debootstrap how to install Ubuntu, Mint, Debian install

In this example we install debian 10 with --variant=minbase which gives us a minimal/tiny install. Don't use variant if you want the full size install.

mkdir /tmp/deb10files debootstrap --variant=minbase buster /tmp/deb10files/

Did you get an error?

debootstrap --variant=minbase buster /home/theuser/VMs/deb10files/

You'll get this error if you make a directory in your home directory, it's best to make it somewhere in /tmp or elsewhere.

/usr/sbin/debootstrap: 1609: cannot create /home/theuser/VMs/deb10files/test-dev-null: Permission denied
E: Cannot install into target '/home/theuser/VMs/deb10files' mounted with noexec or nodev

I: Keyring file not available at /usr/share/keyrings/debian-archive-keyring.gpg; switching to https mirror https://deb.debian.org/debian
I: Retrieving InRelease
I: Retrieving Packages
I: Validating Packages
I: Resolving dependencies of required packages...
I: Resolving dependencies of base packages...
I: Checking component main on https://deb.debian.org/debian...
I: Retrieving libacl1 2.2.53-4
I: Validating libacl1 2.2.53-4
I: Retrieving adduser 3.118
I: Validating adduser 3.118
I: Retrieving apt 1.8.2.3
I: Validating apt 1.8.2.3
I: Retrieving libapt-pkg5.0 1.8.2.3
I: Validating libapt-pkg5.0 1.8.2.3
I: Retrieving libattr1 1:2.4.48-4
I: Validating libattr1 1:2.4.48-4
I: Retrieving libaudit-common 1:2.8.4-3
I: Validating libaudit-common 1:2.8.4-3
I: Retrieving libaudit1 1:2.8.4-3
I: Validating libaudit1 1:2.8.4-3
I: Retrieving base-files 10.3+deb10u13
I: Validating base-files 10.3+deb10u13
I: Retrieving base-passwd 3.5.46
I: Validating base-passwd 3.5.46
I: Retrieving bash 5.0-4
I: Validating bash 5.0-4
I: Retrieving libbz2-1.0 1.0.6-9.2~deb10u1
I: Validating libbz2-1.0 1.0.6-9.2~deb10u1
I: Retrieving ca-certificates 20200601~deb10u2
I: Validating ca-certificates 20200601~deb10u2
I: Retrieving libdebconfclient0 0.249
I: Validating libdebconfclient0 0.249
I: Retrieving coreutils 8.30-3
I: Validating coreutils 8.30-3
I: Retrieving dash 0.5.10.2-5
I: Validating dash 0.5.10.2-5
I: Retrieving libdb5.3 5.3.28+dfsg1-0.5
I: Validating libdb5.3 5.3.28+dfsg1-0.5
I: Retrieving debconf 1.5.71+deb10u1
I: Validating debconf 1.5.71+deb10u1
I: Retrieving debian-archive-keyring 2019.1+deb10u1
I: Validating debian-archive-keyring 2019.1+deb10u1
I: Retrieving debianutils 4.8.6.1
I: Validating debianutils 4.8.6.1
I: Retrieving diffutils 1:3.7-3
I: Validating diffutils 1:3.7-3
I: Retrieving dpkg 1.19.8
I: Validating dpkg 1.19.8
I: Retrieving e2fsprogs 1.44.5-1+deb10u3
I: Validating e2fsprogs 1.44.5-1+deb10u3
I: Retrieving libcom-err2 1.44.5-1+deb10u3
I: Validating libcom-err2 1.44.5-1+deb10u3
I: Retrieving libext2fs2 1.44.5-1+deb10u3
I: Validating libext2fs2 1.44.5-1+deb10u3
I: Retrieving libss2 1.44.5-1+deb10u3
I: Validating libss2 1.44.5-1+deb10u3
I: Retrieving findutils 4.6.0+git+20190209-2
I: Validating findutils 4.6.0+git+20190209-2
I: Retrieving gcc-8-base 8.3.0-6
I: Validating gcc-8-base 8.3.0-6
I: Retrieving libgcc1 1:8.3.0-6
I: Validating libgcc1 1:8.3.0-6
I: Retrieving libstdc++6 8.3.0-6
I: Validating libstdc++6 8.3.0-6
I: Retrieving libc-bin 2.28-10+deb10u1
I: Validating libc-bin 2.28-10+deb10u1
I: Retrieving libc6 2.28-10+deb10u1
I: Validating libc6 2.28-10+deb10u1
I: Retrieving libgmp10 2:6.1.2+dfsg-4+deb10u1
I: Validating libgmp10 2:6.1.2+dfsg-4+deb10u1
I: Retrieving gpgv 2.2.12-1+deb10u2
I: Validating gpgv 2.2.12-1+deb10u2
I: Retrieving libgnutls30 3.6.7-4+deb10u8
I: Validating libgnutls30 3.6.7-4+deb10u8
I: Retrieving grep 3.3-1
I: Validating grep 3.3-1
I: Retrieving gzip 1.9-3+deb10u1
I: Validating gzip 1.9-3+deb10u1
I: Retrieving hostname 3.21
I: Validating hostname 3.21
I: Retrieving init-system-helpers 1.56+nmu1
I: Validating init-system-helpers 1.56+nmu1
I: Retrieving libcap-ng0 0.7.9-2
I: Validating libcap-ng0 0.7.9-2
I: Retrieving libffi6 3.2.1-9
I: Validating libffi6 3.2.1-9
I: Retrieving libgcrypt20 1.8.4-5+deb10u1
I: Validating libgcrypt20 1.8.4-5+deb10u1
I: Retrieving libgpg-error0 1.35-1
I: Validating libgpg-error0 1.35-1
I: Retrieving libidn2-0 2.0.5-1+deb10u1
I: Validating libidn2-0 2.0.5-1+deb10u1
I: Retrieving libseccomp2 2.3.3-4
I: Validating libseccomp2 2.3.3-4
I: Retrieving libselinux1 2.8-1+b1
I: Validating libselinux1 2.8-1+b1
I: Retrieving libsemanage-common 2.8-2
I: Validating libsemanage-common 2.8-2
I: Retrieving libsemanage1 2.8-2
I: Validating libsemanage1 2.8-2
I: Retrieving libsepol1 2.8-1
I: Validating libsepol1 2.8-1
I: Retrieving libtasn1-6 4.13-3
I: Validating libtasn1-6 4.13-3
I: Retrieving libunistring2 0.9.10-1
I: Validating libunistring2 0.9.10-1
I: Retrieving libzstd1 1.3.8+dfsg-3+deb10u2
I: Validating libzstd1 1.3.8+dfsg-3+deb10u2
I: Retrieving liblz4-1 1.8.3-1+deb10u1
I: Validating liblz4-1 1.8.3-1+deb10u1
I: Retrieving mawk 1.3.3-17+b3
I: Validating mawk 1.3.3-17+b3
I: Retrieving libncursesw6 6.1+20181013-2+deb10u2
I: Validating libncursesw6 6.1+20181013-2+deb10u2
I: Retrieving libtinfo6 6.1+20181013-2+deb10u2
I: Validating libtinfo6 6.1+20181013-2+deb10u2
I: Retrieving ncurses-base 6.1+20181013-2+deb10u2
I: Validating ncurses-base 6.1+20181013-2+deb10u2
I: Retrieving ncurses-bin 6.1+20181013-2+deb10u2
I: Validating ncurses-bin 6.1+20181013-2+deb10u2
I: Retrieving libhogweed4 3.4.1-1+deb10u1
I: Validating libhogweed4 3.4.1-1+deb10u1
I: Retrieving libnettle6 3.4.1-1+deb10u1
I: Validating libnettle6 3.4.1-1+deb10u1
I: Retrieving libssl1.1 1.1.1n-0+deb10u3
I: Validating libssl1.1 1.1.1n-0+deb10u3
I: Retrieving openssl 1.1.1n-0+deb10u3
I: Validating openssl 1.1.1n-0+deb10u3
I: Retrieving libp11-kit0 0.23.15-2+deb10u1
I: Validating libp11-kit0 0.23.15-2+deb10u1
I: Retrieving libpam-modules 1.3.1-5
I: Validating libpam-modules 1.3.1-5
I: Retrieving libpam-modules-bin 1.3.1-5
I: Validating libpam-modules-bin 1.3.1-5
I: Retrieving libpam-runtime 1.3.1-5
I: Validating libpam-runtime 1.3.1-5
I: Retrieving libpam0g 1.3.1-5
I: Validating libpam0g 1.3.1-5
I: Retrieving libpcre3 2:8.39-12
I: Validating libpcre3 2:8.39-12
I: Retrieving perl-base 5.28.1-6+deb10u1
I: Validating perl-base 5.28.1-6+deb10u1
I: Retrieving sed 4.7-1
I: Validating sed 4.7-1
I: Retrieving login 1:4.5-1.1
I: Validating login 1:4.5-1.1
I: Retrieving passwd 1:4.5-1.1
I: Validating passwd 1:4.5-1.1
I: Retrieving libsystemd0 241-7~deb10u8
I: Validating libsystemd0 241-7~deb10u8
I: Retrieving libudev1 241-7~deb10u8
I: Validating libudev1 241-7~deb10u8
I: Retrieving sysvinit-utils 2.93-8
I: Validating sysvinit-utils 2.93-8
I: Retrieving tar 1.30+dfsg-6
I: Validating tar 1.30+dfsg-6
I: Retrieving tzdata 2021a-0+deb10u6
I: Validating tzdata 2021a-0+deb10u6
I: Retrieving bsdutils 1:2.33.1-0.1
I: Validating bsdutils 1:2.33.1-0.1
I: Retrieving fdisk 2.33.1-0.1
I: Validating fdisk 2.33.1-0.1
I: Retrieving libblkid1 2.33.1-0.1
I: Validating libblkid1 2.33.1-0.1
I: Retrieving libfdisk1 2.33.1-0.1
I: Validating libfdisk1 2.33.1-0.1
I: Retrieving libmount1 2.33.1-0.1
I: Validating libmount1 2.33.1-0.1
I: Retrieving libsmartcols1 2.33.1-0.1
I: Validating libsmartcols1 2.33.1-0.1
I: Retrieving libuuid1 2.33.1-0.1
I: Validating libuuid1 2.33.1-0.1
I: Retrieving mount 2.33.1-0.1
I: Validating mount 2.33.1-0.1
I: Retrieving util-linux 2.33.1-0.1
I: Validating util-linux 2.33.1-0.1
I: Retrieving liblzma5 5.2.4-1+deb10u1
I: Validating liblzma5 5.2.4-1+deb10u1
I: Retrieving zlib1g 1:1.2.11.dfsg-1+deb10u1
I: Validating zlib1g 1:1.2.11.dfsg-1+deb10u1
I: Chosen extractor for .deb packages: dpkg-deb
I: Extracting libacl1...
I: Extracting adduser...
I: Extracting apt...
I: Extracting libapt-pkg5.0...
I: Extracting libattr1...
I: Extracting libaudit-common...
I: Extracting libaudit1...
I: Extracting base-files...
I: Extracting base-passwd...
I: Extracting bash...
I: Extracting libbz2-1.0...
I: Extracting libdebconfclient0...
I: Extracting coreutils...
I: Extracting dash...
I: Extracting libdb5.3...
I: Extracting debconf...
I: Extracting debian-archive-keyring...
I: Extracting debianutils...
I: Extracting diffutils...
I: Extracting dpkg...
I: Extracting e2fsprogs...
I: Extracting libcom-err2...
I: Extracting libext2fs2...
I: Extracting libss2...
I: Extracting findutils...
I: Extracting gcc-8-base...
I: Extracting libgcc1...
I: Extracting libstdc++6...
I: Extracting libc-bin...
I: Extracting libc6...
I: Extracting libgmp10...
I: Extracting gpgv...
I: Extracting libgnutls30...
I: Extracting grep...
I: Extracting gzip...
I: Extracting hostname...
I: Extracting init-system-helpers...
I: Extracting libcap-ng0...
I: Extracting libffi6...
I: Extracting libgcrypt20...
I: Extracting libgpg-error0...
I: Extracting libidn2-0...
I: Extracting libseccomp2...
I: Extracting libselinux1...
I: Extracting libsemanage-common...
I: Extracting libsemanage1...
I: Extracting libsepol1...
I: Extracting libtasn1-6...
I: Extracting libunistring2...
I: Extracting libzstd1...
I: Extracting liblz4-1...
I: Extracting mawk...
I: Extracting libncursesw6...
I: Extracting libtinfo6...
I: Extracting ncurses-base...
I: Extracting ncurses-bin...
I: Extracting libhogweed4...
I: Extracting libnettle6...
I: Extracting libp11-kit0...
I: Extracting libpam-modules...
I: Extracting libpam-modules-bin...
I: Extracting libpam-runtime...
I: Extracting libpam0g...
I: Extracting libpcre3...
I: Extracting perl-base...
I: Extracting sed...
I: Extracting login...
I: Extracting passwd...
I: Extracting libsystemd0...
I: Extracting libudev1...
I: Extracting sysvinit-utils...
I: Extracting tar...
I: Extracting tzdata...
I: Extracting bsdutils...
I: Extracting fdisk...
I: Extracting libblkid1...
I: Extracting libfdisk1...
I: Extracting libmount1...
I: Extracting libsmartcols1...
I: Extracting libuuid1...
I: Extracting mount...
I: Extracting util-linux...
I: Extracting liblzma5...
I: Extracting zlib1g...
I: Installing core packages...
I: Unpacking required packages...
I: Unpacking libacl1:amd64...
I: Unpacking adduser...
I: Unpacking apt...
I: Unpacking libapt-pkg5.0:amd64...
I: Unpacking libattr1:amd64...
I: Unpacking libaudit-common...
I: Unpacking libaudit1:amd64...
I: Unpacking base-files...
I: Unpacking base-passwd...
I: Unpacking bash...
I: Unpacking libbz2-1.0:amd64...
I: Unpacking libdebconfclient0:amd64...
I: Unpacking coreutils...
I: Unpacking dash...
I: Unpacking libdb5.3:amd64...
I: Unpacking debconf...
I: Unpacking debian-archive-keyring...
I: Unpacking debianutils...
I: Unpacking diffutils...
I: Unpacking dpkg...
I: Unpacking e2fsprogs...
I: Unpacking libcom-err2:amd64...
I: Unpacking libext2fs2:amd64...
I: Unpacking libss2:amd64...
I: Unpacking findutils...
I: Unpacking gcc-8-base:amd64...
I: Unpacking libgcc1:amd64...debootstrap --variant=minbase buster /home/theuser/VMs/deb10files/
I: Unpacking libstdc++6:amd64...
I: Unpacking libc-bin...
I: Unpacking libc6:amd64...
I: Unpacking libgmp10:amd64...
I: Unpacking gpgv...
I: Unpacking libgnutls30:amd64...
I: Unpacking grep...
I: Unpacking gzip...
I: Unpacking hostname...
I: Unpacking init-system-helpers...
I: Unpacking libcap-ng0:amd64...
I: Unpacking libffi6:amd64...
I: Unpacking libgcrypt20:amd64...
I: Unpacking libgpg-error0:amd64...
I: Unpacking libidn2-0:amd64...
I: Unpacking libseccomp2:amd64...
I: Unpacking libselinux1:amd64...
I: Unpacking libsemanage-common...
I: Unpacking libsemanage1:amd64...
I: Unpacking libsepol1:amd64...
I: Unpacking libtasn1-6:amd64...
I: Unpacking libunistring2:amd64...
I: Unpacking libzstd1:amd64...
I: Unpacking liblz4-1:amd64...
I: Unpacking mawk...
I: Unpacking libncursesw6:amd64...
I: Unpacking libtinfo6:amd64...
I: Unpacking ncurses-base...
I: Unpacking ncurses-bin...
I: Unpacking libhogweed4:amd64...
I: Unpacking libnettle6:amd64...
I: Unpacking libp11-kit0:amd64...
I: Unpacking libpam-modules:amd64...
I: Unpacking libpam-modules-bin...
I: Unpacking libpam-runtime...
I: Unpacking libpam0g:amd64...
I: Unpacking libpcre3:amd64...
I: Unpacking perl-base...
I: Unpacking sed...
I: Unpacking login...
I: Unpacking passwd...
I: Unpacking libsystemd0:amd64...
I: Unpacking libudev1:amd64...
I: Unpacking sysvinit-utils...
I: Unpacking tar...
I: Unpacking tzdata...
I: Unpacking bsdutils...
I: Unpacking fdisk...
I: Unpacking libblkid1:amd64...
I: Unpacking libfdisk1:amd64...
I: Unpacking libmount1:amd64...
I: Unpacking libsmartcols1:amd64...
I: Unpacking libuuid1:amd64...
I: Unpacking mount...
I: Unpacking util-linux...
I: Unpacking liblzma5:amd64...
I: Unpacking zlib1g:amd64...
I: Configuring required packages...
I: Configuring debian-archive-keyring...
I: Configuring libaudit-common...
I: Configuring libsemanage-common...
I: Configuring ncurses-base...
I: Configuring gcc-8-base:amd64...
I: Configuring libc6:amd64...
I: Configuring libudev1:amd64...
I: Configuring libsepol1:amd64...
I: Configuring libattr1:amd64...
I: Configuring libtasn1-6:amd64...
I: Configuring debianutils...
I: Configuring mawk...
I: Configuring libdebconfclient0:amd64...
I: Configuring base-files...
I: Configuring libbz2-1.0:amd64...
I: Configuring base-passwd...
I: Configuring libdb5.3:amd64...
I: Configuring libtinfo6:amd64...
I: Configuring bash...
I: Configuring libzstd1:amd64...
I: Configuring liblzma5:amd64...
I: Configuring libgpg-error0:amd64...
I: Configuring libgcc1:amd64...
I: Configuring liblz4-1:amd64...
I: Configuring libc-bin...
I: Configuring ncurses-bin...
I: Configuring libacl1:amd64...
I: Configuring libunistring2:amd64...
I: Configuring libsmartcols1:amd64...
I: Configuring libgcrypt20:amd64...
I: Configuring zlib1g:amd64...
I: Configuring libffi6:amd64...
I: Configuring libidn2-0:amd64...
I: Configuring libcom-err2:amd64...
I: Configuring diffutils...
I: Configuring libseccomp2:amd64...
I: Configuring libsystemd0:amd64...
I: Configuring hostname...
I: Configuring libpcre3:amd64...
I: Configuring libcap-ng0:amd64...
I: Configuring libext2fs2:amd64...
I: Configuring libgmp10:amd64...
I: Configuring libp11-kit0:amd64...
I: Configuring libaudit1:amd64...
I: Configuring libuuid1:amd64...
I: Configuring libss2:amd64...
I: Configuring libncursesw6:amd64...
I: Configuring libnettle6:amd64...
I: Configuring gpgv...
I: Configuring libblkid1:amd64...
I: Configuring libstdc++6:amd64...
I: Configuring bsdutils...
I: Configuring libhogweed4:amd64...
I: Configuring e2fsprogs...
I: Configuring libselinux1:amd64...
I: Configuring libgnutls30:amd64...
I: Configuring sed...
I: Configuring libfdisk1:amd64...
I: Configuring findutils...
I: Configuring libmount1:amd64...
I: Configuring libapt-pkg5.0:amd64...
I: Configuring libsemanage1:amd64...
I: Configuring tar...
I: Configuring coreutils...
I: Configuring fdisk...
I: Configuring dpkg...
I: Configuring grep...
I: Configuring perl-base...
I: Configuring init-system-helpers...
I: Configuring gzip...
I: Configuring debconf...
I: Configuring tzdata...
I: Configuring libpam0g:amd64...
I: Configuring dash...
I: Configuring libpam-modules-bin...
I: Configuring libpam-modules:amd64...
I: Configuring passwd...
I: Configuring libpam-runtime...
I: Configuring login...
I: Configuring adduser...
I: Configuring apt...
I: Configuring util-linux...
I: Configuring mount...
I: Configuring sysvinit-utils...
I: Configuring libc-bin...
I: Unpacking the base system...
I: Unpacking ca-certificates...
I: Unpacking libssl1.1:amd64...
I: Unpacking openssl...
I: Configuring the base system...
I: Configuring libssl1.1:amd64...
I: Configuring openssl...
I: Configuring ca-certificates...
I: Configuring libc-bin...
I: Configuring ca-certificates...
I: Base system installed successfully.

We can see the install was only 204M