Debian 10

Complete guide for installing and configuring Debian 10 with Cinnamon Desktop, webserver, and SSH server.

Installation

Download Debian 10 ISO from debian.org, and install with:

• Desktop Environment: Cinnamon Desktop
• Services: Web server + SSH server

Step 1: Log in as Root

After installation, log in as root user. Open the terminal and verify you're root by checking for the # symbol:

root@vps#

If you see # instead of $, you're logged in as root and don't need to prefix commands with sudo.

Step 2: Update System

Update package lists and upgrade all installed packages:

apt update
apt upgrade -y

Step 3: Install Essential Tools

Install commonly needed utilities:

apt install -y curl wget git nano htop net-tools ufw

Step 4: Configure Apache Webserver

If not already installed, install Apache:

apt install -y apache2

Start and enable Apache:

systemctl start apache2
systemctl enable apache2

Test by visiting your server's IP in a browser. You should see the Apache default page.

Step 5: Configure SSH Server

SSH server should already be installed. Secure it by editing the config:

nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Recommended settings:

• PermitRootLogin no (create a regular user first!)
• PasswordAuthentication yes (or use SSH keys)
• Port 22 (or change to a different port for security)

Restart SSH:

systemctl restart sshd

Step 6: Configure Firewall

Enable UFW firewall and allow necessary ports:

ufw allow 22/tcp    # SSH
ufw allow 80/tcp    # HTTP
ufw allow 443/tcp   # HTTPS
ufw enable

Check firewall status:

ufw status

Step 7: Create Regular User

Don't use root for daily tasks. Create a new user:

adduser username
usermod -aG sudo username

Step 8: Install Additional Software

PHP for web development

apt install -y php php-mysql php-curl php-gd php-mbstring
systemctl restart apache2

MySQL/MariaDB database

apt install -y mariadb-server
mysql_secure_installation

Optional: Desktop Customization

If using Cinnamon Desktop, customize your environment:

apt install -y gnome-tweak-tool dconf-editor

Maintenance Commands

Check system logs:

journalctl -xe

Monitor system resources:

htop

Check disk usage:

df -h

Upgrading to Debian 11

When ready to upgrade from Debian 10 to 11, see the manual: "Upgrade Debian 11.7 to 12.0" for the upgrade process.