While Debian prioritizes stability with its well-tested packages, this sometimes means users miss out on the latest features. This is where Backports and Testing repositories come in.
Backports and testing repositories are two mechanisms Debian uses to provide users with access to newer software versions than those included in the stable release.
Backports offer selectively backported packages from the next Debian release, providing a balance between stability and new features. Testing provides access to a wider range of newer packages but with a higher potential for instability.
This detailed tutorial will guide you through the steps to enable Backports and Testing repositories on your Debian 12 and 11 systems. This guide also covers the steps to remove the backports and testing repositories when they are no longer required.
Before getting into the topic, let me provide a brief introduction to backports and testing repositories, explain why and when you should enable them, and discuss the implications of enabling these repositories.
Table of Contents
What is Backports Repository?
Backports are packages from the next Debian release (called "unstable" or "sid") that have been recompiled for the current stable release.
The purpose of backports is to provide more recent versions of some software to stable users without affecting the stability of the system.
Backports are meant to be compatible with the stable release, but they are not officially supported by the Debian security team and are provided on a best-effort basis.
Users typically use backports when they want to use newer versions of certain software without upgrading their entire system to the next Debian release.
Why Use Backports?
- Access to Newer Features: Backports allow users to access new features and improvements in software that are not available in the stable release.
- Security Updates: Sometimes, newer versions of software contain important security updates that are not backported to the stable release. Backports can provide these updates.
- Development Needs: Developers often require newer software versions to work on projects or to use the latest development tools.
What is Testing Repository?
The "Testing" repository contains packages that are being prepared for the next stable release. These packages have been in the "unstable" repository for a while and have not been found to have any major issues.
The packages in testing are generally more stable than those in unstable, but they are not as thoroughly tested as the packages in the current stable release.
By default, the testing repository is not enabled on a Debian system, but users can choose to enable it if they want to use software that is newer than what is available in the stable release but not as cutting-edge as what is in unstable.
Why Use Testing?
- Access to Newer Software: Testing provides access to newer versions of software packages that will eventually be included in the next stable Debian release.
- Contribute to Testing: Users can contribute to Debian by testing packages in the testing repository and providing feedback on their performance and stability.
- Early Adoption: Users who need newer software versions or want to contribute to testing can benefit from using the testing repository.
Which is Recommended?
Backports Repository is generally recommended for most users who need newer software but want to maintain overall system stability. It provides a good balance by offering updated packages selectively while keeping the core system stable.
Testing Repository is suitable for users who need the cutting edge and are willing to accept some risk of instability. This is often used by developers and testers who need the latest features and updates.
- For stability with newer packages: Use the backports repository.
- For cutting-edge software with potential instability: Use the testing repository.
Choose based on your needs and the environment in which you are working.
All right! Now let us move on to see how to enable the backports and testing reppositories on Debian.
Enable Debian Backports Repository
To enable Backports repository in Debian, run the following commands:
echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian $(lsb_release -cs)-backports main contrib non-free non-free-firmware" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.list
Update the sources list:
sudo apt update
Alternatively, you can use the following one-liner:
sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian $(lsb_release -cs)-backports main contrib non-free non-free-firmware" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.list && apt update'
This one-liner will automatically detect your Debian version and add the appropriate backports repository.
Explanation:
$(lsb_release -cs): This command gets the codename of your Debian version (e.g.,bullseyefor Debian 11,bookwormfor Debian 12).- The
echocommand constructs the line for the backports repository and writes it to a new file in/etc/apt/sources.list.d/. sudo sh -c '... && apt update': Runs the command with root privileges and updates the package list.
Enable Debian Testing Repository
If you want to add the testing repository in Debian, run:
echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian testing main contrib non-free non-free-firmware" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/testing.list
Update the software sources using command:
sudo apt update
Alternatively, use the following one-liner:
sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian testing main contrib non-free non-free-firmware" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/testing.list && apt update'
This one-liner command will automatically detect your Debian version and add the appropriate testing repository.
List Enabled Repositories on Debian
To list the enabled repositories on your Debian system, you can check both the main sources.list file and any additional files in the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ directory. Here's how you can do it:
Option 1: Using apt-cache policy
You can use the apt-cache policy command to list all enabled repositories along with their priority and status.
apt-cache policy
This command will display output similar to the following on Debian 12 Bookworm:
Package files:
100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
release a=now
100 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/non-free amd64 Packages
release o=Debian Backports,a=stable-backports,n=bookworm-backports,l=Debian Backports,c=non-free,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
100 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/contrib amd64 Packages
release o=Debian Backports,a=stable-backports,n=bookworm-backports,l=Debian Backports,c=contrib,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
100 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/main amd64 Packages
release o=Debian Backports,a=stable-backports,n=bookworm-backports,l=Debian Backports,c=main,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates/non-free-firmware amd64 Packages
release v=12-updates,o=Debian,a=stable-updates,n=bookworm-updates,l=Debian,c=non-free-firmware,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates/non-free amd64 Packages
release v=12-updates,o=Debian,a=stable-updates,n=bookworm-updates,l=Debian,c=non-free,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates/contrib amd64 Packages
release v=12-updates,o=Debian,a=stable-updates,n=bookworm-updates,l=Debian,c=contrib,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates/main amd64 Packages
release v=12-updates,o=Debian,a=stable-updates,n=bookworm-updates,l=Debian,c=main,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/non-free-firmware amd64 Packages
release v=12,o=Debian,a=stable-security,n=bookworm-security,l=Debian-Security,c=non-free-firmware,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/contrib amd64 Packages
release v=12,o=Debian,a=stable-security,n=bookworm-security,l=Debian-Security,c=contrib,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main amd64 Packages
release v=12,o=Debian,a=stable-security,n=bookworm-security,l=Debian-Security,c=main,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/non-free-firmware amd64 Packages
release v=12.5,o=Debian,a=stable,n=bookworm,l=Debian,c=non-free-firmware,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/non-free amd64 Packages
release v=12.5,o=Debian,a=stable,n=bookworm,l=Debian,c=non-free,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/contrib amd64 Packages
release v=12.5,o=Debian,a=stable,n=bookworm,l=Debian,c=contrib,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/main amd64 Packages
release v=12.5,o=Debian,a=stable,n=bookworm,l=Debian,c=main,b=amd64
origin deb.debian.org
Pinned packages:
Option 2: Listing sources.list and sources.list.d Directory
You can also manually inspect the sources.list file and files in the sources.list.d directory to see which repositories are enabled.
View sources.list:
cat /etc/apt/sources.list
This will display the contents of the main sources.list file, which typically includes repositories configured during Debian installation.
List sources.list.d Directory:
ls /etc/apt/sources.list.d
This command lists all files in the sources.list.d directory, each of which contains additional repository configurations.
Viewing Repository Contents:
cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.list
Sample Output from my Debian 12:
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
How to Install Packages from Backports
After adding the Backports repository, you can install packages from backports using the -t option with apt or apt-get.
For example:
sudo apt update sudo apt install -t bookworm-backports package-name
Replace bookworm-backports with your actual repository name and package-name with your actual package name.
For example, the following command will install the curl package from Backports repository in Debian 12:
sudo apt install -t bookworm-backports curl
Similarly, you can install packages from Backports repository On Debian 11 like below:
sudo apt install -t bullseye-backports curl
Upgrade All Packages to their Latest Versions Available in Backports (Not Recommended)
If you want to upgrade all packages on your system to the newest versions available in the backports repository, you can use this command:
sudo apt full-upgrade -t bookworm-backports
This command upgrades all installed packages to their latest versions available in bookworm-backports, possibly installing new dependencies and removing obsolete packages to ensure system compatibility and functionality.
Caution:
- This command should be used carefully, as it could potentially upgrade a large number of packages to backports versions, which might affect system stability.
- It's generally safer to install specific packages from backports rather than doing a full system upgrade to backports versions.
- Always make sure you have backups before performing major system changes like this.
Before running such a command, it’s good practice to review the changes it will make:
sudo apt full-upgrade -t bookworm-backports --dry-run
This --dry-run option allows you to see what changes would be made without actually applying them, helping you avoid unexpected surprises.
Check a Package Version in Backports Repository
To check the available version of a package in the backports repository on Debian, you can use the apt and apt-cache commands.
1. Update the Package List:
First, make sure your package list is updated to include the latest information from all repositories:
sudo apt update
2. Check Available Versions with apt:
You can use the apt command to list available versions of a package, including those from the backports repository. For example, to check the available versions of the curl package:
apt list -a curl
This command will show you all available versions of curl from all enabled repositories, including backports.
Listing... Done curl/stable-backports,now 8.8.0-1~bpo12+1 amd64 [installed] curl/stable,stable-security 7.88.1-10+deb12u5 amd64
3. Detailed Information with apt-cache:
For more detailed information, you can use the apt-cache command. This will show you the available versions and their corresponding repositories. For example:
apt-cache policy curl
This command provides detailed information about the available versions of the curl package and the repositories they are from. You will see an output like this:
curl:
Installed: 8.8.0-1~bpo12+1
Candidate: 8.8.0-1~bpo12+1
Version table:
*** 8.8.0-1~bpo12+1 100
100 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/main amd64 Packages
100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
7.88.1-10+deb12u5 500
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/main amd64 Packages
500 http://deb.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main amd64 Packages
In this example, the curl version 8.8.0-1~bpo12+1 is available from the bookworm-backports repository.
By using these commands, you can see which versions of a package are available in the backports repository and decide whether to install the backported version.
EnableBackports: A Bash Script to Check and Enable Backports Repository
I have created a small Bash script that helps you to check and enable Backports in a Debian Linux system.
This script does the following:
- The script checks if the Backports repository is already enabled by searching through
/etc/apt/sources.listand/etc/apt/sources.list.d/*for the Backports repository URL. - If found, it prints a message and exits.
- If the Backports repository is not found, the script prompts the user to enable it.
- If the user responds with "yes" (or any case-insensitive variation of "yes"), the script adds the appropriate Backports repository URL to
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.list. - After adding the repository, the script updates the package list with
sudo apt-get update. - If the user responds with "no", the script prints a message and exits.
The Enable Backports script is available in OSTechNix GitHub Gist profile. You can download, modify and use it.
How to use the Script
1. Download the Gist using curl or wget:
Using curl:
curl -O https://gist.githubusercontent.com/ostechnix/2a5b36177a10a12d868ce755e658905e/raw/43c9e36089fb5b4cd2879cf0f159659e1f56a591/enablebackports.sh
Using wget:
wget https://gist.githubusercontent.com/ostechnix/2a5b36177a10a12d868ce755e658905e/raw/43c9e36089fb5b4cd2879cf0f159659e1f56a591/enablebackports.sh
2. Make the Script Executable:
chmod +x enablebackports.sh
3. Run the Script with sudo or root privileges:
sudo ./enablebackports.sh
If Backports is already enabled, it will print the following message and exit:
Backports is already enabled in your system.
If backports is not yet enabled, it will prompt you if you want to enable it. If you type y (or any case-insensitive variation of "y" or "yes"), the script will add the Backports repository and update the sources list automatically.
Backports repository is not enabled. Do you want to enable it? (yes/no): YeS
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main contrib non-free
Hit:1 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm InRelease
Hit:3 http://deb.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security InRelease
Hit:4 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates InRelease
Get:5 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports InRelease [56.6 kB]
Get:6 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/main amd64 Packages [225 kB]
Get:7 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/main Translation-en [185 kB]
Get:8 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/contrib amd64 Packages [5,392 B]
Get:9 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/contrib Translation-en [5,084 B]
Get:10 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/non-free amd64 Packages [1,640 B]
Get:11 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports/non-free Translation-en [904 B]
Hit:2 https://packages.kopia.io/apt stable InRelease
Hit:12 https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian stable InRelease
Fetched 480 kB in 2s (290 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
All packages are up to date.
Backports repository has been enabled in your system!
You can now install packages from the Backports repository as explained in the previous section.
Removing Backports Repository
The following command removes the backports repository file specific to your Debian version and then updates the package list to reflect the removal of the repository.
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.list && sudo apt update
Removing Testing Repository
If you have added the testing repository, you can remove it from your Debian system using command:
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/testing.list && sudo apt update
This command removes the testing repository file and updates the package list to reflect the removal of the repository.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What are the Backports and Testing Repositories in Debian?
- Backports Repository: Contains newer versions of software packages that have been recompiled to run on the stable Debian release without compromising its stability. It allows users to access new features and improvements that are not available in the stable release.
- Testing Repository: Contains packages that are being evaluated for inclusion in the next stable Debian release. This repository offers access to newer software versions that have undergone some testing to ensure they meet Debian's quality standards.
2. Why Would I Need the Backports Repository?
- Access to Newer Software: Get newer versions of software packages while maintaining the overall stability of your Debian system.
- Security Updates: Some packages in backports may contain important security updates not available in the stable release.
- Development Needs: Access to newer development tools and features required for specific projects.
3. Why Would I Need the Testing Repository?
- Cutting-Edge Software: Access the latest versions of all packages available in Debian.
- Contribute to Debian Testing: Help test and provide feedback on packages that will be included in the next stable release.
- Early Adoption: Ideal for development and testing environments where having the latest software is more critical than absolute stability.
4. How Do I Enable the Backports Repository?
Open a terminal and run the following command to add the backports repository in Debian:
echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian $(lsb_release -cs)-backports main contrib non-free" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.list
Update the package list:
sudo apt update
5. How Do I Enable the Testing Repository?
Run the following command to add the testing repository in Debian:
echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian testing main contrib non-free" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/testing.list
Update the package list:
sudo apt update
6. How Do I Install a Package from the Backports Repository?
Use the -t option followed by the backports codename to install a package. For example, to install vim from backports:
sudo apt install -t bookworm-backports vim
7. How Do I Remove the Backports Repository?
To Remove the backports repository file, run:
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.list
Update the package list:
sudo apt update
8. How Do I Remove the Testing Repository?
To Remove the testing repository file, run:
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/testing.list
Update the package list:
sudo apt update
9. How Can I Check the Enabled Repositories?
To list all enabled repositories, use the following command:
apt-cache policy
To manually check the repository files, you can list and view the contents of sources.list and the sources.list.d directory:
cat /etc/apt/sources.list ls /etc/apt/sources.list.d
Conclusion
By enabling Backports and Testing repositories, you can install updated software on your Debian system. Backports provide a good compromise between stability and new features, while Testing offers the latest software but with a potential for instability.
Remember, stability is a core principle of Debian. If stability is your top priority, it's best to stick with the official Debian repositories. Only enable these repositories if you specifically need newer software and are ready for encountering bugs.
I hope this tutorial has helped you understand how to enable Backports and Testing repositories in Debian Linux.
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask via the comment section below.
Related Read:
- How To Check Package Availability In Debian and Ubuntu Repositories
- How To Find The List Of Installed Repositories From Commandline In Linux
