Debian Version Comparison Guide
About this page
This page provides a detailed comparison of the main differences between Debian 13 (Trixie), Debian 12 (Bookworm), and Debian 11 (Bullseye) to help you choose the most suitable version.
📋 Version Overview
| Version Info | Debian 13 (Trixie) | Debian 12 (Bookworm) | Debian 11 (Bullseye) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Status | Current Stable | Old Stable | LTS |
| Release Date | August 2025 | June 2023 | August 2021 |
| Latest Point Release | 13.4 (2026-03-08) | 12.13 (2026-01-10) | — |
| End of Support | ~2030 (incl. LTS) | ~June 2028 | June 2026 |
| Linux Kernel | 6.12 | 6.1 LTS | 5.10 LTS |
| GNOME Version | 48 | 43 | 3.38 |
⚙️ Core Components & Dev Tools
| Software/Tool | Trixie (Debian 13) | Bookworm (Debian 12) | Bullseye (Debian 11) |
|---|---|---|---|
| GCC | 14.2 | 12.2 | 10.2 |
| LLVM/Clang | 16+ | 14.0 | 11.0 |
| Python | 3.13 | 3.11 | 3.9 |
| Node.js | 20.x | 18.13 | 12.22 |
| Go | 1.21+ | 1.19 | 1.15 |
| Rust | 1.70+ | 1.63 | 1.48 |
| PHP | 8.3 | 8.2 | 7.4 |
🎯 Version Selection Guide
By Use Case
🖥️ Desktop User:
- Recommended: Choose Debian 13 (Trixie). It is the current stable release with the latest GNOME 48 / KDE Plasma 6.3 desktop environments.
- Conservative Choice: Debian 12 (Bookworm) as oldstable is still maintained, suitable for users who prefer not to migrate immediately.
💻 Developer:
- Modern App Development: Choose Debian 13 (Trixie). It includes GCC 14.2, Python 3.13, PHP 8.3 and the latest toolchains.
- Compatibility First: Debian 12 (Bookworm) is still receiving security updates, suitable for projects requiring an oldstable environment.
🖧 Server Administrator:
- New Deployments: Highly recommend Debian 13 (Trixie). As the current stable release, it has the latest security patches and a full support cycle.
- Maintaining Old Systems: Debian 12 (Bookworm) as oldstable is still maintained (until ~2028). Debian 11 (Bullseye) LTS support ends June 2026 — plan your upgrade soon.
Upgrade Path
- From Debian 11: Upgrade to Debian 12 first, then to Debian 13. Cross-version upgrades should be done step by step.
- From Debian 12: Recommended to upgrade to Debian 13. With multiple point releases (13.4), it is well-matured.
Want to check a specific software version? Visit packages.debian.org | View Installation Guide →