Debian is one of the oldest and most influential Linux distributions. It was first announced on August 16, 1993, by Ian Murdock. The project aimed to create a free operating system that would be developed openly and collaboratively by volunteers from around the world.
Debian is known for its strict adherence to the principles of free software. The Debian Social Contract and the Debian Free Software Guidelines (DFSG) are foundational documents that guide the project’s development and ensure that all software included in Debian is free to use, modify, and distribute.
The Debian community is composed of thousands of developers and contributors from around the globe. The project is managed by the Debian Project Leader (DPL), who is elected annually by the Debian developers.
Debian has had a profound impact on the Linux ecosystem. Many popular distributions, including Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Raspbian, are based on Debian. Its package management system and policies have set standards for other distributions to follow.
Debian continues to be a popular choice for servers, desktops, and embedded systems due to its stability, security, and extensive software repository.
For more information, here is an overview about Debian.