Arch Linux vs Kali Linux

Overview

Arch Linux

Stacks562

Followers555

Votes108

Kali Linux

Stacks259

Followers381

Votes25

Arch Linux vs Kali Linux: What are the differences?

Introduction

Arch Linux and Kali Linux are both popular Linux distributions that cater to different user needs. While Arch Linux focuses on simplicity, customization, and bleeding-edge software, Kali Linux is specifically designed for penetration testing and digital forensics. Here are the key differences between Arch Linux and Kali Linux:

Target audience: Arch Linux is primarily aimed at experienced Linux users who prefer a do-it-yourself approach to system configuration and maintenance. It is highly customizable and provides more control over the system. On the other hand, Kali Linux is tailored for cybersecurity professionals and enthusiasts who require a specialized operating system for penetration testing and security auditing.
Software repositories: Arch Linux follows a rolling-release model, which means that updates are constantly released and users can always have the latest software versions. Its software repositories, known as the Arch User Repository (AUR), contain a vast collection of community-contributed packages. In contrast, Kali Linux focuses on stability and security and does not follow a rolling-release model. Its software repositories contain a curated set of tools specific to security testing and forensics.
Installation process: Arch Linux has a unique installation process that involves manually configuring and installing individual packages. It provides a bare-bones system that users can customize according to their preferences. In contrast, Kali Linux offers a user-friendly installer that includes preconfigured tools and sets up the system for security testing out of the box.
Default desktop environment: Arch Linux does not provide a default desktop environment; users have the freedom to choose and configure their preferred desktop environment or window manager. This gives users full control over their system's look and feel. On the other hand, Kali Linux comes with the GNOME desktop environment by default. While it can be customized, the focus remains on security tools rather than aesthetics.
Documentation and community support: Arch Linux has an extensive and well-documented wiki that provides detailed instructions on various topics. It also has an active and knowledgeable community that can offer support and help with troubleshooting. Kali Linux, on the other hand, has a dedicated forum and documentation specifically focused on security testing and forensics. While it may not have as vast a community as Arch Linux, it caters to its target audience effectively.
Main purpose: Arch Linux aims to provide a minimalist and lightweight Linux distribution that gives users complete control over their system. It is suitable for advanced users who enjoy the process of building and customizing their Linux environment. On the other hand, Kali Linux is designed to be a specialized operating system for security testing, penetration testing, and digital forensics. It comes bundled with a wide range of preinstalled security tools and utilities that aid in ethical hacking and security research.

In summary, Arch Linux is a versatile and highly customizable Linux distribution suitable for experienced users who prefer a hands-on approach. Kali Linux, on the other hand, is specifically designed for professionals and enthusiasts in the field of cybersecurity, providing a preconfigured environment with an extensive set of security tools.

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Advice on Arch Linux, Kali Linux

Simon

Developer Advocate at k6 / Load Impact

Mar 7, 2020

Decided

At the moment of the decision, my desktop was the primary place I did work. Due to this, I can't have it blow up on me while I work. While Arch is interesting and powerful, Ubuntu offers (at least for me) a lot more stability and lets me focus on other things than maintaining my own OS installation.

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Detailed Comparison

Arch Linux	Kali Linux
A lightweight and flexible Linux distribution that tries to Keep It Simple.	It is a Debian-based Linux distribution aimed at advanced Penetration Testing and Security Auditing. It contains several hundred tools which are geared towards various information security tasks, such as Penetration Testing, Security research, Computer Forensics and Reverse Engineering.
-	Advanced Penetration Testing Distribution; More than 600 penetration testing tools included; FHS compliant; Custom kernel, patched for injection
Statistics
Stacks 562	Stacks 259
Followers 555	Followers 381
Votes 108	Votes 25
Pros & Cons
Pros 17 Large Community 15 Package Manager 13 Customizable 12 Rolling Release 11 Arch User Repository Cons 4 Systemd only 3 Only X86_64 architecture is offically supported 1 Comparatively fewer offically supported packages 1 No Guided Installation 1 Unstable	Pros 8 Has many penetration testing tools 8 Penetration testing tools are pre-installed 5 Runs on both x86 and ARM platforms 3 Its just debian so it has better support 1 There's no restrictions Cons 3 Packages are too large in size as compare to alpine 3 Wireless driver issues on some systems 3 Outdated versions of common packages 2 Root GUI setup is a potential security hole
Integrations
No integrations available	VirtualBox MySQL Slack

What are some alternatives to Arch Linux, Kali Linux?

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’. It also means ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.

Debian

Debian systems currently use the Linux kernel or the FreeBSD kernel. Linux is a piece of software started by Linus Torvalds and supported by thousands of programmers worldwide. FreeBSD is an operating system including a kernel and other software.

Fedora

Fedora is a Linux-based operating system that provides users with access to the latest free and open source software, in a stable, secure and easy to manage form. Fedora is the largest of many free software creations of the Fedora Project. Because of its predominance, the word "Fedora" is often used interchangeably to mean both the Fedora Project and the Fedora operating system.

Linux Mint

The purpose of Linux Mint is to produce a modern, elegant and comfortable operating system which is both powerful and easy to use.

CentOS

The CentOS Project is a community-driven free software effort focused on delivering a robust open source ecosystem. For users, we offer a consistent manageable platform that suits a wide variety of deployments. For open source communities, we offer a solid, predictable base to build upon, along with extensive resources to build, test, release, and maintain their code.

Linux

A clone of the operating system Unix, written from scratch by Linus Torvalds with assistance from a loosely-knit team of hackers across the Net. It aims towards POSIX and Single UNIX Specification compliance.

CoreOS

It is designed for security, consistency, and reliability. Instead of installing packages via yum or apt, it uses Linux containers to manage your services at a higher level of abstraction. A single service's code and all dependencies are packaged within a container that can be run on one or many machines.

Gentoo Linux

It is a free operating system based on either Linux or FreeBSD that can be automatically optimized and customized for just about any application or need.

Alpine Linux

Alpine Linux is a security-oriented, lightweight Linux distribution based on musl libc and busybox.

Manjaro

It is an accessible, friendly, open-source Linux distribution and community. Based on Arch Linux, it provides all the benefits of cutting-edge software combined with a focus on getting started quickly, automated tools to require less manual intervention, and help readily available when needed.

Related Comparisons

Arch Linux vs Kali Linux: What are the differences?

Introduction

Target audience: Arch Linux is primarily aimed at experienced Linux users who prefer a do-it-yourself approach to system configuration and maintenance. It is highly customizable and provides more control over the system. On the other hand, Kali Linux is tailored for cybersecurity professionals and enthusiasts who require a specialized operating system for penetration testing and security auditing.
Software repositories: Arch Linux follows a rolling-release model, which means that updates are constantly released and users can always have the latest software versions. Its software repositories, known as the Arch User Repository (AUR), contain a vast collection of community-contributed packages. In contrast, Kali Linux focuses on stability and security and does not follow a rolling-release model. Its software repositories contain a curated set of tools specific to security testing and forensics.
Installation process: Arch Linux has a unique installation process that involves manually configuring and installing individual packages. It provides a bare-bones system that users can customize according to their preferences. In contrast, Kali Linux offers a user-friendly installer that includes preconfigured tools and sets up the system for security testing out of the box.
Default desktop environment: Arch Linux does not provide a default desktop environment; users have the freedom to choose and configure their preferred desktop environment or window manager. This gives users full control over their system's look and feel. On the other hand, Kali Linux comes with the GNOME desktop environment by default. While it can be customized, the focus remains on security tools rather than aesthetics.
Documentation and community support: Arch Linux has an extensive and well-documented wiki that provides detailed instructions on various topics. It also has an active and knowledgeable community that can offer support and help with troubleshooting. Kali Linux, on the other hand, has a dedicated forum and documentation specifically focused on security testing and forensics. While it may not have as vast a community as Arch Linux, it caters to its target audience effectively.
Main purpose: Arch Linux aims to provide a minimalist and lightweight Linux distribution that gives users complete control over their system. It is suitable for advanced users who enjoy the process of building and customizing their Linux environment. On the other hand, Kali Linux is designed to be a specialized operating system for security testing, penetration testing, and digital forensics. It comes bundled with a wide range of preinstalled security tools and utilities that aid in ethical hacking and security research.

Arch Linux vs Kali Linux

Overview

Arch Linux vs Kali Linux: What are the differences?