Core
Parrot is based on Debian's "stable" branch, with a Linux 6.1 kernel. It follows a LTS development model. [3]
The desktop environment is MATE, and the default display manager is LightDM. [4] [5]
The system is certified to run on devices which have a minimum of 256MB of RAM, and it is suitable for both 32-bit (i386) and 64-bit (amd64) processor architectures. [6] Moreover, the project is available for ARMv7 (armhf) architectures.
In June 2017, the Parrot Team announced they were considering to change from Debian to Devuan, mainly because of problems with systemd. [7]
As of January 21st, 2019, the Parrot team has begun to phase out the development of their 32-bit (i386) ISO. [8]
In August 2020, the Parrot OS officially supports Lightweight Xfce Desktop. [9]
Editions
Parrot has multiple editions that are based upon Debian, with various desktop environments available. [10]
Home Edition
Parrot OS Home Edition is the base edition of Parrot designed for daily use, and it targets regular users who need a "lightweight" system on their laptops or workstations.
The distribution is useful for daily work. Parrot Home also includes programs to chat privately with people, encrypt documents, or browse the internet anonymously. The system can also be used as a starting point to build a system with a custom set of security tools.
Parrot ARM
Parrot ARM is a lightweight Parrot release for embedded systems. It is currently available for Raspberry Pi devices.
Parrot Architect & IoT
ParrotOS with nothing pre-installed. It allows for any software and desktop environment chosen by the user.
A Linux distribution is an operating system that includes the Linux kernel for its kernel functionality. Although the name does not imply product distribution per se, a distro, if distributed on its own, is often obtained via a website intended specifically for the purpose. Distros have been designed for a wide variety of systems ranging from personal computers to servers and from embedded devices to supercomputers.
Xfce or XFCE is a free and open-source desktop environment for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems.
Slax is a LiveCD Linux distribution developed by Tomáš Matějíček and based on upstream customizable Linux distributions. Packages can be added by apt package manager or can be prepared as modules. The tagline for Slax refers to itself as "your pocket operating system".
SystemRescue is a Linux distribution for x86-64 and IA-32 computers. The primary purpose of SystemRescue is to repair unbootable or otherwise damaged computer systems after a system crash. SystemRescue is not intended to be used as a permanent operating system. It runs from a Live CD, a USB flash drive or any type of hard drive. It was designed by a team led by François Dupoux, and is based on Arch Linux since version 6.0. Starting with version 6.0, it has systemd as its init system.
Kanotix, also referred to as KANOTIX, is an operating system based on Debian, with advanced hardware detection. It can run from an optical disc drive or other media i.e. USB-stick without using a hard disk drive.
A light-weight Linux distribution is one that uses lower memory and/or has less processor-speed requirements than a more "feature-rich" Linux distribution. The lower demands on hardware ideally result in a more responsive machine, and/or allow devices with fewer system resources to be used productively. The lower memory and/or processor-speed requirements are achieved by avoiding software bloat, i.e. by leaving out features that are perceived to have little or no practical use or advantage, or for which there is no or low demand.
LXDE was a free desktop environment with comparatively low resource requirements. This makes it especially suitable for use on older or resource-constrained personal computers such as netbooks or system on a chip computers.
xB Machine is a discontinued virtual operating system that is small enough to fit on a USB drive. The last version seems to have been 0.9.1.5 in mid-2008. It brought a secure computing environment that anonymized all internet activity, and had portable encrypted file storage. It had been developed and offered by XeroBank and based on a modified Gentoo Linux distribution. It could be executed as a virtual machine through a QEMU hypervisor, VMWare, VirtualBox, and any other major virtualization system. It could also be booted from on USB or burned to CD for booting. Virtualization, along with the native implementation of a Tor onion routing for internet connectivity and other encryption and privacy tools, had been utilized to increase the security and anonymity of the user. The developers claimed that it is the most secure operating system in the world and that the technology involved is highly resistant to hacking and spying, even in the most hostile environments. The details and transactions inside each xB Machine account were protected with 256-bit AES encryption. The software also had a self-destruct sequence for eliminating any traces that a user may have left behind on the drivespace after using xB Machine. Meanwhile, Xerobank offers a modular package with xB Browser, xB Mail, and xB VPN, parts of it running only for customers of the bank.
Bharat Operating System Solutions is an Indian Linux distribution based on Debian. Its latest stable version is 10.0 (Pragya), which was released in March 2024.
Salix OS is a multi-purpose Linux distribution based on Slackware.
Peppermint OS is a Linux distribution based on Debian and Devuan Stable, and formerly based on Ubuntu. It uses the Xfce desktop environment. It aims to provide a familiar environment for newcomers to Linux, which requires relatively low hardware resources to run.
Tails, or "The Amnesic Incognito Live System", is a security-focused Debian-based Linux distribution aimed at preserving privacy and anonymity against surveillance. It connects to the Internet exclusively through the anonymity network Tor. The system is designed to be booted as a live DVD or live USB and never writes to the hard drive or SSD, leaving no digital footprint on the machine unless explicitly told to do so. It can also be run as a virtual machine, with some additional security risks.
Solus is an independently developed operating system for the x86-64 architecture based on the Linux kernel and a choice of Budgie, GNOME, KDE Plasma or Xfce as the desktop environment. Its package manager, eopkg, is based on the PiSi package management system from Pardus Linux, and it has a semi-rolling release model, with new package updates landing in the stable repository every Friday. The developers of Solus have stated that Solus was intended exclusively for use on personal computers and will not include software that is only useful in enterprise or server environments.
Whonix is a Linux distribution, based on Kicksecure OS, claimed to be security hardened by its developers.
HandyLinux is a simplified Linux operating system developed in France, derived from the Debian stable branch. It was designed to be easily accessible and downloadable, so that it could be used by people with very little computer experience and on a range of older hardware that was no longer supported by the latest versions of proprietary operating systems. It was particularly aimed at older people with dated hardware who do not need nor possess the skill to use many features afforded by state-of-the-art operating systems.
Devuan is a fork of the Debian Linux distribution that uses sysvinit, runit or OpenRC instead of systemd. Devuan aims to avoid "lock-in" by projects like systemd and aims to maintain compatibility with other init systems to avoid detaching Linux from other Unix systems.
SparkyLinux is a desktop-oriented operating system based on the Debian operating system. The project offers a ready to use operating system with various desktops to choose from. SparkyLinux is released 3-4 times per year to provide the latest versions of all applications.
MX Linux is a Linux distribution based on Debian stable and using core antiX components, with additional software created or packaged by the MX community. The development of MX Linux is a collaborative effort between the antiX and former MEPIS communities. The MX name comes from the "M" in MEPIS and the "X" in antiX — an acknowledgment of their roots. The community's stated goal is to produce "a family of operating systems that are designed to combine elegant and efficient desktops with high stability and solid performance".
Linux Kodachi is a derivative of Ubuntu 18.04.6 focused on computer security, countering forensics and enabling anonymous browsing with minimized command-line usage designed by Warith Al Maawali. It is a Live distribution and can be operated directly from a USB drive or DVD, but can be installed on any compatible drive if needed.
