This book is built around a case study providing both support and illustration for all topics being addressed.
第一章介紹 Debian 計畫的非技術性面並描述其目標與組織。先定義大範圍的框架其他章節才能夠填入更具體的資訊。
第二和第三章提供個案式的大綱。建議新手，先閱讀附錄 B，簡短的補習式課程解釋若干基礎的電腦概念，以及與 Unix 系統有關的概念。
真正的主題，自然是從安裝開始 (第 4 章)；第 5 和第 6 章揭示 Debian 管理者常用的基本工具，諸如 APT 系列工具，讓此散佈版受眾人讚譽有加。這幾章的目標讀者不限專業人員，因為每個人都是家裡的管理者。
第7章是個重要的章；它描述有效地使用文件以及快速理解問題本質以便解決它們的流程。
接下來的幾章詳述系統的內容，從基礎架構與服務(第8至第10章)開始然後進入使用者應用軟體第13章。第12章介紹有關大規模電腦管理者所需知道的進階主題，第14章簡介電腦安全的主題並介紹幾招避免被駭客攻擊。
Chapter 15 is for administrators who want to go further and create their own Debian packages. Finally, Chapter 16 describes the possible future of Debian.
The present version is already the tenth edition of the book (we include the first four that were only available in French). This edition covers version 11 of Debian, code-named Bullseye. Among the changes, Debian now supports UEFI Secure Boot, providing some extra safety against attacks on the boot infrastructure, and making it easier to install Debian on new computers where Secure Boot is usually enabled by default. Again at the security level, AppArmor, a Mandatory Access Control system that regulates what various applications are allowed to perform, is now enabled by default. All included packages have obviously been updated, including the GNOME desktop, which is now in its version 3.38.
在邊欄加了筆記和評註。它們有很多作用：讓難點引起您的注意、對實例研究作個備註、定義術語、或者只是提醒一下。常用的邊欄如下：
基本：提醒應該已瞭解該等資訊；
術語：定義技術用語，有時是 Debian 專用語；
社群：在計畫內重要的人或角色；
POLICY: a rule or recommendation from the Debian Policy; This document is essential within the project, and describes how to package software. The parts of the policy highlighted in this book bring direct benefits to users (for example, knowing that the policy standardizes the location of documentation and examples makes it easy to find them even in a new package);
工具：代表相關的工具或服務；
實踐：理論和實踐不見得總是對應的；這類的邊欄註記我們檢驗的結果。也給詳細而具體的例子；
其他的邊欄本身就很明顯：文化、技巧、注意、更多、安全，等。
