Kali vs Parrot: Which is Better For Ethical Hacking?

Which is the best operating system for ethical hackers? This is a question that has been asked time and time again. While many people automatically assume that Kali is the clear winner, others believe that Parrot is a more powerful choice. In this blog post, we will take a look at both operating systems(Kali vs Parrot) and compare their features so that you can make an informed decision about which one to choose.

What’s Kali Linux?

Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution aimed at advanced users and security professionals. It is designed for penetration testing, digital forensics, and system administration.

Kali contains over 600 preinstalled open source tools that are geared towards various information security tasks, such as vulnerability scanning, exploit development, sniffing Wi-Fi passwords, and so on.

The distribution also ships with a custom kernel that includes enhancements specifically for security auditing and forensic investigations.

What’s Parrot OS?

Parrot OS is also a Debian-based security distribution designed for penetration testing, forensic investigations, and privacy protection.

It can be run on the removable media of the BlueBox ParrotBox or a live CD. The operating system can also be installed on hard disks and SSDs.

Similarities Between Kali and Parrot

Kali and Parrot share some similarities, which is why both are used for penetration testing. They are both Linux distributions that come with a large number of security tools preinstalled.

Additionally, they can be easily customized and offer a lot of flexibility. However, there are also some key differences between the two.

Kali is Debian-based and geared more towards security professionals, while Parrot(Home Edition) is based on Ubuntu and designed for use by everyone, even beginners. Parrot also comes with a huge number of tools than Kali.

Differences Between Kali and Parrot

Both Kali and Parrot are used for penetration testing. But Kali is recommended by most of the users because of its some functionalities that are not available in Parrot like the default root user, system requirements(will talk about it in detail), etc.

System Requirements: Kali vs Parrot

Kali and Parrot share some similarities, which is why both are used for penetration testing. They are both Linux distributions that come with a large number of security tools preinstalled. Additionally, they can be easily customized and offer a lot of flexibility.

Kali needs a minimum of 2GB RAM but 4GB RAM is recommended.

Parrot OS needs a minimum of 1GB RAM but 4GB RAM will be more than enough.

User Interface: Kali vs Parrot

The user interface is the key to the success of any software. People interact with the user interface more than any other part of the software. The bad design of the user interface can lead to frustration and a bad impression on users.

Good user interface design, on the other hand, can make users happy and satisfied.

User Interface Of Kali

The user interface of Kali is very difficult to understand for beginners. Most of the work in Kali is done using a terminal which is not convenient for beginners.

User Interface of Parrot OS

The user interface of Parrot OS is easy to use as compared to Kali’s user interface. There’s even a home edition of Parrot OS for beginners to get familiar with the user interface of Parrot OS.

Community Support: Kali vs Parrot

Community support for Kali is very huge than Parrot because many people use Kali that’s why many people had faced the same problem that you’re facing years ago and their answers are on the community forums.

For General Use

Mostly Debian-based operating systems are not recommended for general use like office work, web surfing, etc. But even if anyone wants to use them for daily use then Parrot is more preferable because it has built-in tools like IDEs, Libre Office and it also has a beautiful UI than Kali.

For General use Linux based operating systems like Ubuntu and Zorin are recommended.

Build Approach

Both Kali and Parrot are made for penetration testing but the building approach of both operating systems is very different.

Build Approach of Kali

Build approach of Kali is offensive penetration testing if you want to hack into a system, for assessment, security Kali is recommended.

Build Approach of Parrot OS

The build approach of Parrot OS is security. It mainly focuses on the user’s privacy and security it comes with a built-in TOR(The Onion Router) Browser which helps you to be anonymous online.

Performance: Kali vs Parrot

In the aspect of performance Parrot beats Kali. A parrot is a very lightweight operating system you can run all tools and software very smoothly without any lag.

While Kali needs more system resources to run smoothly but still Kali lags a little bit if you don’t have a high-end PC.

Does Operating System Really Matter?

The answer to this question is very complicated it’s yes and no. If you have skills you can do penetration testing in any operating system. But if you don’t have skills then you can’t do anything in any operating system.

Conclusion

A clear answer to this question is that which is better(Kali vs Parrot) is not possible. Both operating systems are Debian-based and have their own pros and cons.

It totally depends on you what you want to use and what is easy to use for you. Parrot is a little smoother than Kali because it’s very lightweight. Parrot also comes with more tools than Kali Linux.

So what do you think which one is better in the case of Kali vs Parrot? Let us know in the comments below.