Your preferred Debian sources.list and why? Main, security, updates, backports, non-free, etc...

jlet88

Hi all, I've been reading up on Debian sources.list configurations and I'm seeing recommendations from "experts" all over the map of what to include and why.

(FYI Debian's own wiki page is here to see the commonly used package sources: https://wiki.debian.org/SourcesList )

So I'm curious what you guys include in your Debian sources.list file and why you chose those sources?

Or do you just leave it up to the hosting provider to set the defaults for you?

zhi

defaults

Kousaka

#deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 12.0.0 _Bookworm_ - Official amd64 NETINST with firmware 20230610-10:21]/ bookworm main non-free-firmware

deb https://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main
# deb-src https://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main

deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main
# deb-src http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main

# bookworm-updates, to get updates before a point release is made;
# see https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-reference/ch02.en.html#_updates_and_backports
deb https://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-updates main
# deb-src https://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-updates main

# This system was installed using small removable media
# (e.g. netinst, live or single CD). The matching "deb cdrom"
# entries were disabled at the end of the installation process.
# For information about how to configure apt package sources,
# see the sources.list(5) manual.

prince18

I added the Backports repository because I needed some packages from there. Otherwise, the default repositories that come with the Debian 12.1 ISO are fine for me
On servers, I change the repositories back to default

taizi

xtom

valk

I just set mine with "main contrib" and backports because I do need specific packages for building binaries on production. Other idling servers I just leave them as default.

neckbreaker

deb https://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main non-free contrib
deb-src https://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main non-free contrib

deb https://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main non-free contrib
deb-src https://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main non-free contrib

deb https://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main non-free contrib
deb-src https://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main non-free contrib

deb https://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-updates main non-free contrib
deb-src https://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-updates main non-free contrib

Just because I want to have access to pretty much all packages, I don't care about blobs etc that much because I know exactly what I install and whether I trust it or not.
deb.debian.org is the superior option for a mirror in my opinion, as its geo balanced and will redirect you to the nearest mirror from their database.
Debian 11 would also include backports.