Debian is a universal Linux based operating system, currently using the Linux or the FreeBSD kernel. Debian also forms the base for one of the most commonly known Linux distribution, Ubuntu. Debian Based Operating Systems like Debian, Ubuntu, and it’s flavours have a built-in packaging system that allows users to install applications with just a command, sudo apt install, feeling nostalgic yet?

The need for people is application software, programs that help them do what they want, from editing documents to running a business to playing games to writing more software and more. Debian comes with over 51,000 packages (precompiled software that is bundled up in a nice format for easy installation on your machine), a package manager (APT), and other utilities that make it possible to manage thousands of packages on thousands of computers as easily as installing a single application. All of it free.

In this article, I’ll be guiding you to the basics of What packaging in Debian is and a basic how-to tutorial on the same.

It’s like a tower. At the base is the kernel. On top of that are all the basic tools. Next is all the software that you run on the computer. At the top of the tower is Debian carefully organizing and fitting everything so it all works together.

What is an Operating system ?

An operating system is the set of basic programs and utilities that make your computer run. At the core of an operating system is the kernel. The kernel is the most fundamental program on the computer and does all the basic housekeeping and lets you start other programs.

What is meant by Debian Packaging?

Ever done sudo apt installand wondered how apt install works and what file it fetches and how the file gets auto-installed? This is where Debian Packaging comes into play. The aim of packaging is to allow the automation of installing, upgrading, configuring, and removing computer programs for Debian in a consistent manner.

In simple words, debian packaging is a process of creating .deb files, that are same as .exe installer files in Windows.

By doing Debian packaging we make Debian packages, which is a collection of files that allow for applications or libraries to be distributed via the Debian package management system allowing a user to easily install the packaged application with just a command. To read more about Debian Packaging, you can refer to the official Debian Packaging Document.

Enough with the theory, let’s do some hands-on!

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