How to Update Debian 11

The most recent version of Debian is Debian 11 and in this knowledgebase article, we will show you how you can update it.

De codename for Debian 11 is “Bullseye”. Bullseye was released on August 14th 2021 and will be supported for the next five years. The Debian version contains numerous updated packages.

If you have a Debian 11 server, it’s good to make sure it’s updated at all times. This is important because it will make your devices less susceptible to hacks and/or vulnerabilities.

Step 1: Create a Back-Up

Before you start with the update, it’s important to create a backup. When creating a backup, it’s best to store these externally. The reason for this is that you won’t be able to access your backup in case your server has any errors or crashes.

In order to update Debian 11, you need to have SSH access. You can use Putty on Windows or the Terminal if you have a Mac or Linux device.

Step 2: Check If You’re Running Debian 11

After having created the backup, you will need to check if you’re running Debian 11.

To see which version of Debian you’re running, you can run the following command:

cat /etc/os-release

If you’re running Debian 11, you will get the following result:

Once you’re sure that you’re running the right version of Debian, you can continue with the next step.

Step 3: Update packages index

First, you need to ensure that all packages index are updated and that you have the most recent repository (software servers and lists). You can do this by running the following command:

apt-get update

Now that you have updated the packages index, the update can start

Step 3: Update Debian

When updating Debian, you can choose to use the recommended settings or control which settings are used. If you want to use the recommended settings for the updates, you can run the following command:

apt upgrade -y

If you want to control which settings are used in an update, you can omit -y. The command will then look as follows:

apt upgrade

Step 4: Server Reboot

If all updates have been performed successfully, all you have to do is to perform a server reboot so that everything is completed properly. You can reboot your server by running the following command:

reboot

Step 5. Remove old packages and kernels

Once the server is rebooted we can remove the old packages and kernels. This can be done with the following command:

apt autoremove -y

Debian 11 at Hostio Solutions

When renting a server at Hostio Solutions, you can choose to use Debian 11 as your operating system. If you have any questions or need help, you’re more than welcome to contact our support team. You can reach us via our customer portal, e-mail, live chat, Telegram or by phone.