Step by step to configure package management and unstable branches to install Gnome 41 on Debian 11 (testing version)

gnome_41_debian.md

Note: At this point in time (02-20-2020), Wayland is not supported, only X11.

Add Debian Unstable (Sid) Repositories

sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

There, add these two lines of Debian Unstable

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian unstable main contrib non-free
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian unstable main contrib non-free

Example (last two lines)

Do not update the packages yet

Setup APT Pinning for Unstable (Sid) Repositories

sudo nano /etc/apt/preferences

There, add the following (create the file if you do not have it yet)

# The order goes all updates are preferenced to Bullseye Repository with a higher score (500)
# than Unstable Repository (100), so you are not prompted on various packages to be
# updated from the unstable repository.

Package: *
Pin: release a=bullseye
Pin-Priority: 500

Package: *
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 100

Package: gnome-session
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: gnome-backgrounds
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: gnome-applets
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: gnome-control-center
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: mutter
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: gjs
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 1000

Example:

Update the repositories

sudo apt update

Install GNOME 41

sudo aptitude -t unstable install gnome-session gnome-shell gnome-backgrounds gnome-applets gnome-control-center mutter gjs

And reboot.