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Guide · Open source

How to use hackingtool: install, run and find security tools

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

hackingtool is a free, MIT-licensed, Python-based console that gathers 219 security tools across 21 categories into one menu-driven interface. This guide explains what it is, how to install it, and how to find and launch tools from it. It is written for readers who have some Linux experience and work only on systems they are authorised to test.

HackingToolZ4nzu/hackingtool · ★ 81.6k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Check Python. Confirm you have Python 3.10 or newer installed.
  2. 2Install pipx. Install pipx, which the README recommends for installation.
  3. 3Clone the repository. Run git clone https://github.com/Z4nzu/hackingtool to get the source.
  4. 4Follow the README install steps. Use the pipx install section of the README to set up hackingtool.
  5. 5Launch the console. Start the interactive console and browse the 21 categories.
  6. 6Search or describe a task. Type to search tools, or use /find or a plain-English request to locate a suitable one.
  7. 7Review before running. Read the documented command and confirm you are authorised to test the target.

What hackingtool is and who it is for

hackingtool is an all-in-one console for security work. Instead of searching for each tool's repository, you search or install tools from one place. The categories include reconnaissance, OSINT, web, wireless, phishing, forensics, post-exploitation and password cracking.

The README names penetration testers, red teamers, blue-team and DFIR analysts, bug-bounty hunters, CTF players and students as its intended users, all working on systems they own or are authorised to test.

  • Good fit: a single launcher for many common tools, or a way to learn which tools exist for a task.
  • Poor fit: beginners without Linux experience, since installation and many tools assume a Unix-like environment.
  • Poor fit: anyone who needs a single audited, vendor-supported product, because the bundle relies on many third-party projects.

Install hackingtool with pipx

You need Python 3.10 or newer. The README recommends pipx for installation. The install path it documents starts by cloning the repository from GitHub.

The README also lists a pipx-based install under its installation section. Follow the steps there for the current method, since this guide does not add its own install commands.

  • Check that Python 3.10+ is available on your system.
  • Install pipx, which the README recommends.
  • Clone the repository with the command below, then follow the README's pipx steps.
git clone https://github.com/Z4nzu/hackingtool

Launch the interactive console

On launch, hackingtool shows its categories with live tool counts. Browse a category or type to search across every tool. Pressing / opens the command palette.

The README describes a command reference and quick commands, which are listed in its Quick Commands section. Check that section for the exact commands in your version.

  • Browse the 21 categories from the main screen.
  • Type to search all tools by name or tag.
  • Press / to open the command palette.
  • Install and run a tool from within the console.

Find a tool for a task you have not used before

The /find command searches your catalog first, then the GitHub API, and shows projects with the reason each was ranked. This helps when you know the goal but not the tool name.

The README also describes a Recommendations feature: you describe a goal in plain English, and the AI layer maps it to a suitable tool and its documented command. According to the README, nothing runs automatically, so you choose what to execute.

  • Use /find when you need a tool outside the bundled catalog.
  • Use plain-English recommendations to get a tool and its documented command.
  • Review the command before running it.

Use tags, search and the tool catalog

Tools carry tags from a fixed taxonomy of 63 tags, which makes them easier to filter. The full list of tools, with links and tags, is in docs/TOOLS.md in the repository.

The README also mentions a setting that controls archived entries. It states that 44 entries are archived because they are unmaintained or dead upstream, and they stay hidden unless you change a setting.

  • Search by tool name or tag.
  • Read docs/TOOLS.md for the full catalog.
  • Archived entries stay hidden by default.

Keep use within authorised testing

The README is clear that the project is intended only for authorised work. It describes its tools as for systems you own or have written permission to test. Using it against systems you do not control is outside its intended use.

The README also notes that downloads are pinned and SHA-256 verified, and that releases are signed with an SBOM. See SECURITY.md in the repository for the verification steps.

  • Test only systems you own or have written permission to test.
  • Read SECURITY.md to verify a release.
  • Remember that many tools come from third-party projects.

What people use it for

  • Penetration testers launching common reconnaissance and web tools from one console.
  • CTF players and students learning which tools exist for a given task.
  • DFIR analysts exploring forensic and recon utilities.
  • Bug-bounty hunters working on programs where they are authorised to test.

Frequently asked questions

Is hackingtool free?

hackingtool is released under the MIT licence, according to the repository. The MIT licence permits use, modification and redistribution under its terms, which you should read in the LICENSE file.

What do I need to run hackingtool?

The README lists Python 3.10 or newer and recommends pipx for installation. Because installation and many tools assume a Unix-like environment, Linux is the practical choice.

How do I install hackingtool?

Clone the repository from https://github.com/Z4nzu/hackingtool, then follow the pipx install steps in the README. The README also describes a Docker option in its installation section.

Can hackingtool run tools automatically?

According to the README, the AI layer maps plain-English requests to a tool and its documented command without running anything automatically. You decide what to execute.

Is hackingtool legal to use?

The project states it is intended only for authorised security testing, on systems you own or have written permission to test. Using it against systems you do not control is not legal use.

What are alternatives to hackingtool?

Comparable projects include Kali Linux, Metasploit Framework, Nmap and Parrot Security OS. Kali and Parrot are full operating systems, while Metasploit and Nmap are single, focused tools.

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Our verdict

hackingtool suits penetration testers, students and CTF players who want one launcher for many common security tools and have Linux experience. It is a poor choice for beginners, for anyone testing systems without permission, or for teams that need a single audited, vendor-supported product, since it bundles many third-party projects.

Install options & downloads