Parrot OS vs. Kali Linux Well, when we talk about the Linux OS, let me clarify that it is one ofthe moste well-knowS among developers and security hackers. But apart from this, today here in this article we will just talk about ParrotOSvs.s Kali Linux.
First of all, let me clarify that I have already practised both ParrotOS and Kali Linux operating systems for my work and pen testing work. And I can say that Linux has a varied selection of patterns accessible in the industry.
While Kali Linux is the most well-known pattern used by most security experts and penetration testers,Parrot Security’s operating system is considerably cloud-friendly and consists of ethical hacking, pen testing, and other computer crime work. So, compared to other Linux distributions, ParrotOS is quite lightweight.
Therefore, Kali has put different accents on the pattern of updates, while various cybersecurity penetration tests have also been showcased around the world.
So, in this article, we will distinguish Kali Linux from ParrotOS and see which operating system is suitable for ethical hacking. So now, without wasting much time, let’s get started and just explore the whole article.
Parrot OS versus Kali Linux
ParrotOS
Parrot OS is a free and open-source GNU/Linux distro based on Debian Testing, designed for security experts, developers, and privacy-conscious people. So when I talk about “Debian-based,” it means that the code containers adhere to Debian development models.
It contains a fully portable IT security and digital forensics arsenal. Yet it also contains everything you need to develop your programmes or protect your privacy while browsing the Internet. So the operating system comes with the Mate desktop wallpaper pre-installed and can be accessed in different classes to suit your requirements.
Simultaneously, with hundreds of pre-installed tools, you get the chance to work and surf the Web unidentified. So fundamentally, we can assume that it is a mix of Kali Linux and Frozen Box OS. So, this operating system uses the Kali repository for updating its devices and additionally has its own repository for collecting custom packages.
Features of parrots:
Free: Well, ParrotOS is free and open-source, so you can view the source code and modify it to your liking.
Lightweight: The ParrotOS operating system has proven to be remarkably lightweight, and it performs admirably even on older devices or with limited resources.
Secure: Well, ParrotOS is always updated, released most of the time, and completely sandboxed.
KaliLinux
As we said earlier, Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distro that focuses on venerable penetration testing and security checks.
Kali includes more than 600 pre-installed tools equipped with various data security tasks such as penetration testing, security research, computer forensics, web application testing, and reverse engineering. In addition, Kali Linux is produced and managed by Offensive Security, a leading and well-known information security training organization.
Features of Kali Linux:
Free: It’s free to use, like BackTrack, and we’ll never have to pay for Kali Linux.
Over 600 Penetration Testing Tools Covered: It shows up with several penetration testing tools from the installation itself, after analysing each tool involved in BackTrack.
Multilingual Help: Penetration aids should be written in English to enhance the practise of non-English users. So Kali includes an accurate multi-lingual guide, allowing more users to act in their regional language and determine the tools they need for the job.
Fully Customizable: The original design of Kali Linux is not up to date, as the look and feel are not that good. So to get around that problem, Kali has made it as easy as possible for our more adventurous users to customise Kali Linux to their liking.
Wide Support of Wireless Devices: A constant bottleneck with Linux distributions is the adoption of wireless interfaces. Thus, Kali Linux holds on to as many wireless devices as possible, allowing it to work properly on a wide variety of hardware and making it harmonious with various USB and other wireless devices.
Custom kernel, capped for injection As penetration testers, we usually need to do wireless evaluations and tests, so our kernel has the most advanced injection applications.
Here are some of the best Kali Linux courses.
Kali Linux versus ParrotOS
Well, after analysing both operating systems, we can say that both operating systems are intended for similar purposes, such as cyber security and penetration testing. Therefore, most of the determining factors in such cases come down to a matter of individual taste rather than an accurate comparison before we start analysing ParrotOS vs. Kali Linux.
Hardware Requirements Comparison:
The hardware specification is something that we usually overlook, mainly because we understand that our systems are much more influential than computers with the lowest hardware specifications.
Therefore, Parrot needs lower-spec hardware compared to Kali, which indicates that it can be used on laptops and low-powered computers.
So this is one of the reasons why I prefer ParrotOS over Kali Linux, but I like both and apply both. As I said, it’s never about which OS or tool you use; it all depends on your skills.
Parrot Operating System:
- No graphics acceleration is required.
- A minimum of 320 MB of RAM is required.
- A minimum 1GHz dual-core CPU is required.
- It can boot in both legacy and UEFI forms.
- A minimum of 16 GB of disk space is required to install the operating system.
KALILINUX:-
- Graphics acceleration is required.
- A minimum of 1GB of RAM is required.
- A minimum 1GHz dual-core CPU is required.
- It can also boot in both legacy and UEFI forms.
- A minimum of 20 GB of hard disk space is required to install the operating system.
Comparison of look and feel
When it comes to operating systems, I often prefer fancy ParrotOS over Kali Linux because ParrotOS interfaces are made using the Ubuntu-Matte-Desktop environment. So there are two different sections.
At the top, you will see a panel with the applications, places, and system, which looks a lot like Kali itself. For example, ParrotOS also provides excellent CPU heat information along with a usage graph. So the lower pane contains the menu manager and the workstation manager.
comparison of variations
Well, both operating systems come in a variety of variations, but Parrot OS has many more.
KALILINUX:-
- Kali Lite-editie
- Kali complete edition
- Kali Armhf/Armel (IoT devices)
- Kali desktop variant (e17/KDE/Xfce)
PARROT OPERATING SYSTEM:
- Lite-edition Parrot Sec. OS
- Full version of Parrot Sec OS
- Air Edition of the Parrot Sec OS
- Studio Edition of Parrot Sec.
As we can see, Parrot has a number of different features, with one focused on wireless penetration testing (AIR) and another geared towards multimedia content creation (Studio). So it also has releases with cloud support and support for IoT devices. because it provides both standard full and lite editions, as well as custom desktop interfaces (e17/KDE/Matter/LXDE).Furthermore, Kali also has support for cloud and IoT devices.
Comparison of performance
Talking about the performance, Kali is a bit laggy, and if you run it on a low-end system, it’s sometimes a horror experience when you have a brute force in the background and you make something different. But Parrot is very lightweight and not much behind as it also runs on low-spec systems.
Conclusion
Basically, here in this article, we have tried our best to make you understand the topic of Parrot OS vs. Kali Linux, so we hope you have a good idea about Parrot Security Operating System and Kali Linux as we have explained pretty much everything across both operating systems in a specific way.
But choosing an operating system depends on your taste and preferences. If you have a low-spec system, then we highly recommend going with Parrot OS, and if you want to explore more tools and experience an advanced environment, then you can choose Kali Linux.
So what do you think of this? Just share all your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below. And if you liked this post, don’t forget to share it with your friends, family, and on your social media profiles.