Tasksel is a Debian/Ubuntu tool that installs multiple related packages as a co-ordinated “task” onto your system.

This function is similar to that of meta-packages, and, in fact, most of the tasks available from tasksel are also available as meta-packages from the Ubuntu package managers (such as Synaptic Package Manager or KPackageKit).

This page shows useful information about tasksel.

In case your Debian does not come installed with tasksel. Generally, Debian has tasksel preinstalled.

1. Open your terminal.

2. Type this command to install tasksel:

sudo apt install tasksel

tasksel is already installed with the newest version on my Debian.

3. Once installed, you can open up the menu using the command:

sudo tasksel

Commands that may help you with using tasksel.

• List available tasks. i prefixes installed tasks, u prefixes uninstalled tasks.

tasksel --list-task

• Inspect packages in a task.

tasksel --task-packages ssh-server

• Install tasks using terminal instead of going through menu.

sudo tasksel install ssh-server

Now you have the basic knowledge of using tasksel. Click this link to see an example of using tasksel to install a new desktop environment.