Kali Linux vs. Parrot OS: Which security-forward distro is right for you?

A report from Zdnet says Kali Linux and Parrot OS are Debian-based distributions geared toward penetration testing, and that only Parrot offers an option intended for general-purpose use. Kali Linux is built specifically for penetration testing and includes a security-focused, regularly patched kernel, choices of GNOME, KDE Plasma, and Xfce desktops, and more than 600 preinstalled tools for information gathering, vulnerability analysis, wireless attacks, web application testing, forensics, and reverse engineering.

It can run from a USB stick with session saving and encryption, supports building tailored ISOs and ARM hardware, and is maintained by Offensive Security. Parrot OS is available in Security and Home editions: Security is geared toward pentesting, while Home is a general-purpose OS with added privacy features.