How to install an NFS client on Debian

A Debian host needs the NFS client utilities before it can discover or mount directories exported by an NFS server. Without the client package, mount attempts fail before the server path, export rule, or permissions can be tested.

Debian provides those utilities through the distribution nfs-common package. It installs mount.nfs for the standard mount command, showmount for server export discovery, nfsstat for client statistics, and supporting configuration files such as /etc/nfs.conf and /etc/idmapd.conf.

Installing nfs-common does not make the client an NFS server or create a persistent mount. The install is complete when APT finishes successfully, dpkg-query reports nfs-common installed, and the client-side commands return version output; use a known server export only as a final network smoke test.

Related: Install an NFS client on Ubuntu
Related: Install an NFS client on CentOS Stream, RHEL, and Fedora
Related: Mount an NFS export on Linux

Steps to install an NFS client on Debian:

  1. Open a terminal with sudo privileges.
  2. Refresh the package index. 
    $ sudo apt update
  3. Install the NFS client package. 
    $ sudo apt install nfs-common

    The nfs-common package installs client-side tools. Server-side exports still belong on the host that shares the directory and normally use nfs-kernel-server.

  4. Confirm the package is installed. 
    $ dpkg-query -W nfs-common
nfs-common	1:2.8.3-1

    The exact version changes by Debian release and security update level. The package name should remain nfs-common.

  5. Confirm the NFS mount helper is available. 
    $ mount.nfs --version
mount.nfs: (linux nfs-utils 2.8.3)
  6. Confirm the export discovery helper is available. 
    $ showmount --version
showmount for 2.8.3

    Some NFSv4-only servers do not answer export discovery requests from showmount. If the server owner already provided the export path, test the mount directly instead.
    Related: List NFS exports from a client

  7. Query a known NFS server when an export is already available. 
    $ showmount --exports files.example.net
Export list for files.example.net:
/srv/nfs/projects 192.0.2.0/24

    Replace files.example.net with the server name or address that should allow this Debian client. If the export list is correct, continue with a manual or persistent mount.
    Related: Mount an NFS export with a systemd mount unit