Automating Debian installations

Command Line – DebPostInstall

© Photo by Garrett Butler on Unsplash

© Photo by Garrett Butler on Unsplash

Article from Issue 288/2024
Author(s):

DebPostInstall takes the drudgery out of Debian installations.

At last count, Debian included over 64,400 packages [1]. Much of the reason for this number is the inclusion of multiple versions of packages in different repositories. Another is the packaging of dozens of scripts, often for Bash. There are, for example, several dozen APT-related packages, some of which have been added to APT alternatives such as Nala. So far, the DebPostInstall [2] script has yet to reach the Debian repositories, but it seems only a matter of time and a few more versions until it does. This simple script automates setting up a Debian-derived server, although it is almost equally handy for a desktop machine, and you will undoubtedly want to modify it to meet your needs.

In Debian jargon, post-install scripts are those that run at the end of a package installation, so DebPostInstall is perhaps a misnomer. It does not run from any package, but instead is a Bash script to run after an installation, handling configurations for which frequent installers often maintain a checklist. Although several of its actions duplicate those in the Debian installer, DebPostInstall does have the advantage of offering a chance to modify one of the quick choices of installation.

Setting Up the Script

To use DebPostInstall, copy the script into a text file. Modify it as desired, save it as debpostinstall.sh, and run

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