Kali Linux vs Manjaro

Overview

Kali Linux

Stacks259

Followers381

Votes25

Manjaro

Stacks154

Followers189

Votes35

Kali Linux vs Manjaro: What are the differences?

Introduction:

Kali Linux and Manjaro are both popular distributions of Linux, but they serve different purposes and have distinct features. Here, we will discuss the key differences between the two.

Purpose: Kali Linux is specifically designed for penetration testing and digital forensics. It focuses on providing tools and applications for security testing and network analysis. On the other hand, Manjaro is a user-friendly distribution that aims to provide a stable and cutting-edge Linux experience for general desktop usage.
Base Distribution: Kali Linux is based on Debian, while Manjaro is based on Arch Linux. Debian is known for its stability and extensive software repositories, while Arch Linux is known for its simplicity, flexibility, and rolling release model.
Package Management: Kali Linux uses the Debian package management system, apt, for installing and managing software packages. It has a vast collection of pre-installed tools and applications tailored for ethical hacking and security testing. Manjaro, however, uses the Arch package management system, Pacman, which provides a fast and efficient way to manage software packages in the Arch repository.
Installation Process: Kali Linux provides a straightforward installation process with predefined options for different use cases. It also offers a live system which allows users to try it out before installation. Manjaro, on the other hand, provides a user-friendly installer with multiple desktop environment options, making it easy for beginners to install and set up the system.
Desktop Environments: Kali Linux comes with the Xfce desktop environment as the default option. However, it offers different versions with alternative desktop environments like GNOME and KDE as well. Manjaro, on the other hand, provides a wide range of desktop environment options including Xfce, KDE Plasma, GNOME, Cinnamon, and more.
User Base and Support: Kali Linux is primarily used by security professionals, ethical hackers, and researchers, which has resulted in a strong community and excellent support for security-related issues. Manjaro has a larger user base and a supportive community, making it easier to find help and resources for general Linux-related issues.

In summary, Kali Linux is a specialized distribution focused on security testing and forensics, while Manjaro is a user-friendly Linux distribution aimed at providing a stable and cutting-edge desktop experience. The key differences lie in their purpose, base distribution, package management, installation process, desktop environments, and user base and support.

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Advice on Kali Linux, Manjaro

Gopi

Jun 21, 2020

Decided

I liked manjaro a lot, the huge support it has and the variety of tools it provides is just awesome. But due to its parent platform being Arch Linux it has bleeding-edge technology and that meaning, we get updated 'daily', and if we keep updating the system daily, due to the bugs in the recent updates the system sometimes used to crash, this made the OS really unstable. However, one can avoid such crashes using periodical and careful system/package updates. I now use LinuxMint which is based on Ubuntu, and this OS is completely stable with reliable(mostly tested) updates. And, since this OS is backed up by UBUNTU the concerns/questions one can encounter while using the OS can be easily rectified using the UBUNTU community, which is pretty good. Though this is backed up on UBUNTU it most certainly does NOT include the proprietary stuff of UBUNTU, which is on the bright side of the OS. That's it! Happy Computing.

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Comments

Detailed Comparison

Kali Linux	Manjaro
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.	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.
Advanced Penetration Testing Distribution; More than 600 penetration testing tools included; FHS compliant; Custom kernel, patched for injection	-
Statistics
Stacks 259	Stacks 154
Followers 381	Followers 189
Votes 25	Votes 35
Pros & Cons
Pros 8 Penetration testing tools are pre-installed 8 Has many penetration testing tools 5 Runs on both x86 and ARM platforms 3 Its just debian so it has better support 1 There's no restrictions Cons 3 Wireless driver issues on some systems 3 Packages are too large in size as compare to alpine 3 Outdated versions of common packages 2 Root GUI setup is a potential security hole	Pros 9 Good for beginners 8 AUR is huge 6 Very stable 5 Friendly community 3 Pacman is very fast Cons 6 Would you give your grandma linux? 3 Occasional freezes if wrongly configured 2 Not highly stable 1 High data requirement frequently
Integrations
VirtualBox MySQL Slack	No integrations available

What are some alternatives to Kali Linux, Manjaro?

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.

Arch Linux

A lightweight and flexible Linux distribution that tries to Keep It Simple.

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.

Related Comparisons

Kali Linux vs Manjaro: What are the differences?

Introduction:

Kali Linux and Manjaro are both popular distributions of Linux, but they serve different purposes and have distinct features. Here, we will discuss the key differences between the two.

Purpose: Kali Linux is specifically designed for penetration testing and digital forensics. It focuses on providing tools and applications for security testing and network analysis. On the other hand, Manjaro is a user-friendly distribution that aims to provide a stable and cutting-edge Linux experience for general desktop usage.
Base Distribution: Kali Linux is based on Debian, while Manjaro is based on Arch Linux. Debian is known for its stability and extensive software repositories, while Arch Linux is known for its simplicity, flexibility, and rolling release model.
Package Management: Kali Linux uses the Debian package management system, apt, for installing and managing software packages. It has a vast collection of pre-installed tools and applications tailored for ethical hacking and security testing. Manjaro, however, uses the Arch package management system, Pacman, which provides a fast and efficient way to manage software packages in the Arch repository.
Installation Process: Kali Linux provides a straightforward installation process with predefined options for different use cases. It also offers a live system which allows users to try it out before installation. Manjaro, on the other hand, provides a user-friendly installer with multiple desktop environment options, making it easy for beginners to install and set up the system.
Desktop Environments: Kali Linux comes with the Xfce desktop environment as the default option. However, it offers different versions with alternative desktop environments like GNOME and KDE as well. Manjaro, on the other hand, provides a wide range of desktop environment options including Xfce, KDE Plasma, GNOME, Cinnamon, and more.
User Base and Support: Kali Linux is primarily used by security professionals, ethical hackers, and researchers, which has resulted in a strong community and excellent support for security-related issues. Manjaro has a larger user base and a supportive community, making it easier to find help and resources for general Linux-related issues.

Kali Linux vs Manjaro

Overview