build-essential

This metapackage fetches a basic development kit for software on a debian-based system. Here's dkg installing it on metis:

[dkg@metis ~]$ sudo apt-get install build-essential
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  binutils dpkg-dev g++ g++-4.0 gcc gcc-4.0 libc6-dev libstdc++6-4.0-dev linux-kernel-headers make
Suggested packages:
  binutils-doc debian-keyring gcc-4.0-doc lib64stdc++6 manpages-dev autoconf automake1.9 libtool flex bison gcc-doc gcc-4.0-locales libc6-dev-amd64 lib64gcc1
  glibc-doc libstdc++6-4.0-doc stl-manual
Recommended packages:
  libmudflap0-dev
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  binutils build-essential dpkg-dev g++ g++-4.0 gcc gcc-4.0 libc6-dev libstdc++6-4.0-dev linux-kernel-headers make
0 upgraded, 11 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/10.2MB of archives.
After unpacking 41.9MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? 

Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously deselected package binutils.
(Reading database ... 61045 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking binutils (from .../binutils_2.16.1-2ubuntu6_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package linux-kernel-headers.
Unpacking linux-kernel-headers (from .../linux-kernel-headers_2.6.11.2-0ubuntu13_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libc6-dev.
Unpacking libc6-dev (from .../libc6-dev_2.3.5-1ubuntu12_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package gcc-4.0.
Unpacking gcc-4.0 (from .../gcc-4.0_4.0.1-4ubuntu9_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package gcc.
Unpacking gcc (from .../gcc_4%3a4.0.1-3_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libstdc++6-4.0-dev.
Unpacking libstdc++6-4.0-dev (from .../libstdc++6-4.0-dev_4.0.1-4ubuntu9_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package g++-4.0.
Unpacking g++-4.0 (from .../g++-4.0_4.0.1-4ubuntu9_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package g++.
Unpacking g++ (from .../g++_4%3a4.0.1-3_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package make.
Unpacking make (from .../archives/make_3.80-9_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package dpkg-dev.
Unpacking dpkg-dev (from .../dpkg-dev_1.13.10ubuntu4_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package build-essential.
Unpacking build-essential (from .../build-essential_11.1_i386.deb) ...
Setting up binutils (2.16.1-2ubuntu6) ...

Setting up linux-kernel-headers (2.6.11.2-0ubuntu13) ...
Setting up libc6-dev (2.3.5-1ubuntu12) ...
Setting up gcc-4.0 (4.0.1-4ubuntu9) ...
Setting up gcc (4.0.1-3) ...

Setting up make (3.80-9) ...

Setting up dpkg-dev (1.13.10ubuntu4) ...
Setting up libstdc++6-4.0-dev (4.0.1-4ubuntu9) ...
Setting up g++-4.0 (4.0.1-4ubuntu9) ...
Setting up g++ (4.0.1-3) ...

Setting up build-essential (11.1) ...
[dkg@metis ~]$ 

it's also useful to install devscripts and fakeroot:

[dkg@metis ~]$ sudo apt-get install devscripts fakeroot 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Suggested packages:
  devscripts-el cvs-buildpackage debian-keyring dupload dput gnuplot libtimedate-perl libwww-perl lintian linda patchutils ssh wdiff
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  devscripts fakeroot
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/375kB of archives.
After unpacking 1282kB of additional disk space will be used.

Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously deselected package devscripts.
(Reading database ... 63168 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking devscripts (from .../devscripts_2.9.4_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package fakeroot.
Unpacking fakeroot (from .../fakeroot_1.5.1ubuntu2_i386.deb) ...
Setting up devscripts (2.9.4) ...

Setting up fakeroot (1.5.1ubuntu2) ...

[dkg@metis ~]$