# My Debian 12 (bookworm) desktop set-up ![Screenshot of my Debian 12 (bookworm) GNOME desktop.](https://blog.philipnewborough.co.uk/media/3ce58bb2-9ad0-437f-824a-b0660965c6ce.png) Creating a good Debian desktop experience is not too difficult, thanks to the excellent work of the Debian developers, but I thought it might be interesting to share how I set-up my Debian systems. This post covers Debian 12 "bookworm" only. It also covers just my desktop installs, I may write a server specific post at a later date. ## Installation To begin with, I install Debian using the netinst image and I use the default [tasksel](https://wiki.debian.org/tasksel) selections to get a working GNOME desktop environment. The installation media can be downloaded from the [Debian downloads page](https://www.debian.org/distrib/). ![Screenshot of tasksel showing default selections.](https://blog.philipnewborough.co.uk/media/79d42e8e-e25e-4c45-8606-4831bf04fd69.png) Installing Debian is fairly trivial, but the act of installing it is beyond the scope of this blog post so I won't bore anyone with the details. That said, if you are interested to know how to install Debian, there is a good [installation guide here](https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/installmanual). The only thing of note about my installation method is that I don't create a root user, instead opting to give sudo privileges to my user account. This is achieved by leaving the root password blank when prompted during the installation. ## Post Installation ### APT sources The first thing I do after a fresh install is configure the system's APT sources file. I use the Debian contrib and non-free repositories, which are not configured by default, so I edit the file `/etc/apt/sources.list` to look like this: ``` deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main non-free-firmware contrib non-free deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main non-free-firmware contrib non-free deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-updates main non-free-firmware contrib non-free # Backports deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-backports main non-free-firmware ``` I don't use the source repositories, so I remove any lines beginning with `deb-src`. Once the file has been edited and saved, I update APT's sources with the following command: ``` sudo apt update ``` ### Install packages The next thing I do is to install a bunch of packages. Most of the packages are utilities, tools and libraries. If you are following along, you may or may not need these. In fact, I'm not entirely sure I need all of them, but I've been adding packages to the list for a number of years and I've forgotten why I added some of them. I should probably audit the list, but in the meantime, it shouldn't do any harm to install them. ``` sudo apt install build-essential dconf-cli uuid-runtime git curl zip unzip fish terminator neofetch lm-sensors bat gir1.2-gtop-2.0 webp-pixbuf-loader xdotool firmware-linux firmware-linux-free firmware-linux-nonfree remmina sshfs gnome-sushi virt-manager heif-gdk-pixbuf heif-thumbnailer gnome-screenshot libvirt-clients ffmpeg sox pwgen uuid inxi sqlite3 imagemagick inotify-tools libnotify-bin gir1.2-gstreamer-1.0 gstreamer1.0-clutter-3.0 gstreamer1.0-libav gstreamer1.0-vaapi gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gstreamer1.0-plugins-base gstreamer1.0-plugins-good gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly gstreamer1.0-pulseaudio gstreamer1.0-x libgstreamer-plugins-bad1.0-0 libgstreamer-plugins-base1.0-0 libgstreamer1.0-0 fonts-cantarell fonts-hack fonts-jetbrains-mono fonts-powerline fonts-roboto flatpak gnome-software-plugin-flatpak vlc menulibre fprintd libpam-fprintd network-manager-*-gnome network-manager-strongswan libcharon-extra-plugins python3-pil nmap htop rsync nautilus-nextcloud ``` If I'm going to use virt-manager to manage virtual machines on the system, I add my user to the `libvirt` group with the following command: ``` sudo usermod -a -G libvirt $(whoami) ``` ### Set-up fish shell I use [fish](https://fishshell.com) as my default shell, preferring it over the default Bash shell. I set fish as the default shell with the following command: ``` chsh -s /usr/bin/fish ``` Note, the above command will prompt you for your user password. Also, you will need to logout before it will become the default shell. Meanwhile, you can use fish by typing `fish` at the Bash prompt. #### Oh My Fish and Pure theme I use the [Oh My Fish](https://github.com/oh-my-fish/oh-my-fish ) framework to enhance my fish experience. It can be installed with the following command: ``` curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/oh-my-fish/oh-my-fish/master/bin/install | fish ``` Once installed, I install the Pure theme with the following command: ``` omf install pure ``` ### Flathub and Flatpak apps I use [Flatpak](https://flatpak.org) to install most GUI desktop applications. I already installed the required Flatpak packages above, but the [Flathub](https://flathub.org) repository file needs to be installed with the following command: ``` flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo ``` The above command will prompt you for your user password. You will also need to logout and login before you can install any Flatpaks from Flathub. I have the following Flatpak apps installed my system: ``` flatpak install com.belmoussaoui.Decoder com.belmoussaoui.Obfuscate com.github.finefindus.eyedropper com.github.huluti.Curtail com.github.maoschanz.drawing com.github.tchx84.Flatseal com.mattjakeman.ExtensionManager com.mongodb.Compass com.rafaelmardojai.Blanket com.rafaelmardojai.WebfontKitGenerator com.vixalien.sticky de.haeckerfelix.Shortwave dev.geopjr.Calligraphy fr.handbrake.ghb garden.jamie.Morphosis io.dbeaver.DBeaverCommunity io.github.andreibachim.shortcut io.github.bytezz.IPLookup io.github.fabrialberio.pinapp io.github.fkinoshita.Telegraph io.github.nate_xyz.Conjure io.github.ronniedroid.concessio io.github.tfuxu.Halftone io.github.unicornyrainbow.secrets io.gitlab.adhami3310.Converter io.gitlab.news_flash.NewsFlash io.gitlab.theevilskeleton.Upscaler io.gitlab.zehkira.Monophony io.missioncenter.MissionCenter it.mijorus.collector it.mijorus.smile it.mijorus.whisper me.iepure.devtoolbox org.blender.Blender org.flozz.yoga-image-optimizer org.gimp.GIMP org.gnome.Boxes org.gnome.Extensions org.gnome.Fractal org.gnome.NetworkDisplays org.gnome.Podcasts org.gnome.Showtime org.gnome.design.IconLibrary org.gnome.dspy org.gustavoperedo.FontDownloader org.inkscape.Inkscape org.kde.kdenlive org.nickvision.tubeconverter org.soundconverter.SoundConverter page.codeberg.JakobDev.jdPixelUpscaler re.sonny.OhMySVG app.devsuite.Ptyxis ``` ### GNOME Shell extensions I enjoy the vanilla GNOME Shell experience, but I do install a few extensions. I use [Extension Manager](https://flathub.org/apps/com.mattjakeman.ExtensionManager) for this (_installed above as a Flatpak app._) The extensions I use are: * [AppIndicator and KStatusNotifierItem Support](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/615/appindicator-support/) * [Caffeine](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/517/caffeine/) * [Clipboard Indicator](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/779/clipboard-indicator/) * [Replace Activities Text](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/4405/replace-activities-text/) * [Smile - complementary extension](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/6096/smile-complementary-extension/) * [Tandem Raise](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/1506/tandem-raise/) * [TopHat](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/5219/tophat/) ### Firefox Debian comes with Firefox Extended Support Release, which is fine, but I like to run the current version. There are a bunch of ways to install Firefox on Debian, but I tend to use the compiled binaries supplied by Mozilla. I install the binaries in my home directory under `~/.local/firefox`. The following shell script will take care of this: ``` #!/bin/bash DOWNLOAD_URL="https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-latest-ssl&os=linux64&lang=en-GB" OUTPUT_FILE="firefox.tar.bz2" LOG_FILE="/home/$USER/firefox-download.log" echo "Starting download..." # Download the file with error handling and logging curl -fL --retry 3 --retry-delay 5 -o "$OUTPUT_FILE" "$DOWNLOAD_URL" > "$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 # Check if the download was successful if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then echo "Download succeeded." echo "Extracting Firefox..." tar -xjf firefox.tar.bz2 else echo "Download failed. Check the log file for details." exit 1 fi echo 'Moving Firefox to /home/$USER/.local/firefox' mv firefox /home/$USER/.local/ echo 'Creating .desktop file' DESKTOP=$(cat < /home/$USER/.local/share/applications/firefox.desktop echo "Setting default browser" sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-www-browser x-www-browser /home/$USER/.local/firefox/firefox 200 echo 'Cleaning up.' rm firefox.tar.bz2 echo 'All done.' exit 0 ``` If I want to install Firefox Nightly, I use this shell script: ``` #!/bin/bash DOWNLOAD_URL="https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-nightly-latest-l10n-ssl&os=linux64&lang=en-GB" OUTPUT_FILE="firefox.tar.xz" LOG_FILE="/home/$USER/firefox-download.log" echo "Starting download..." # Download the file with error handling and logging curl -fL --retry 3 --retry-delay 5 -o "$OUTPUT_FILE" "$DOWNLOAD_URL" > "$LOG_FILE" 2>&1 # Check if the download was successful if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then echo "Download succeeded." echo "Extracting Firefox..." tar -xf firefox.tar.xz else echo "Download failed. Check the log file for details." exit 1 fi echo 'Moving Firefox to /home/$USER/.local/firefox-nightly' mv firefox /home/$USER/.local/firefox-nightly echo 'Creating .desktop file' DESKTOP=$(cat < /home/$USER/.local/share/applications/firefox-nightly.desktop echo 'Cleaning up.' rm firefox.tar.xz echo 'All done.' exit 0 ``` **Note:** Mozilla now provide a [Debian repository for Firefox](https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/install-firefox-linux#w_install-firefox-deb-package-for-debian-based-distributions), which is probably a better way to install Firefox. It is also available as a [Flatpak app](https://flathub.org/apps/org.mozilla.firefox). ### Proprietary software I use the following proprietary software, which I download as Debian packages from the web. * [Chrome web browser](https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/chrome/) * [Vivaldi web browser](https://vivaldi.com/download/) * [VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com) Once I have downloaded the packages, I install them with the following command from my Downloads directory: ``` sudo apt install ./*.deb ``` ### Packages from Debian Backports Depending on the device, I might install the latest available Linux kernel from the Debian backports repository. At the time of writing, this was achieved with the following command: ``` sudo apt install linux-image-6.10.6+bpo-amd64/bookworm-backports ``` You can browse the available Kernels here: [https://packages.debian.org/bookworm-backports/kernel/](https://packages.debian.org/bookworm-backports/kernel/) ### Desktop wallpaper Because everyone knows this is the most important part of any Linux installation, right? See: [Debian Wallpaper Generator](https://philipnewborough.co.uk/demos/canvas-wallpaper-debian-01) ### Finishing touches To finalise the set-up I restore my dotfiles and configs. Depending on if I'll be using the device for work, I'll also set-up a development server environment, but this is probably best left for a separate blog post.