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  4. Operating Systems
  5. Kali Linux vs Void Linux

Kali Linux vs Void Linux

OverviewComparisonAlternatives

Overview

Kali Linux
Kali Linux
Stacks259
Followers381
Votes25
Void Linux
Void Linux
Stacks24
Followers29
Votes12

Kali Linux vs Void Linux: What are the differences?

Kali Linux and Void Linux are two popular Linux distributions that cater to different needs and preferences of users. Below are the key differences between Kali Linux and Void Linux:

1. **Purpose of Distribution**: Kali Linux is focused on cybersecurity and ethical hacking, providing a wide range of tools and utilities for penetration testing and digital forensics. On the other hand, Void Linux is a general-purpose operating system that offers a lightweight and minimalistic approach for advanced users who prefer to customize their system from the ground up.
2. **Package Management**: Kali Linux uses the Debian package management system, while Void Linux utilizes the XBPS package manager. Debian's package management is known for its reliability and vast repository of software packages, whereas XBPS is designed for simplicity and efficiency, allowing users to build packages from source easily.
3. **Init System**: Kali Linux uses the traditional SysV init system by default, with an option to switch to systemd. In contrast, Void Linux uses runit as its init system, known for its simplicity, robustness, and ease of management of system services.
4. **Community Support**: Kali Linux has a large community of cybersecurity professionals, researchers, and enthusiasts who actively contribute to the development and maintenance of the distribution. On the other hand, Void Linux has a smaller yet dedicated community focused on providing a fast, secure, and reliable Linux distribution.
5. **Version Release Cycle**: Kali Linux follows a rolling release model, which means that users receive continuous updates and new features without the need to reinstall the operating system. Void Linux follows a more traditional release model with periodic stable releases, providing users with a stable and well-tested system.
6. **Default Desktop Environment**: Kali Linux comes with the GNOME desktop environment as its default choice, offering a familiar and user-friendly interface for beginners and advanced users alike. Void Linux, on the other hand, is designed to be lightweight and customizable, allowing users to choose their preferred desktop environment or window manager upon installation.

In Summary, Kali Linux is tailored for cybersecurity professionals with its focus on penetration testing and digital forensics, while Void Linux offers a minimalistic and customizable experience for advanced users seeking flexibility and control over their system.

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Detailed Comparison

Kali Linux
Kali Linux
Void Linux
Void Linux

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 a general purpose operating system, based on the monolithic Linux® kernel. Its package system allows you to quickly install, update and remove software; software is provided in binary packages or can be built directly from sources with the help of the XBPS source packages collection.

Advanced Penetration Testing Distribution; More than 600 penetration testing tools included; FHS compliant; Custom kernel, patched for injection
Independent distribution, developed entirely by volunteers; Install once, update daily. Your system will always be up-to-date; runit as the init system and service supervisor; First distribution to switch to LibreSSL by default, replacing OpenSSL
Statistics
Stacks
259
Stacks
24
Followers
381
Followers
29
Votes
25
Votes
12
Pros & Cons
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
    Wireless driver issues on some systems
  • 3
    Outdated versions of common packages
  • 3
    Packages are too large in size as compare to alpine
  • 2
    Root GUI setup is a potential security hole
Pros
  • 4
    Lightweight
  • 3
    Musl supporting
  • 2
    No systemd
  • 2
    Stable
  • 1
    Wayland friendly
Integrations
VirtualBox
VirtualBox
MySQL
MySQL
Slack
Slack
No integrations available

What are some alternatives to Kali Linux, Void Linux?

Ubuntu

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

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

Arch Linux

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

Fedora

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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