User:Acmeraptor: Difference between revisions

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*Note 2: I have the "leftovers" mantra running through my head the whole time. On the first half for sizing, twist left strand left side left to avoid snags, and place it over the right, and so on. On the braid part, start with the left strand through a twist and put the right strand under the left one.

*Note 3: Related to note 2, pay attention and try not to miss braiding a twist. It is maddening to spot it ten minutes later, unravel to that spot to fix it.

===Unsorted===

==Backports==

In Debian, “enabling backports” means adding one extra repository that carries newer builds of selected software—taken from the next Debian release (“testing”) but rebuilt to run on your current Stable system. It’s Debian’s official way to get a newer kernel, drivers, toolchains, or apps on Stable without switching the whole OS to Testing or Unstable.

How it helps, in plain terms: you keep the rock-solid base of Debian Stable, but you can “opt in” to newer versions package by package when you actually need them—say, a newer kernel/Mesa for GPU support, or a fresher compiler for a project. Those packages are recompiled for Stable and designed to use Stable’s libraries where possible, so they fit in cleanly. (Debian 13’s backports suite is literally named trixie-backports.)

Safety model: backports are off by default and won’t replace anything unless you ask. Technically, Debian marks the backports archive as NotAutomatic and pins its priority to ~100, so normal upgrades ignore it. You only pull from backports when you explicitly target it. That’s why it’s considered the “safe” way to get newer bits on Stable.

What you actually do:

Add the backports repo (Debian 13 “Trixie” example—new deb822 format):

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sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-backports.sources >/dev/null <<'EOF'

Types: deb deb-src

URIs: http://deb.debian.org/debian

Suites: trixie-backports

Components: main

Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/debian-archive-keyring.gpg

Enabled: yes

EOF

sudo apt update

This simply makes the backports available; nothing changes yet.

When you need something newer, install it from backports on purpose:

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# install only this package from backports

sudo apt install <package>/trixie-backports

# or, also allow any newer dependencies from backports

sudo apt install -t trixie-backports <package>

That explicit targeting is the guardrail that keeps Stable “stable.”

A couple of concrete outcomes:

Hardware enablement: newer kernels and driver stacks appear in backports, which can solve “my brand-new GPU/Wi-Fi doesn’t work on base Stable” without you leaving Stable.

New features for select apps/tools: you can grab a newer release that adds a needed feature, while the rest of your system stays on Stable versions. (Backports are mostly drawn from Testing and are maintained with a policy to keep an upgrade path to the next Stable.)

Caveats to keep in mind: backports aren’t tested as exhaustively as Stable and are supported on a best-effort basis, so Debian recommends using them sparingly—enable the repo, but cherry-pick only what you need, rather than upgrading everything from backports.

@@ Line 488: / Line 488: @@
 *Note 2: I have the "leftovers" mantra running through my head the whole time. On the first half for sizing, twist left strand left side left to avoid snags, and place it over the right, and so on.  On the braid part, start with the left strand through a twist and put the right strand under the left one.
 *Note 3: Related to note 2, pay attention and try not to miss braiding a twist.  It is maddening to spot it ten minutes later, unravel to that spot to fix it.
+===Unsorted===
+==Backports==
+In Debian, “enabling backports” means adding one extra repository that carries newer builds of selected software—taken from the next Debian release (“testing”) but rebuilt to run on your current Stable system. It’s Debian’s official way to get a newer kernel, drivers, toolchains, or apps on Stable without switching the whole OS to Testing or Unstable.
+How it helps, in plain terms: you keep the rock-solid base of Debian Stable, but you can “opt in” to newer versions package by package when you actually need them—say, a newer kernel/Mesa for GPU support, or a fresher compiler for a project. Those packages are recompiled for Stable and designed to use Stable’s libraries where possible, so they fit in cleanly. (Debian 13’s backports suite is literally named trixie-backports.)
+Safety model: backports are off by default and won’t replace anything unless you ask. Technically, Debian marks the backports archive as NotAutomatic and pins its priority to ~100, so normal upgrades ignore it. You only pull from backports when you explicitly target it. That’s why it’s considered the “safe” way to get newer bits on Stable.
+What you actually do:
+Add the backports repo (Debian 13 “Trixie” example—new deb822 format):
+sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-backports.sources >/dev/null <<'EOF'
+Types: deb deb-src
+URIs: http://deb.debian.org/debian
+Suites: trixie-backports
+Components: main
+Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/debian-archive-keyring.gpg
+Enabled: yes
+EOF
+sudo apt update
+This simply makes the backports available; nothing changes yet.
+When you need something newer, install it from backports on purpose:
+# install only this package from backports
+sudo apt install <package>/trixie-backports
+# or, also allow any newer dependencies from backports
+sudo apt install -t trixie-backports <package>
+That explicit targeting is the guardrail that keeps Stable “stable.”
+A couple of concrete outcomes:
+Hardware enablement: newer kernels and driver stacks appear in backports, which can solve “my brand-new GPU/Wi-Fi doesn’t work on base Stable” without you leaving Stable.
+New features for select apps/tools: you can grab a newer release that adds a needed feature, while the rest of your system stays on Stable versions. (Backports are mostly drawn from Testing and are maintained with a policy to keep an upgrade path to the next Stable.)
+Caveats to keep in mind: backports aren’t tested as exhaustively as Stable and are supported on a best-effort basis, so Debian recommends using them sparingly—enable the repo, but cherry-pick only what you need, rather than upgrading everything from backports.