Getting started with Parrot Linux: this section takes you from choosing an image to a working system. Follow the steps in order for a first installation on a real computer, or jump to the virtual machine and container guides if you only want to try Parrot without touching your disk.
A typical first installation looks like this: check that your hardware is suitable, pick an edition, verify the download, write it to a USB drive, boot from it and run the installer. Each step has its own guide below.
1. Before you download
- System requirements: CPU, memory and disk needed for the current 7.x releases.
- Which Parrot Edition to Download: How the editions and image formats differ, and which one to pick.
- Verify the Parrot ISO: Check the hashes and the GPG signature of an image before you use it.
2. Create the boot media and start it
- How to create a Parrot USB drive: Write the ISO to a USB drive with Etcher, ROSA ImageWriter or dd.
- The ISO Formats: What an ISO file is and how it is written to a USB drive.
- System boot: Boot the computer from the install media and understand the boot menu.
3. Install
- Install Parrot Linux: Step-by-step installation with the graphical Calamares installer.
- Debian Installer: Walk-through of the text-based Debian installer.
- Dual-boot Parrot Linux with Windows: Install Parrot next to Windows: preparation, partitioning and GRUB.
Virtual machines and containers
- Installing Parrot Linux on VirtualBox: Import the prebuilt image or create a VirtualBox VM and install from the ISO.
- Introduction to Virtualbox Guest Additions: Shared clipboard, shared folders and display resizing in a VirtualBox guest.
- Docker images for Parrot OS: The Parrot container images and how to start them.
- General usage on Docker: Everyday Docker commands with Parrot containers: start, stop, volumes and ports.
- Parrot on QubesOS: Run Parrot as an HVM or as a template under Qubes OS.
Something not working? See Troubleshooting. Once the system is installed, continue with Using Parrot.