BlackArch Linux
An ArchLinux based distribution for penetration testers and security researchers. observed · 2026-08-28
Health v2 · maintenance only
77/100
- Activity 99
- Release rhythm 35
- Longevity 100
Flags: no_releases
How is this computed?
round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10) — computed 2026-09-02. Adoption (stars, forks) is never an input.
- gap_med: n/a
- age_days: 5130
- days_rel: n/a
- days_push: 9
- n_releases_24m: 0
Adoption not part of the score
3474 stars · 674 forks observed · 2026-08-28
What it is AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, 2026-08-29, confidence not recorded
BlackArch Linux is an Arch Linux-based penetration testing distribution bundling over 2,800 security tools for penetration testers and security researchers. It can be installed as a full OS via ISO or added on top of an existing Arch installation through its package repository.
Use cases
- set up a pentesting environment with thousands of security tools
- add hacking and forensics tools to an existing Arch Linux install
- boot a live ISO for on-the-go penetration testing
- build a red team or security research workstation
- install categorized tool groups for web, network, or reverse-engineering testing
When to choose
- you are already comfortable with Arch Linux and pacman
- you want the broadest collection of security tools on a rolling-release distro
- you need a live or netinstall ISO for pentest engagements
When to avoid
- you are new to Linux or Arch and want a beginner-friendly distro
- you need a non-Arch base like Debian or Ubuntu
- you only need one or two security tools that run on your current OS
Facets
application · maturity active
security penetration-testing developer-tools cli security penetration-testing operating-systems self-hosted arch-linux pentesting-distribution red-team security-tools live-iso rolling-release command-line linux
4 sources
- readme: https://github.com/BlackArch/blackarch · fetched 2026-08-28 · 4458cc79a3f3
- homepage: https://www.blackarch.org · fetched 2026-08-29 · 12146816d326
- site_page: https://www.blackarch.org/faq.html · fetched 2026-08-29 · 309d3ed16aa1
- site_page: https://www.blackarch.org/downloads.html · fetched 2026-08-29 · 796b243c0d3e
Member repositories
| Repository | Role | Health v2 |
|---|---|---|
| BlackArch/blackarch | main | 77 |
| BlackArch/webshells | plugin | 32 |
For agents
markdown · JSON · MCP: product_card(name="BlackArch/blackarch")
Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00 · Report a problem