How to check Debian version: the quick and easy way

Debian, along with Ubuntu, is one of the most common distributions used by Linux users. Professional users enjoy the first version developed in 1993, as it is the most flexible and based on open source software. If you install one of the free programs, knowing which Debian version you have will help you download the right package. You also need to know your current version if you ask questions in one of the forums. But how can you check your Debian version?

How to check Debian version: Terminal

One way to check your Debian version is by using Terminal, also called Command Line. There are several commands you can input to display your current version. First things first though: open Terminal. One option is to simultaneously press [Alt], the Function key and [F2], then type ‘gnome-terminal’ into the dialogue box. You can also select Terminal directly from the Start menu. Once you get to the Command Line, you can check your Debian version using the following commands.

Note

Gnome is one of the most popular desktop environments on Debian. If you have a different program and therefore different software for the Command Line, you must choose the relevant route to be able to get to Terminal.

cat command

One of the commands you can use in Terminal to check your Debian version is:

cat /etc/debian_version

Your version will be shown on the next line.

The cat command shows your Debian version in Terminal
Type the cat command into Terminal to see your current Debian version.

lsb_release command

‘lsb_release’ is another command you can use to check your Debian version. You can get detailed information about all base versions in your distribution by typing ‘lsb_release -a’, or a simple overview including versions by typing ‘lsb_release -d’.

lsb_release -a with all base information about your distribution
By typing ‘lsb_release -a’, you can get information about your current Debian version as well as all other base versions in your distribution.
lsb_release -d with summarized information about your distribution
By typing ‘lsb_release -d’, you can get an overview of all system information, including your Debian version.

How to check Debian version: GUI

If you don’t want to use the Terminal, you can also check your Debian version using a graphical interface. To do this, you need to install the program Hardinfo, if you don’t already have it in your system. You can install it using the following code in Terminal:

apt-get install hardinfo

When you launch the program, you can see your current Debian version in ‘Operating system’ under ‘Computer’.

Hardinfo shows all important system information
You can use Hardinfo to check all important system information in a graphical interface.
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