Debian
Installation
Download latest live iso image (contains non-free firmware) or net install.
Verify installation image:
gpg --keyserver keyring.debian.org --recv-key 0x10460DAD76165AD81FBC0CE9988021A964E6EA7D
gpg --keyserver keyring.debian.org --recv-key 0xDF9B9C49EAA9298432589D76DA87E80D6294BE9B
gpg --keyserver keyring.debian.org --recv-key 0xF41D30342F3546695F65C66942468F4009EA8AC3
gpg --verify SHA256SUMS.sign SHA256SUMS
sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS 2>/dev/null | grep debian-live-12.8.0-amd64-xfce.isoUsing Backports
If you want stable debian platform but some new packages, check out the backports instructions.
Stable or Unstable
Debian comes in primarilly three editions - Stable, Unstable and Testing. You should use Testing only if you are debian developer and are actually testing stuff. Testing usually becomes the next stable release.
For normal and specially server usage, Stable is highly recommended.
If you are technical user (software developer) and want to run latest packages you can use “Unstable/Sid”. This can be done by instaling and running stable and then switching the repos to “Sid”.
However, a Sid/Unstable NetInstall image is also available.
Non-free firmware
Debian now ships non-free firmware in default installation images.