Proxmox includes Debian (and is a Linux system) — and that’s actually a huge win:
⸻
✅ Why Proxmox Includes Debian Linux
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Proxmox is a management layer | It’s not a hypervisor like VMware ESXi that runs underneath a minimal OS — it’s built on top of Linux. |
| KVM (the hypervisor) | KVM is part of the Linux kernel — it’s a built-in virtualization engine in Linux. |
| Debian = stable, open, maintainable | Proxmox is based on Debian Linux because it’s fast, secure, and enterprise-grade. |
| ZFS support | Native ZFS on Linux is fully integrated via Debian-based kernels — perfect for snapshots and data integrity. |
| No GUI login needed | Even though it’s Linux, you manage it almost entirely via a web browser (https://your-ip:8006) — no Linux command-line experience required. |
🧠 So
Proxmox is not “Linux with a virtualisation tool”, but rather:
A full virtualisation platform built on top of Linux, using Linux-native tech (KVM, LXC, ZFS), with a great UI and API.
So it’s Debian under the hood — but Proxmox wraps it all up so you can use it like an appliance.
✅ Summary
• Yes: Proxmox is Debian Linux underneath
• But: You never need to interact with it unless you want to
• Result: You get industrial-grade virtualization with open-source power and a commercial-grade GUI — without paying for VMware