https://blog.daniel-baumann.ch 2026-04-14T11:00:03.451154+00:00 Daniel Baumann - https://daniel-baumann.ch https://blog.daniel-baumann.ch/posts/20260228-1.html 2026-02-28T00:00:00+00:00 <section id="debian-fast-forward-an-alternative-backports-repository"> <p>The <a class="reference external" href="https://debian.org">Debian</a> project releases a new <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">stable</span></code> version of its <a class="reference external" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux">Linux</a> distribution approximately every two years. During its life time, a <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">stable</span></code> release usually gets security updates only, but in general no feature updates.</p> <p>For some packages it is desirable to get feature updates earlier than with the next <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">stable</span></code> release. Some new packages included in Debian after the initial release of a <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">stable</span></code> distribution are desirable for <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">stable</span></code> too.</p> <p>Both use-cases can be solved by recompiling the newer version of a package from <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">testing/unstable</span></code> on <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">stable</span></code> (aka <a class="reference external" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backporting">backporting</a>). Packages are backported together with only the minimal amount of required build-depends or depends not already fulfilled in <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">stable</span></code> (if any), and without any changes unless required to fix building on <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">stable</span></code> (if needed).</p> <p>There are official <a class="reference external" href="https://backports.debian.org">Debian Backports</a> available, as well as several well-known unofficial backports repositories. I have been involved in one of these unofficial repositories since 2005 which subsequently turned 2010 into its own <a class="reference external" href="https://debian.org/derivatives">Debian derivative</a>, mixing both backports and modified packages in one repository for simplicity.</p> <p>Starting with the <a class="reference external" href="https://www.debian.org/releases/trixie">Debian 13 (trixie)</a> release, the (otherwise unmodified) backports of this derivative have been split out from the derivative distribution into a separate repository. This way the backports are more accessible and useful for all interested Debian users too.</p> <section id="tl-dr-debian-fast-forward-https-fastforward-debian-net"> <h2>TL;DR: <a class="reference external" href="https://fastforward.debian.net">Debian Fast Forward</a> - <a class="reference external" href="https://fastforward.debian.net">https://fastforward.debian.net</a></h2> <blockquote> <div><ul class="simple"> <li><p>is an alternative Debian repository containing complementary backports from <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">testing/unstable</span></code> to <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">stable</span></code></p></li> <li><p>with packages organized in a curated, self-contained selection of coherent sets</p></li> <li><p>supporting <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">amd64</span></code>, <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">i386</span></code>, and <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">arm64</span></code> architectures</p></li> <li><p>containing around 400 <a class="reference external" href="https://packages.fastforward.debian.net">packages</a> in <code class="docutils literal notranslate"><span class="pre">trixie-fastforward-backports</span></code></p></li> <li><p>with 1’800 <a class="reference external" href="https://changes.fastforward.debian.net">uploads</a> since July 2025</p></li> </ul> </div></blockquote> <p>End user documentation about how to enable Debian Fast Forwards is <a class="reference external" href="https://fastforward.debian.net/doc/installation">available</a>.</p> <p>Have fun!</p> </section> </section>

The Debian project releases a new stable version of its Linux distribution approximately every two years. During its life time, a stable release usually gets security updates only, but in general no feature updates.For some packages it is desirable to get feature updates earlier than with the next stable release. Some new packages included in Debian after the initial release of a stable distribution are desirable for stable too.

2026-02-28T00:00:00+00:00