Stable Environment, Ideal for Developers
What do you like best about the product?
I love Debian because it's very stable and rarely crashes, which is great for programming and data tasks. As a student developer, I find the large package repository incredibly useful for installing tools like Python and Git, making software development so easy. Debian being lightweight is another plus, especially since it runs well on older systems where I can't run heavy software. It provides a stable environment for development and everyday use without needing expensive software. The system runs smoothly and reliably, which is just what I need.
What do you dislike about the product?
I really love Debian, but if I had to say, one thing that needs to be improved is that Debian often has older versions of software compared to other distributions. Also, some initial setup and configuration can be a bit difficult for beginners. The default interface is also quite basic, and it may require extra customization to make it more user-friendly.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Debian provides a stable environment for development, helping me run any programming tool efficiently without crashes or slowdowns. It's also lightweight, works on older systems, and has a large package repository, making it easy to install development tools and software.
Stable, Secure, and Beginner-Friendly OS
What do you like best about the product?
I mainly use Debian because I find it to be beginner-friendly and the most stable one, so I don't have to worry about tweaking things if something breaks unexpectedly. I like that it's more secure compared to Windows or even Mac and offers low-level control over the system, allowing me to customize every part to my needs. The thing I like the most about Debian is its stability, as it behaves a lot more stably compared to other distros. I also appreciate Debian's immense software repos and its advanced package manager. The initial setup of Debian was pretty easy, probably the easiest OS installation I've ever seen, as it handles the process really well.
What do you dislike about the product?
The Debian often relies on outdated but tested software to maintain its stability, which can limit the options when wanting to experiment with the latest software, kernels, and drivers. Also, managing graphics card drivers could be improved; installing and updating NVIDIA drivers is often very complicated.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
I find Debian offers security and low-level system control for customization. Its stability allows me to build my system freely without fear of breaking it, supported by immense software repositories and an advanced package manager.
Stable, Reliable, Ideal for Development & Servers
What do you like best about the product?
I mainly use Debian as a stable environment for development and backend work. It's reliable for running servers, testing applications, and managing tools without unexpected updates breaking things. I also like how lightweight and customizable it is compared to other operating systems. What I like most about Debian is its stability and reliability — it just works without needing constant maintenance. The package management system is straightforward, and there’s a huge community and documentation whenever I run into issues. It integrates well with most open-source software, which makes my workflow pretty seamless. It’s extremely stable, reliable, and great for development or server environments, which makes it easy to recommend.
What do you dislike about the product?
Sometimes the packages can feel a bit outdated compared to other distributions, which means I occasionally have to install newer versions manually. Hardware support can also take a little extra setup, especially on newer machines. It would be helpful if Debian offered an easier way to access newer versions of popular development tools without relying on external repositories. Improved out-of-the-box hardware detection, especially for newer laptops and drivers, would also make initial setup smoother. The only reason it’s not a 10 is that the learning curve and slightly older packages can be challenging for newer users.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Debian provides a stable, predictable development environment, reducing issues from system changes and simplifying dependency management. Its reliability and low maintenance save me time, allowing focus on development rather than OS troubleshooting.
Long-term deployment experience has reduced downtime and supports diverse server workloads
What is our primary use case?
I have been using Debian for around 10 years now.
My main use case for Debian is that it's a regular Linux operating system with many use cases and system servers.
One specific example of how I use Debian is running the LAMP stack, including NGINX or other tools.
I have many use cases for Debian, but it does not make sense to share each one because there are too many of them.
What is most valuable?
Debian offers excellent stability and reliability as its best features.
What stands out to me about Debian's stability is its reliability.
Debian has positively impacted my organization as it leads to much more stable workloads. For example, if things were running worse a long time ago, with Debian it is now better.
I can share specific outcomes, such as downtime reduction and positive changes related to that.
What needs improvement?
Debian is already really great, so there is nothing to complain about regarding improvements. I do not have anything else to add about needed improvements.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working in my current field for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Debian's scalability is not something that is applicable here because this is an operating system.
How are customer service and support?
I found the customer support to be good, but I did not use it because there was no need.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used Ubuntu before switching, and I have switched to Debian in some places.
What was our ROI?
I have seen a return on investment as I have saved time, which is the most important part.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that Debian is free, so there is no price.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I did not evaluate other options before choosing Debian.
What other advice do I have?
I do not have advice to give to others looking into using Debian other than to be confident in what you are doing.
Running critical infrastructure has improved performance and keeps hybrid cloud costs low
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Debian is that a lot of my infrastructure resources are running on Debian, and many in-house tools are hosted on Debian servers.
A specific example of how I am using Debian in my infrastructure is that we are running our application servers, we have a Postgres database hosted on Debian, and we have some customized monitoring tools hosted on Debian.
In addition to my main use case, I was using Debian for ETL jobs.
What is most valuable?
The best features Debian offers include very good support and a huge library with support for various packages we can install to customize our workloads.
Compared to CentOS, we are using Debian for many things; what we can achieve with Red Hat and CentOS, we can achieve on Debian itself, so I have been using Debian for a while.
Debian has positively impacted my organization in that most of our applications are running on Debian.
What needs improvement?
I do not have a specific answer for how Debian can be improved. Nothing stands out to me regarding the needed improvements at this time.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Debian for seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Debian's scalability is good.
How are customer service and support?
If I had to rate the customer support on a scale of one to ten, I would give it a ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before Debian, we used Red Hat as a different solution.
What was our ROI?
I have definitely seen a return on investment as it has reduced our cost.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that, compared to the other Linux operating systems, Debian will be affordable.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I did not evaluate other options before choosing Debian.
What other advice do I have?
When it comes to specific outcomes or metrics, I would stick with improved performance and reduced downtime.
My advice to others looking into using Debian is to prioritize stability. I would rate this review a nine overall.
Rock-Solid Stability and Security for Servers
What do you like best about the product?
I use Debian mainly for servers and development environments because it’s extremely stable, secure, and reliable. I appreciate its rock-solid stability and reliability, and I find it well suited for hosting web services, running databases, and testing applications where long-term consistency and minimal downtime are important. The strict testing process, long-term support, and strong focus on security make it a dependable choice. I also like how it solves issues around system instability and unexpected updates by offering a stable, predictable environment. For setup, the guided installer made things fairly straightforward, handling disk partitioning, networking, and base package selection smoothly, making it easy to get a stable system up and running with minimal issues.
What do you dislike about the product?
One drawback of Debian is that it often ships with older software versions, which can be limiting if you need the latest features or hardware support. The release cycle is also slower, and some newer devices may require extra configuration or backports to work smoothly.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
I use Debian for servers and development because it's stable, secure, and reliable. It solves system instability issues, reduces maintenance effort, and minimizes downtime with its predictable environment and long-term support.
Reliable, Open-Source with Package Management Excellence
What do you like best about the product?
I like using Debian mainly for my servers, especially for deployment. It solves my software instability and package management problems effectively. I appreciate that it's 100 percent free, highly reliable, and has great hardware compatibility. Debian is open-source, so I can inspect every line of code, and it's community-driven. Once configured, Debian remains stable day-to-day with only security patches applied. I value the long-term support, providing five years of stable release support. Debian's package manager is the best, and I find the flexibility in installation methods very beneficial. I also like how it provides a leaner system with lower RAM usage, faster boot times, and fewer background processes, compared to what I was using before.
What do you dislike about the product?
I don't like that Debian mostly has outdated software versions, which can be a hassle. Also, modern hardware compatibility isn't great. The static bug fixes can be annoying, and the documentation could be improved.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
I use Debian to solve software instability and package management issues. It's 100% free and reliable, supports older hardware, and provides a leaner system with lower RAM usage and faster boot time.
Server pipelines have become smoother and package vulnerabilities are handled efficiently
What is our primary use case?
My main use case is about server handling, creating pipelines, and maintaining Docker images that have been used in the DevOps field.
The work involves going into the server, running APT updates, maintaining the packages that are there, and checking all vulnerabilities that exist. I then fix those vulnerabilities using different packages, upgrade those packages, and install new packages as needed.
What is most valuable?
Debian functions as an umbrella where you will find all those packages that are available for Ubuntu as well as for different operating systems. I feel that Debian is one of the origins from which it all started, so contributing to it makes me feel special.
Debian has impacted my work significantly. All the upstream servers are on Ubuntu or Debian and I have to fix issues on them. That is what I have been working on.
Debian always provides zero downtime because all that is needed is to run pseudo APT upgrade and it fixes NGINX or the other packages that need to be fixed. It is straightforward to be used because APT is available for that purpose. APT produces Python packages as well as Node packages, and I just need to install them from there rather than having multiple sources.
What needs improvement?
I feel Debian contributors could receive a stipend. It is open source, but monetary support is always needed.
Because there is always a chance to improve things, I believe there is room for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working in my current field for the past six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
How are customer service and support?
Customer support for Debian is very high because everyone is an open-source contributor and there are many people supporting it.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have evaluated Alpine images as well as yum packages and RHEL, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, but I felt Debian was better.
How was the initial setup?
There was nothing difficult about the initial setup.
What about the implementation team?
There was nothing difficult about the implementation team requirements.
What was our ROI?
There were no significant ROI concerns.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing and setup cost were straightforward from Amazon Web Services. I just needed to deploy it and everything worked out.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
There were no alternate solutions that I needed to consider.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Long-term platform has supported embedded work yet needs fresher packages and simpler sudo setup
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for
Debian is as an everyday workhorse, and I provide
Debian to some customers for embedded and non-embedded hardware.
For my work and for my customers, I use Debian to cross-build for some other ARM devices that are used for Gilbarco, which are used in many US gas stations to provide fuel to cars. I bought some QEMU to allow developers to run the ARM on computers. I installed Debian on every i.MX8 device, and I think there are thousands in the US market, plus some other thousands worldwide.
Regarding my use case and interesting projects, I recently used Debian for Amazon and then for some other GitHub actions, still as a QEMU.
What is most valuable?
The best features Debian offers are that it is fast, simple, and long-term supported.
That long-term support has helped me and my customers by being stable and running well. Debian has positively impacted my organization and my customers.
What needs improvement?
To improve Debian, the frozen, stable versions need to be more updated, and probably rolling updates like Fedora is doing would be a good idea.
Regarding needed improvements, I think sudo and the way sudo is configured, with visudo required, would help many newcomers to Debian because the learning curve on the configuration might have some challenges in the way it is done.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Debian for twenty years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
That long-term support has helped me and my customers by being stable and running well.
About the features of Debian, of course, it is a slow distribution like many others. The setup is fast and efficient, but it is not doing much. I am an embedded developer and a Linux developer, so I am happy with that. I can customize more, but then the hardware support and the packages are old. However, I am looking for stability, so old probably means stable, but it is not for every user.
How was the initial setup?
My advice to others looking into using Debian is to not step out from the initial configuration. It might be hard, but you will learn something, and then everything will work.
What other advice do I have?
I think that sometimes while I am speaking, you say thanks because you think I have ended my speech or my phrase, and then it is not so smooth. I would rate this review as providing comprehensive feedback on my experience with Debian.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Daily work has become smoother and old hardware runs efficiently while community help stays active
What is our primary use case?
I use Debian for programming, maintaining my website, and learning Linux scripting. I also encourage my friends to use open-source operating systems such as Debian, Ubuntu, or any other Linux variant.
I am using Debian on my personal computer and also on my friend's computer. I am not using Debian at work.
I use Debian for all purposes and all of my computer activities, not for any specific feature or particular use case.
What is most valuable?
Debian's best features are that it is very light and very comfortable for even older computers.
Regarding speed, Debian feels light and comfortable to me, and it has significant community support. If anyone encounters a problem in Debian, they can connect to the Debian community and receive help very quickly. This is the main reason I use Debian, and I love using the terminal.
Since using Debian, I have noticed that whatever I need for my work is already available in Debian. The Debian community is very active, and if any new feature or concern comes up, as soon as they update Debian mirrors or the apt repository, I can install and use it.
What needs improvement?
Debian should have a reset feature; if something goes wrong, such as when I have installed or modified any root file, there should be a reset feature to restore my initial default settings. Additionally, I think Debian should allow for the removal of all dependencies when a particular requirement is not useful, as sometimes we install many things without knowing what they are.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Debian for almost twelve years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Debian is stable for my needs.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is very easy to scale Debian up or down if needed.
How are customer service and support?
When I have needed help with Debian, I received very quick support from the community.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used Linux before Debian, and I was using Ubuntu prior to that, with Windows preceding those.
What was our ROI?
There is nothing as such for return on investment, but I do not need a new computer to run Debian or a highly configurable computer. I can run Debian on my old computer as well, which is very useful for saving money.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I considered Ubuntu before choosing Debian.
What other advice do I have?
Since I support using open-source applications, my advice to others looking into using Debian is to embrace the freedom to use everything without limitations. I encourage people to use open-source applications and operating systems such as Debian and any Linux variant, so that what they are using remains open-source and useful to all.
Debian is doing a great job, and they should keep it up. Thank you.
I should note that since I mentioned I am using Debian on my personal computer, there were many questions regarding my workplace or my organization, so the questions should be classified based on earlier questions. I would rate this review an eight out of ten.
