In today’s article, we’ll take a look at how to install Debian and enable testing repositories, to be able to use more recent and up-to-date versions of software. It is highly suitable for desktop computers. Debian testing is clean, fast, and also (even if the name tells something else) an extremely stable distro – it’s my daily driver on my desktop. It doesn’t mean Debian Stable is bad, but its use case is somewhere else. On the server for example.

I’ll try to make this article go as deep as possible, but not boring at the same time. So we’ll see if I can make it work and live up to the word. Let’s begin!

Before We start

There are a couple of things we need before we proceed to the installation itself. I’ve prepared a list for you:

• First, you’ll need a PC or virtual machine, we won’t take a step without it.
• Download Debian 11 ISO, personally, I prefer the netinst – it’s small, you can choose what packages to install, and most things are downloaded during installation.
• USB Stick (or CD/DVD, but who uses it these days?)
• Internet connection 
• Patience
• Basic computer usage skills

Once you have all of the above, you can consider yourself as prepared and start the installation process.

Installation of Debian 12

Before we can switch to Debian Testing, we have to install Debian Stable first and then do an upgrade. Yes, there are daily builds, but we’ll go the hard way. Don’t worry, it may sound complicated, but it’s simple as fu*k. So, if you’re ready, take your USB stick and put it into the proper hole on the back side of your computer (yes, I mean the USB port, preferably USB 3.0). Your Linux journey starts right here!

Preparation of USB Pendrive

It’s time to burn the ISO into the USB drive. There are plenty of software options that can do this for you, but for the purposes of this tutorial, we’ll go with Etcher. It’s simple, open source, and well-designed and it’s available for every possible platform. With Etcher I mustn’t prepare two paragraphs of text for Linux and for Windows separately, just download it and run or install it (depending on the platform you’re using).

After you run Etcher, you’ll get a window with really simple options. Choose “Flash from file” and select Debian ISO you downloaded earlier. Then select your USB drive using the “Select target” option. Finally, click the “Flash!” option and wait until the software finishes the flashing process. 

Starting the installation of Debian Testing

Now, restart the computer and while it is posting enter the boot menu (in most cases it’s the F12 key, but may vary depending on your PC / laptop manufacturer). Select the drive you’ve flashed the ISO on and boot. Instead of booting into the installed operating system, your computer will boot into GRUB (bootloader) on your USB drive and a few options will be shown. Don’t think about it much and select “Install” (not “graphical install – this is for babies).

You’ll be pleased with a nice blue screen (not like the one in Windows) with even more options than before. First, you’ll be asked to select the language, the keyboard layout you want to use, and the country you’re living in or you want to download packages from.

The installer will now check for data on installation media and try to set up a network with DHCP. This should work without any hassle if you are connected to your home network and have a compatible network card. The next part of network configuration is setting up the hostname. Again, in a home environment, it can be whatever you want. I’ll use linuxnest, because it’s a great name. For the domain name, I’ll leave the field empty, the reason is I have no domain set in my home network.

Now the funny part is coming. We’ll set up a new user. The installer will ask you for the Root password, but leave it empty. If you don’t fill in the root password, the user created in the next step will be added to the sudo group and get administrative privileges. For a username and real name I’ll once more time use linuxnest (you can use your name, but feel free to use mine), fill in the password, and continue the installation process by selecting the time zone you are living in.

The Debian installer is a really curious creature and doesn’t want to stop asking questions. The next thing he’ll want to know is which disk partition method you wish to use. Sure, as advanced users you know what’s best for you, the rest of us just use the first option (Guided – use the entire disk). There will be more questions, but the process is really simple.

Once you’ll get through disk partitioning the base system will be installed. So, let’s get some coffee in the meantime. And no, we don’t want to scan more media if the installer asks (and he will).

Select Debian archive mirror country – you should be looking for the closest mirror to your location. I’ll choose the United States and deb.debian.org. Disclaimer: We don’t need to use an HTTP proxy… And we don’t want to participate in the package survey…

After these few questions selection of software you want to install finally comes in:

I am recommending the installation of the Debian desktop environment, KDE Plasma (if you have different preferences, do not hesitate to change your choice), and standard system utilities. Click on the continue button and wait until the installation of all packages comes to an end. This will take a while, especially in case you have a slow internet connection. It’s late for coffee, going for a beer.

The final step is to install the GRUB bootloader. Sounds extremely advanced, right? It is! Once you’re asked if you wish to install it to the primary drive, just choose Yes and hit enter. Next, choose a device for bootloader installation. In case you have only one, there will be only one option. Choose the right disk and… loading… downloading… Installer defeated, You Win! Hit the continue button and feel the feeling of success before it all crashes during boot. Just joking, you’ll probably be fine if you haven’t been running Windows on your machine for more than a few months.

After the installation of Debian is (almost) done

Thanks to the fact we installed everything from the network, there is no need to update our packages. Debian 11 is up to date, but at the beginning of this blog post, I was talking about Debian Testing, right? Ok, I promise, I’ll deliver. Log in, click on the menu fire up the Konsole (if you can’t find it, use the search function), and type in:

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

In short, sources.list is a file that tells apt package manager where to look for packages. Simply change all bullseyes to testing and close the file (CTRL+X).

Next, make the upgrade:

sudo apt update && apt upgrade

Congratulations, you’re now running Debian Testing. Use it wisely, great power comes with great responsibility! 

Did you know that you can also play games on Debian using Steam?

If you’re looking for a fast and efficient way to manage your WordPress sites on a Virtual Private Server (VPS), then WordOps is the perfect solution for you. It’s a powerful, yet easy-to-use tool that automates the installation and management of the LEMP stack on your VPS, providing you with a lightning-fast and secure environment to host your WordPress sites.

Why choose WordOps for your VPS management?

WordOps has become increasingly popular among web developers and freelancers who run multiple WordPress sites on their VPS. It is known for its fast, secure, and easy-to-use interface, making it an ideal choice for those who want to optimize their web server and enhance the performance of their WordPress sites.

Pre-requisites for Installing WordOps on VPS

Before installing WordOps, ensure the following things:

• A clean VPS (you can get one here for really good price) running on Ubuntu 18.04.x up to 22.04 or Debian 10 or 11
• A non-root user with sudo privileges
• A FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name)
• Basic knowledge of the command line interface

Step-by-step Guide to Install WordOps on VPS

There are several steps involved in installing WordOps on your server. These are as follows:

Step 1 – Update the Operating System

The first step is to ensure that your operating system is up to date. Run the following command to update your server:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2 – Install Required Packages

After updating the system, it’s time to install the necessary packages required for WordOps to work. Copy and paste the following command and press Enter.

sudo apt-get install curl git python3-pip python3-dev python3-venv apt-transport-https dirmngr -y 

Step 3 – Install WordOps

Next, it’s time to install WordOps on your virtual private server. Run the following command:

wget -qO wo wops.cc && sudo bash wo

Step 4 – Create a New Site

Once you’ve successfully installed WordOps, it’s time to create a new site. Run the following command:

sudo wo site create example.com --wp

You can replace “example.com” with your own website domain name. The WordPress site can be created with or without SSL.

Step 5 – Access WordOps Dashboard

After setting up your website, you can now access the WordOps dashboard by running this command:

wo site WordPress info example.com 

Enter the WordPress username and the password, and you’re good to go!

Installing WordOps on VPS is really simple

Most important WordOps commands

Mastering WordOps is essential for efficiently managing your WordPress sites. In this section, we will outline the most important WordOps commands you need to know. These commands cover everything from creating and updating websites to managing SSL certificates and maintaining your server. With this guide, you’ll have a solid foundation to utilize the full potential of WordOps and streamline your WordPress management experience.

1. wo update: Updates WordOps to the latest version.
2. wo stack install --all: Installs all available stacks, including Nginx, PHP, MySQL, and other utilities.
3. wo site create example.com --wp: Creates a new WordPress site with the domain example.com.
4. wo site delete example.com: Deletes a WordPress site and its associated files and database.
5. wo site update example.com --php74: Updates PHP version for a specific site.
6. wo site edit example.com: Opens the Nginx configuration file for the specified site in a text editor.
7. wo stack status: Displays the status of installed stacks and services.
8. wo stack upgrade: Upgrades installed stacks and services to their latest versions.
9. wo stack purge --all: Removes all installed stacks and associated configuration files.
10. wo maintenance: Runs maintenance tasks such as cleaning up old files and optimizing the WordOps database.
11. wo secure --auth: Sets up basic authentication for WordOps backend (i.e., WordOps dashboard, phpMyAdmin, etc.).
12. wo clean: Cleans up log files, orphaned packages, and caches to free up disk space.
13. wo ssl issue example.com: Issues a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate for the specified site.
14. wo ssl renew --all: Renews all installed SSL certificates.
15. wo site list: Lists all the websites managed by WordOps on the server.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a reliable, fast, and easy-to-use tool to manage your WordPress sites on VPS, WordOps is the perfect solution. With the step-by-step installation guide we provided, you can easily install WordOps and manage your WordPress sites like a pro.

Linux shell scripting is a powerful tool that helps users automate tasks, enhance their productivity, and interact with their operating system more efficiently. If you’re new to Linux, diving into shell scripting might feel a bit daunting at first, but this beginner’s guide will equip you with the knowledge you need to get started. So, let’s begin our journey into the world of Linux shell scripting!

Introduction to Linux Shell Scripting

A shell is an interface that allows users to interact with their operating system by entering commands. There are several shells available for Linux, such as Bash (Bourne-Again SHell), Zsh (Z Shell), and Ksh (Korn Shell). Shell scripting is the process of writing a series of commands for the shell to execute. These scripts are plain text files that can be written using any text editor and are executed by the shell interpreter.

Shell scripts are particularly useful for automating repetitive tasks, managing system configurations, and performing various operations on files and directories. By mastering Linux shell scripting, you’ll be able to streamline your workflows and improve your overall Linux experience.

Choosing the Right Shell

Before you start writing shell scripts, it’s essential to choose the right shell for your needs. The most popular and widely used shell on Linux systems is Bash. It is the default shell on many Linux distributions and offers a rich set of features, making it an excellent choice for beginners.

However, other shells like Zsh and Ksh have their unique advantages, so it’s worth exploring them as you become more proficient with shell scripting. For the purpose of this guide, we’ll focus on Bash as it is the most beginner-friendly and widely applicable shell.

Basic Shell Script Structure

A typical Bash shell script consists of a shebang line, followed by a series of commands. The shebang line, which starts with #!/bin/bash, informs the system that the script should be executed using the Bash shell. Here’s a simple example of a shell script:

#!/bin/bashecho "Hello, world!"

To create your first shell script, follow these steps:

1. Open a text editor of your choice, and type the code above.
2. Save the file with a .sh extension, for example, hello_world.sh.
3. Open the terminal and navigate to the directory containing the script.
4. Make the script executable using the command chmod +x hello_world.sh.
5. Run the script by typing ./hello_world.sh.

You should see the message “Hello, world!” printed on your terminal.

Variables in Shell Scripts

Variables allow you to store and manipulate data in your shell scripts. In Bash, you can declare a variable by assigning a value to it using the = operator, without spaces around it. To access the value of a variable, prefix the variable name with a $ symbol. Here’s an example:

#!/bin/bashgreeting="Hello, world!"echo $greeting

This script will produce the same output as the previous example. Note that you can also use curly braces (${variable_name}) to reference variables, which can be useful for concatenating strings or disambiguating variable names:

#!/bin/bashname="Alice"echo "Hello, ${name}!"

This script will output “Hello, Alice!”.

Linux shell scripting and Control Flow: Conditionals and Loops

Control flow structures, such as conditionals and loops, allow you to create more complex and dynamic shell scripts. Here’s an overview of the most commonly used control flow structures in Bash:

if Statements

if statements enable you to execute specific commands based on the evaluation of a condition. The basic syntax for an if statement is as follows:

if [ condition ]then    commandsfi

Here’s an example that checks if a number is even or odd:

#!/bin/bashnumber=5if [ $((number % 2)) -eq 0 ]then    echo "The number $number is even."else    echo "The number $number is odd."fi

This script will output “The number 5 is odd.”

for Loops

for loops enable you to repeat a set of commands for a specific number of iterations. The basic syntax for a for loop is as follows:

for variable in sequencedo    commandsdone

Here’s an example that prints the numbers from 1 to 5:

#!/bin/bashfor i in {1..5}do    echo "Number: $i"done

This script will output:

Number: 1Number: 2Number: 3Number: 4Number: 5

while Loops

while loops allow you to execute a set of commands repeatedly as long as a specified condition is true. The basic syntax for a while loop is as follows:

while [ condition ]do    commandsdone

Here’s an example that prints the numbers from 1 to 5 using a while loop:

#!/bin/bashcounter=1while [ $counter -le 5 ]do    echo "Number: $counter"    counter=$((counter + 1))done

This script will produce the same output as the previous for loop example.

Start Linux shell scripting today!

This comprehensive guide for beginners has introduced you to the world of Linux shell scripting. We’ve covered the basics, including an introduction to shell scripting, choosing the right shell, basic script structure, variables, and control flow structures. With this knowledge, you can start creating your own shell scripts to automate tasks, manage system configurations, and enhance your Linux experience.

As you become more comfortable with shell scripting, you’ll discover that there are many more advanced features and techniques to explore. We encourage you to continue learning and experimenting with shell scripting, as it is a powerful skill to have in your toolkit. Maybe one day you’ll become a server admin? Happy scripting!