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Debian-based Linux Distros - Linux Distributions based on Debian

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Provide a list of the top 40 Debian-based Linux distributions sorted by the most commonly used. For each Debian distro include a brief description and the URL for the official documentation. Answer using MediaWiki format.

Here's a list of the top 40 Debian-based Linux distributions sorted by popularity, along with brief descriptions and URLs for their official documentation:

1. Ubuntu: One of the most popular Debian-based distributions, known for its user-friendly interface and extensive software repository.

Docs: Ubuntu Documentation - https://help.ubuntu.com

2. Linux Mint: A user-friendly Linux distribution based on Ubuntu, featuring a Cinnamon desktop environment and a focus on simplicity and elegance.

Docs: Linux Mint Documentation - https://linuxmint.com/documentation.php

3. Debian: The Linux distribution that serves as the base for many other Debian-based distributions, known for its stability and commitment to free software principles.

Docs: Debian Documentation - https://www.debian.org/doc

4. elementary OS: A Linux distribution that emphasizes a clean and intuitive user interface, inspired by macOS, and designed for ease of use.

Docs: elementary OS Documentation - https://elementary.io/docs

5. Kali Linux: A Linux distribution focused on penetration testing and digital forensics, featuring a wide range of security tools.

Docs: Kali Linux Documentation - https://docs.kali.org

6. MX Linux: A midweight Linux distribution based on Debian stable, known for its stability, performance, and ease of use.

Docs: MX Linux Manual - https://mxlinux.org/manuals

7. Pop!_OS: Developed by System76, Pop!_OS is designed for developers and creators, featuring a highly customizable GNOME desktop environment.

Docs: Pop!_OS Documentation - https://support.system76.com

8. Zorin OS: A Linux distribution designed to resemble the look and feel of macOS and Windows, making it accessible to users transitioning from other operating systems.

Docs: Zorin OS Help Center - https://help.zorinos.com

9. Raspberry Pi OS: Formerly known as Raspbian, this Linux distribution is optimized for the Raspberry Pi single-board computer, offering a lightweight desktop environment and extensive software support.

Docs: Raspberry Pi OS Documentation - https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation

10. Parrot Security OS: A Linux distribution geared towards security professionals and penetration testers, featuring a wide array of security tools and forensic utilities.

Docs: Parrot [[Security OS Documentation]] - https://docs.parrotsec.org

11. Deepin: A visually stunning Linux distribution with a focus on aesthetics and user experience, featuring the Deepin Desktop Environment.

Docs: Deepin Manual - https://manual.seafile.com/deepin.html)

12. Proxmox VE: An open-source virtualization platform based on Debian, offering support for both virtual machines and containers.

Docs: Proxmox VE Documentation - https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Main_Page)

13. Devuan: A fork of Debian that aims to provide a Linux distribution without the systemd init system, appealing to users who prefer alternative init systems.

Docs: Devuan Documentation - https://devuan.org/os/documentation)

14. Ubuntu MATE: A flavor of Ubuntu featuring the MATE desktop environment, designed to be lightweight and customizable.

Docs: Ubuntu MATE Documentation - https://ubuntu-mate.org/help

15. antiX: A lightweight Linux distribution based on Debian stable, designed to run efficiently on older hardware or as a fast live system.

Docs: antiX Wiki - https://antixlinux.com/wiki

16. LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition): A rolling release version of Linux Mint that is based directly on Debian, providing the same user experience as Linux Mint with Debian as its base.

Docs: LMDE Documentation - https://linuxmint.com/documentation.php

17. PureOS: A Linux distribution developed by Purism, focused on privacy, security, and freedom, with a commitment to using only free and open-source software.

Docs: PureOS Documentation - https://docs.puri.sm

18. Netrunner: A Linux distribution featuring the KDE Plasma desktop environment, known for its visual appeal and comprehensive selection of applications.

Docs: Netrunner Documentation - https://www.netrunner.com/documentation

19. BunsenLabs: A lightweight Linux distribution featuring the Openbox window manager, offering a minimalistic and highly customizable desktop environment.

Docs: BunsenLabs Wiki - https://www.bunsenlabs.org/documentation.html)

20. Ubuntu Studio: A flavor of Ubuntu tailored for audio, video, and graphic enthusiasts, providing a range of multimedia tools and applications.

Docs: Ubuntu Studio Documentation - https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuStudio)

21. KNOPPIX: A live Linux distribution that can be booted from removable media, offering a wide range of software and tools for system rescue, testing, and more.

Docs: //www.knopper.net/knoppix-documentation/index-en.html) 22. [[Lubuntu: A lightweight flavor of Ubuntu featuring the LXQt desktop environment, designed to be fast, energy-efficient, and easy to use.
Docs: Lubuntu Documentation - https://manual.lubuntu.me

23. Ubuntu Budgie: A flavor of Ubuntu featuring the Budgie desktop environment, known for its modern design and user-friendly interface.

Docs: Ubuntu Budgie Documentation - https://docs.ubuntubudgie.org

24. Voyager Live: A Linux distribution based on Xubuntu, known for its visually appealing design and extensive selection of pre-installed applications.

Docs: Voyager Live Documentation - https://voyagerlive.org/documentation)

25. Peppermint OS: A lightweight Linux distribution featuring the LXDE desktop environment, designed for speed, simplicity, and cloud integration.

Docs: Peppermint OS Documentation - https://peppermintos.com/guide

26. Elive: A Linux distribution featuring the Enlightenment window manager, known for its eye-catching visual effects and efficient resource usage.

Docs: Elive Documentation - https://www.elivecd.org/help/manual

27. Ubuntu Kylin: A flavor of Ubuntu designed for users in China, featuring the UKUI desktop environment and tailored to Chinese language and culture.

Docs: Ubuntu Kylin Documentation - https://www.ubuntukylin.com/ukylin/help

28. Trisquel: A Linux distribution endorsed by the Free Software Foundation, focused on providing a fully free and libre operating system without proprietary software.

Docs: Trisquel Documentation - https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/documentation)

29. EasyOS: A lightweight Linux distribution optimized for running from USB flash drives or SD cards, offering flexibility and portability.

Docs: EasyOS Documentation - https://easyos.org

30. Q4OS: A fast and efficient Linux distribution featuring the Trinity desktop environment, offering a classic desktop experience reminiscent of older versions of Windows.

Docs: Q4OS Documentation - https://www.q4os.org/documentation.html)

31. Ubuntu Cinnamon Remix: An unofficial flavor of Ubuntu featuring the Cinnamon desktop environment, providing a modern and familiar user interface.

Docs: Ubuntu Cinnamon Remix Documentation - https://ubuntu-cinnamon.org/documentation)

32. BackBox: A Linux distribution focused on penetration testing and security assessment, featuring a wide array of security tools and forensic utilities.

Docs: BackBox Documentation - https://www.backbox.org/documentation)

33. UbuntuDDE: An unofficial flavor of Ubuntu featuring the Deepin desktop environment, offering a visually stunning and user-friendly experience.

Docs: UbuntuDDE Documentation - https://ubuntudde.com/documentation

34. gNewSense: A Linux distribution endorsed by the Free Software Foundation, focused on providing a fully free and libre operating system based on Debian.

Docs: gNewSense Documentation - https://wiki.gnewsense.org/Main

35. Rescatux: A live Linux distribution designed for system rescue and repair tasks, offering tools for fixing boot problems, recovering files, and more.

Docs: Rescatux Documentation - https://www.supergrubdisk.org/rescatux

36. Ubuntu Server: A variant of Ubuntu optimized for server environments, offering long-term support, security updates, and enterprise-grade features.

Docs: Ubuntu Server Documentation - https://ubuntu.com/server/docs

37. Tails: A live Linux distribution focused on privacy and anonymity, designed to be booted from removable media and leave no trace on the host system.

Docs: Tails Documentation - https://tails.boum.org/doc

38. TurnKey Linux: A library of virtual appliance images based on Debian, offering pre-configured solutions for various server applications and services.

Docs: TurnKey Linux Documentation - https://www.turnkeylinux.org/docs

39. Bodhi Linux: A lightweight Linux distribution featuring the Moksha desktop environment, known for its minimalism and focus on customization.

Docs: Bodhi Linux Documentation - https://www.bodhilinux.com/w/documentation

40. Debian Edu / Skolelinux: A Linux distribution tailored for educational institutions, featuring a wide range of educational software and tools for classroom use.

Docs: Debian Edu Documentation - https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/Documentation)

This list showcases the diversity and popularity of Debian-based distributions, catering to various user preferences and needs.

Snippet from Wikipedia: Debian: Debian GNU/Linux (), or simply Debian, is a free and open source Linux distribution, developed by the Debian Project, which was established by Ian Murdock in August 1993. Debian is one of the oldest operating systems based on the Linux kernel, and is the basis of many other Linux distributions.
As of September 2023, Debian is the second-oldest Linux distribution still in active development: only Slackware is older. The project is coordinated over the Internet by a team of volunteers guided by the Debian Project Leader and three foundational documents: the Debian Social Contract, the Debian Constitution, and the Debian Free Software Guidelines.
In general, Debian has been developed openly and distributed freely according to some of the principles of the GNU Project and Free Software. Because of this, the Free Software Foundation sponsored the project from November 1994 to November 1995. However, Debian is no longer endorsed by GNU and the FSF because of the distribution's long-term practice of hosting non-free software repositories and, since 2022, its inclusion of non-free firmware in its installation media by default. On June 16, 1997, the Debian Project founded the nonprofit organization Software in the Public Interest to continue financing its development.

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Snippet from Wikipedia: Linux distribution: A Linux distribution (often abbreviated as distro) is an operating system that includes the Linux kernel for its kernel functionality. Although the name does not imply product distribution per se, a distro, if distributed on its own, is often obtained via a website intended specifically for the purpose. Distros have been designed for a wide variety of systems ranging from personal computers (for example, Linux Mint) to servers (for example, Red Hat Enterprise Linux) and from embedded devices (for example, OpenWrt) to supercomputers (for example, Rocks Cluster Distribution).
A distro typically includes many components in addition to the Linux kernel. Commonly, it includes a package manager, an init system (such as systemd, OpenRC, or runit), GNU tools and libraries, documentation, IP network configuration utilities, the getty TTY setup program, and many more. To provide a desktop experience (most commonly the Mesa userspace graphics drivers) a display server (the most common being the X.org Server, or, more recently, a Wayland compositor such as Sway, KDE's KWin, or GNOME's Mutter), a desktop environment (most commonly GNOME, KDE Plasma, or Xfce), a sound server (usually either PulseAudio or more recently PipeWire), and other related programs may be included or installed by the user.
Typically, most of the included software is free and open-source software – made available both as binary for convenience and as source code to allow for modifying it. A distro may also include proprietary software that is not available in source code form, such as a device driver binary.
A distro may be described as a particular assortment of application and utility software (various GNU tools and libraries, for example), packaged with the Linux kernel in such a way that its capabilities meet users' needs. The software is usually adapted to the distribution and then combined into software packages by the distribution's maintainers. The software packages are available online in repositories, which are storage locations usually distributed around the world. Beside "glue" components, such as the distribution installers (for example, Debian-Installer and Anaconda) and the package management systems, very few packages are actually written by a distribution's maintainers.
Distributions have been designed for a wide range of computing environments, including desktops, servers, laptops, netbooks, mobile devices (phones and tablets), and embedded systems. There are commercially backed distributions, such as Fedora Linux (Red Hat), openSUSE (SUSE) and Ubuntu (Canonical Ltd.), and entirely community-driven distributions, such as Debian, Slackware, Gentoo and Arch Linux. Most distributions come ready-to-use and prebuilt for a specific instruction set, while some (such as Gentoo) are distributed mostly in source code form and must be built before installation.

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