Debian is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to developing and distributing free and open-source software. Its most prominent project is the Debian GNU/Linux operating system, renowned for its stability, security, and vast software repositories. Governed by the Debian Constitution and Social Contract, the project emphasizes community, collaboration, and user freedom. It serves as a foundation for many other distributions, including Ubuntu. Debian is developed by thousands of volunteers worldwide and supported by donations and sponsorships, fiscally managed by Software in the Public Interest, Inc. (SPI).
Coordination of the global volunteer community, development efforts, software packaging, and release management, all performed in a distributed manner through online collaboration and mailing lists.
Operates as a completely virtual and decentralized organization. Key infrastructure (servers, mirrors) is globally distributed, often donated by supporting organizations and universities. The annual DebConf (Debian Conference) serves as a key in-person gathering.
Highly collaborative, consensus-driven, and meritocratic, based on strong adherence to the Debian Social Contract and Free Software Guidelines. Communication primarily occurs through public mailing lists, IRC channels, and bug tracking systems. Emphasis on technical excellence and volunteer contribution.
Its decentralized nature ensures resilience, global participation, and independence from any single corporate or national interest, allowing it to stay true to its core free software principles.
Debian has a truly global presence, with thousands of volunteer developers, contributors, and users spread across nearly every continent. Its infrastructure, including software mirrors and development servers, is also distributed worldwide. Functions supported globally include software development and packaging, quality assurance, translation and localization, documentation, user support via forums and mailing lists, and the distribution of the operating system and its updates.
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Address: Not Applicable (Distributed Project)
To facilitate development, packaging, translation, support, and distribution worldwide, leveraging a decentralized community model to ensure global accessibility and participation.
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As of April 2025, Debian' leadership includes:
Debian has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:
The Debian Project Leader (DPL) is elected annually by Debian Developers. The most recent election concluded in April 2024.
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Debian primarily uses mailing lists for public communication and collaboration (e.g., general inquiries, development discussions). The format is typically listname@lists.debian.org. Official developers and contributors often have @debian.org email addresses. Direct contact with specific teams or roles (e.g., leader@debian.org, press@debian.org) is also possible. Finding the correct mailing list is key for effective communication.
username@debian.org (for individual developers/roles) or listname@lists.debian.org (for mailing lists)
Format
leader@debian.org or press@debian.org
Example
90%
Success rate
Debian Official News • May 4, 2024
The Debian project announced the sixth update to its stable distribution Debian 12 (codename 'bookworm'). This point release primarily adds corrections for security issues, along with a few adjustments for serious problems....more
Debian Official News • April 21, 2024
Following the annual election period, Jonathan Carter has been re-elected as the Debian Project Leader for another one-year term. This marks his fifth term in this role....more
Debian Official News • February 10, 2024
The Debian project released the fifth update to its stable distribution Debian 12 (codename 'bookworm'). This point release adds corrections for security issues and adjustments for serious problems....more
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