This post is intended for college freshmen who have little or no experience with Linux. If you are an experienced Linux user, you can safely skip it.
What is Linux?
Linux is commonly used as a collective term for all distributions, or operating systems, based on the Linux kernel. Some notable distributions are Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, and your favorite, Kali Linux.
Where may you have heard about Kali Linux?
I bet it was a friend or someone older who told you that Kali Linux can hack computers. I have seen students become obsessed with this distribution without knowing anything about Linux.
Now, “hack” is an often-misused term. Most people think it is a way to access information without proper permission. No, my friend, the term is much broader.
A hack is defined as “a tip, trick, or efficient method for doing or managing something,” or what we in India call jugaad.
Now, What Is Kali Linux?
Its website clearly states that Kali Linux is a Linux distribution aimed at advanced penetration testing and security auditing. Basically, it is a Linux distribution plus a set of tools.
Do you need it?
No, because you don’t yet know what advanced penetration testing and security auditing are. Simply installing the OS will not make you a hacker. It is not a magic wand.
Even if you want to learn Linux, it is not a good OS to start with because it is not intended for beginners or for use as a workstation. If you really want to learn Linux, start with Ubuntu, elementary OS, or Linux Mint. These are easy to set up, and their online communities are beginner-friendly.
Later, you can install all the toolsets included in Kali Linux on your current Linux OS. After some distro-hopping, you will realize that every Linux-based OS is the same at heart.