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 ~]$