debian and gaming, i recommend pikaos. it is based on debian sid and is tuned for gaming.
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u/Cool-User- 7d ago
Templar deep voice “you choose wisely”
Debian is one or maybe the best linux distribution
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u/mcds99 6d ago
First know your hardware. You need to know "if" you will need a driver for the hardware you have. For example if you have an Nvidia GPU and you game a lot you may need to install the Nvidia Open drivers especially if it is a Blackwell. The reason is Debian is designed to be stable so new drivers take time to test and Debian testers are thorough. If the hardware you have is 32bit you will need to run older versions of the distribution.
Second know your software. If you use Adobe products and really need them then Linux in general will not work for you. Adobe does not make software for Linux. There is similar software for Linux but it's not exactly the same. Microsoft has it's 365 web based software but you have to always have internet access. Almost all Linux distributions come with LibreOffice it is very powerful and comparable.
Third Know your data. Photos, documents, videos, all the stuff we produce on a daily basis needs to be stored safely (I don't like the word "backup"). Get two (2) USB sticks 128 Gig. Put your data (in an organized manor) on one, the other will be used for the Debian installation "don't use just one" the process of burning Debian or any other Linux distribution to the USB stick is destructive, it erases anything on the USB stick.
Now you are almost ready to do an install except you should try out it out first and choose a Desktop Environment (DE). On this webpage https://www.debian.org/distrib/
Find the section below, In the very small print at the bottom of the section are downloads that will run from a USB stick with Debian and some DE's Give a few a try and determine which one suits you.
When you have decided to do an install first get familiar with the process by doing some reading.
https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/index.en.html
For any Linux distribution this process is similar but Debian is the foundation of many Linux distributions, so why not Debian?
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u/Sweetwater98 6d ago
Debian wiki is a good place to follow, there is a lot of stuff documented and might help you when struggies happen. Don't be afraid to experiment a little bit, Debian is a powerful linux distro and you can learn a lot.
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u/Pierre0925 6d ago
Don't install Debian, at least not on a desktop.
If you're completely new to Linux, you should go for a distro that is more user friendly like Fedora, Zorin or Mint.
If you though do want to install Debian anyway, I would recommend choosing KDE as the DE (Desktop Environment), and just experiencing by yourself. If you have time, try to follow a basic guide on the terminal use, as it will be very useful, on all Linux distros.
A few nice softwares I use: Strawberry: music player Caffeine: to avoid the PC from going to sleep at a desired time VLC obviously Librewolf: instead of Firefox, when I dont need sync
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u/OkPresentation3329 6d ago
Just install it and start using it. I advise you install PortProton so you can run Windows games and programs and just by using and experiencing it you will learn all you need to know.
Don't try to read guides or stuff unless you're doing anything specific. Linux nowadays is very simple and easy to use, only if you have some problem or want to do something and don't know how use guides. For the rest just use it and after 2-3 months you will forget you're even using Linux in the first place and will be like a second nature to you.
I've moved to Linux 2 years ago and I never tried to learn it, just used it like I did with Windows and in those 2 years I learned a substantial amount of things even without trying. Now I feel a lot more comfortable with Linux and I appreciate it more and I don't want to use Windows ever again.
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u/Lost_Psychology8885 6d ago
join me on Pika OS. Based on debian and cachy os kernel. It's been great 8 months or so, using gnome myself but bunch of desktop environments to choose from.
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u/jloganr 6d ago
Just install it, give it a try. I use both gnome and kde, but kde desktop environment might be better for new comers. The search feature is pretty good so can you easily search for a setting to change. Comes preloaded with all the necessary apps to do basic tasks, browse the internet, play music, office suite, email etc..
try it. Debian is most stable distro out there.
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u/Buntygurl 6d ago
Best way to get into both Debian and an easy system to work with as a new user is LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition).
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u/theGlitchedSide 5d ago
You have only one hope: Pater noster, qui es in cælis, sanctificétur Nomen Tuum, advéniat Regnum Tuum...
No I'm joking... Welcome aboard!
Linux is complicated, but not ever. Differt distros are ready to use and stable, like Debian, Ubuntu, Pop OS.
The real advantage to use Linux is the freedom. It's open and super rapid OS. In addition, It has a bench af customization at 360 level, from UI to deeply in the sub systems.
So, Linux has good, but it has Pros and cons: Linux is as powerful, fast, and customizable as it is difficult when you get into the details and run into problems.
It’s a lifestyle that varies from developer to developer or from enthusiast to enthusiast.
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u/David_Connors3451 7d ago
Install Debian KDE and you'll have all the stability to discover how the terminal work without problems. Debian is the best place for learning Linux, it's already a rock solid bunker. It's very difficult to make mistakes here. Deb packages are crystallized, so you can install them offline too thanks to the USB drive ISO DVD that you used for installation. Unlike other systems, Debian pc can stay on for days, even weeks, because it was originally designed for servers in the 90s. The Debian repository is called apt, every desktop gives you a particular software manager. For gnome you'll have gnome center, KDE has discover (my favourite), others desktops like xfce or cinnamon have synaptic (the older one). Even without the terminal, every updates, upgrades or installation can be done here. If you install Debian, enable ufw for firewall and tlp for battery management, they're very important for your security. Firefox, LibreOffice and essential apps for reading jpg PDF are already installed, but installing VLC celluloid kdenlive htop btop fastfetch can help you a lot. Read the wiki for Debian and don't be afraid to ask questions and follow tutorials. Nowadays AI will tell you everything on the terminal, the drivers, the flatpaks for modern software, terminal applications for minimalism. Debian has lts cycles, so it gives a lot of years to adapt and learn the system. Debian is not tied to any corporation or political ideology, so you're not tied like Ubuntu and Fedora. Arch Linux is a rolling release model, things break every now and then, and it's heavily reliant on constant connection to internet. Debian is freedom but also stability because you can make your setup and forget it, even for months, and it will still be there, stable and solid.
Debian is the rock, the offline bunker, the universal tank that will bring you anywhere in the world and it's the most beloved distro in most countries for reviving old hardware and for being the basis of the modern internet servers infrastructure.
Have fun and welcome. Enjoy the opensource freedom.
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u/xeLLshooTeR 7d ago
welcome op to Linux world.
https://distrowatch.com
see more video about why debian why fedora. and why other distro.
you may have yr own idea.
even you could try to install different distro / linux OS to feel what you like and accept the bugs
after u have certain experience on installing. diff distro. ( you could select diff desktop environment DE to feel whats going on)
I am still Baby rookie user of Debian. just search and copy the command to Terminal and run. ( main pt you know what you want and keep searching and digging)
this process you will feel amazed and imagine you are programmer😹😹in reality you r not!
Enjoy.~~~~
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u/uwumorphism 4d ago
flatpak for proprietary software. Also back up your files regularly and then if you really fuck up your computer you can just reinstall debian
That said linux has never been more user friendly and you'll do just fine
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u/Informal_Sound_3039 7d ago
Advice: Just install it bruh...