LinksOS isn't a custom distro — it's a disciplined approach to Debian. Add tools only as you learn them. By Day 80 you've built your own security environment from the ground up — and you understand every piece of it.
Start from zero. Build as you learn. Download a checkpoint ISO if you're an advanced learner who wants to skip ahead — but understand what's in it first.
A clean Debian installation. No pre-loaded tools. No shortcuts. Just a base system and the 80-day curriculum waiting for you.
Debian + everything built during Phase 1. Tech+, A+, and Security+ tools and configurations. A checkpoint for advanced learners.
Phase 1 + 2 tools. CySA+, Network+, PenTest+, and Linux+ configurations built by the learner over 60 days.
No ISO needed. By Day 80 you've built your entire environment yourself. You know what's installed, why it's there, and how it works.
Kali is a great distro for experienced practitioners. It's the wrong starting point for learners — and here's why.
Kali ships with hundreds of pre-installed tools. For a learner, that's a problem — not a feature. You end up with tools you don't understand, repo conflicts that break things unexpectedly, and no clear sense of what your environment actually contains.
LinksOS starts with nothing. Every tool you add, you understand. Every configuration you make, you can explain. That's the difference between a practitioner and someone who just has Kali installed.
| Approach | Kali Linux | LinksOS |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | ✗ 600+ pre-installed tools | ✓ Minimal Debian |
| Tool knowledge | ✗ You may not know what's there | ✓ You installed everything |
| Repo stability | ✗ Rolling release, can break | ✓ Stable Debian base |
| Learning curve | ✗ Overwhelming for beginners | ✓ One tool at a time |
| Portfolio value | ✗ "I used Kali" | ✓ "I built my environment" |
| TryHackMe compatible | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes — optimized for it |
Simple in concept. Demanding in execution. Worth it.
LinksOS is built around the same CompTIA path as the link2cyber.com 80-day bootcamp.
LinksOS is not a custom Linux distribution. It is a structured Debian learning environment — a methodology, not a product. Anyone can replicate it. The ISOs are convenience checkpoints that save time for advanced learners, nothing more.
The value is in the approach: starting with nothing, adding tools deliberately, documenting everything, and building a portfolio that proves real knowledge rather than just access to pre-installed tools.
This project exists alongside the link2cyber.com 80-day bootcamp — they are designed to be used together. Built by Ben Linkous, a retired Army Master Sergeant from Pulaski, Virginia.