Apt get linux headers debian

How do I install kernel header files?

You should be able to install the kernel header files for the currently running kernel by running the following in a terminal:

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r) 

In general, the kernel header packages are named linux-header-* where «*» indicates the version & variant (generic, server, etc.).

hey thanks but could you tell me what does generic, server, etc means i want to write (kernel driver)

This won’t install the headers for future updates automatically and you’ll have to re-run this command every time. Therefore, it’s recommended to install the metapackage instead, as described in another answer.

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic 

if you are on a Desktop installation. The apt-get will solve the dependencies and install the correct version of kernel headers.

In Debian Wheezy I get the error message «Package linux-headers-generic is not available, but is referred to by another package. [. ] E: Package ‘linux-headers-generic’ has no installation candidate»

@IQAndreas the linux-headers-generic package is ubuntu specific. On Debian you should use sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)

I have linux-headers-generic installed on 18.04 but still don’t have the headers for the newest and current kernel version. Maybe it’s just a bug with this version, I’ve compiled kernel modules in earlier versions so I must’ve had the correct headers back then.

Case of Obsolete kernel package

This should cover another problem when: the currently running kernel is obsolete, meaning it’s not in the repository anymore neither its headers. So the best thing to do is to update the kernel to last version in the repository.

linux-generic is a meta package to keep current version of the kernel & its headers:

sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install linux-generic 

Note: Depending on your Ubuntu edition, See if you need linux-lowlatency (Ubuntu Studio), linux-signed-generic or linux-virtual .

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How to Install Kernel Headers in Ubuntu and Debian

In our last article, we have explained how to install kernel headers in CentOS 7. Kernel Headers contain the C header files for the Linux kernel, which offers the various function and structure definitions required when compiling any code that interfaces with the kernel, such as kernel modules or device drivers and some user programs.

It is very important to note that the kernel headers package you install should match with the currently installed kernel version on your system. If your kernel version ships with the default distribution installation or you have upgraded your Kernel using dpkg or apt package manager from the Ubuntu or Debian base repositories, then you must install matching kernel headers using package manager only. And if you’ve compiled kernel from sources, you must also install kernel headers from sources.

In this article, we will explain how to install Kernel Headers in Ubuntu and Debian Linux distributions using default package manager.

Install Kernel Headers in Ubuntu and Debian

First check your installed kernel version as well as kernel header package that matches your kernel version using following commands.

$ uname -r $ apt search linux-headers-$(uname -r)

On Debian, Ubuntu and their derivatives, all kernel header files can be found under /usr/src directory. You can check if the matching kernel headers for your kernel version are already installed on your system using the following command.

$ ls -l /usr/src/linux-headers-$(uname -r)

From the above output, it’s clear that the matching kernel header directory doesn’t exist, meaning the package is not yet installed.

Before you can install the appropriate kernel headers, update your packages index, in order to grab information about the latest package releases, using the following command.

Then run the following command that follows to install the Linux Kernel headers package for your kernel version.

$ sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r)

Next, check if the matching kernel headers have been installed on your system using the following command

$ ls -l /usr/src/linux-headers-$(uname -r)

That’s all! In this article, we have explained how to install kernel headers in Ubuntu and Debian Linux and other distributions in the Debian family tree.

Always keep in mind that to compile a kernel module, you will need the Linux kernel headers. If you have any quires, or thoughts to share, use the comment form below to reach us.

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How to install kernel headers on Debian

K ernel headers contain the C header file for the Linux kernel, which provides the several functionality and structure definitions needed when compiling any code that interfaces with the kernel, such as kernel device drivers or modules and some other user programs.

Generally, Linux kernel headers are components habitually used to compile drivers and loadable modules appending support to the kernel. It is also vital to shedding light on the fact that the kernel headers are part of the kernel, despite being separately distributed.

Another critical thing to note is that the kernel headers package must match your system’s currently installed kernel version. Suppose you have kernel version with the default distribution installation, or you have upgraded your kernel via dpkg or apt package manager from Debian base repos. In that case, you must set up matching kernel headers using the package manager only. On the other hand, if you have compiled kernel from sources, you should also set up kernel headers from sources.

After going through that piece of info, let us now turn our attention to the core part of the article, which will explain how to install kernal headers in Linux, specifically the Debian Linux distro using the default package manager.

How to install kernel headers in Debian

Step 1: First things first, before firing things up, you need to log in as a root user by running the following command:

After that, input your PC’s password, and you should be logged in as a root user, as shown in the snapshot above.

Step 2: Next, we will proceed by checking the already installed kernel version and header package that matched your kernel version using the following commands:

uname -r apt search linux-headers-$(uname -r)

check the installed kernel

Step 3: All kernel header files can be accessed under the /usr/src directory on Debian and its derivatives. You also have the flexibility of checking to confirm if the matching kernel headers for your kernel versions are already installed on your system or not using the subsequent command:

ls -l /usr/src/linux-headers-$(uname -r)

No such file or directory

From the output above, it is true that the matching kernel header directory does not exist, meaning that the package is not yet installed.

Step 4: Before installing the kernel headers, ensure you update your package’s index list to grab the information about the latest releases using the following command:

Step 5: After running the update command, you should be notified if there are packages that need an upgrade. If there are, then run the following command; otherwise, skip this part.

Step 6: Then proceed and run the following command that follows to install the Linux kernel headers package for your kernel version

sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r)

Note: You will be asked to affirm your decision to proceed with the installation at some point during the installation. All you have to do is type “y/Y” and hit the “Enter” button or hit the “Enter” button alone, and that should work.

Step 7: Next, go ahead and check if you have installed the matching kernels on your system by utilizing the following command:

ls -l /usr/src/linux-headers-$(uname -r)

To list all the available headers, run the following command:

sudo apt search linux-headers

List all the available Linux headers

Then after using Debian 11 x64 or the second method to find the header, you can alternatively execute the following command to install the header.

sudo apt install linux-headers-5.10.0-10-amd64

Linux Headers FAQs

Where are Linux headers?

Linux-headers is a package providing the Linux kernel headers. These are part of the kernel despite being shipped separately. They interface between internal components, userspace, and the kernel.

Do you require Linux headers?

You require the Linux headers when you plan to develop and compile on your installed machine, Debian. If you, for instance, build an appliance dedicated to a particular task, you are probably not willing to compile on it. Suppose you need to compile your app; you will do this on a different system.

How to view headers in Unix

We use od -bc | head to look at the header of a binary file. View work too, but it is naturally better to see the output directly on the command line.

How to know if the kernel headers are installed

You can open up the Software Center or the synaptic and ensure the package “Linux-headers-generic” is installed. That package is marked depending on the headers for the latest available kernel version so that it will pull in another package or two for you specifically.

Do you need to keep kernel headers synced with your kernel version?

The answer is NO. You can have a newer Linux-headers version than your running kernel binary. For instance, if you have kernel 4.1 setup, you can have Linux-headers 4.4. If you compile your Glibc with these newer headers and later upgrade to kernel 4.4, you will be able to utilize the new features of this kernel without recompiling Glibc.

Why do we need headers in Linux?

The header files explain an interface: they specify how the functions in the source file are defined. They are utilized so that a compiler can check if the usage of a function is accurate as the function signature (return value and parameter) is present in the header file.

Final thoughts

As you can see, installing Linux kernel headers on Debian is super easy for any Linux-level user, be it a newbie, intermediary, or expert. Furthermore, any Linux-level user should at least know the functionality of Kernel headers and how to install them. You must also be keen on the kernel headers you download as they should be compatible with your system, not only the architecture but also the version. Also, keep in mind that you will need the Linux kernel headers to compile a kernel module.

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