On Sun 22 Mar 2026 at 22:23:02 (-0400), Stefan Monnier wrote: > >> >> I recently noticed that kernel packages are now split into three > >> >> subpackages (linux-base-VERSION, linux-binary-VERSION, > >> >> linux-modules-VERSION). > >> >> > >> >> Does anyone know why this is? I'm trying to imagine scenarios where > >> >> that could be an advantage, but I'm coming up short. > >> > > >> >>From the changelog > >> > > >> > [ Bastian Blank ] > >> > * Introduce a base package for udebs as well: > >> > - Introduct linux-base. > >> > - Rename kernel-image to linux-binary. > >> `aptitude` doesn't seem to find any "kernel-image" packages. > > Presumably because it's the name of a virtual package. > > If you look at https://packages.debian.org/trixie/kernel-image you'll > see that while `kernel-image` is a virtual package, there are real > packages whose name starts with "kernel-image", > so `aptitude search kernel-image` should have found them, tho apparently > the fact that they're "DI only" makes them not show up somehow.
Isn't it because they're udebs? The only thing aptitude could do with them if it could find them is wreck your system. I think we've been here before: https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2026/03/msg00011.html > >> And also IIUC the main benefit of the split is to merge the > >> `linux-binary` part of the old `linux-image` with the old > >> `kernel-image`? > > If you look at the page I referenced earlier, you can rightclick on > > its companion package's name and get to: > > > > https://packages.debian.org/forky/linux-base-6.19.8+deb14-amd64 > > > > in another tab. Then click on "list of files" on each of those pages > > and look at the lists. > > I don't need that: I had already done `dpkg -L` on those new packages to > see their content. But their contents only tell me "the sum is the same > as the previous big package" but doesn't say why the big package > was split. Follow the reference in my previous post above, and: Kernel image and kernel module udebs Kernel udebs are built basically by repackaging a regular kernel image package. Reason is again to reduce memory usage: not all modules included in a kernel image package are needed during an installation. Also, different modules are needed in the initrd for different installation methods, remaining modules can either be loaded later or optionally (by manual selection or through dependencies). The package kernel-wedge contains the toolset used to reorganize a kernel-image package into multiple kernel (module) udebs. Cheers, David.
