Hosting · Website glossary

Virtual machine

Quick answer · What is Virtual machine?

A software-defined computer that runs a guest operating system using resources supplied by a host.

IN PRACTICE

Virtual machine: an example

One physical server can run separate virtual machines for testing and production.

KEEP IN MIND

A virtual machine has its own operating-system environment; a container usually shares a host kernel.

Put the idea to work

Frequently asked questions

What is a practical example of Virtual machine?

One physical server can run separate virtual machines for testing and production.

How does a virtual machine differ from a container?

A virtual machine has its own operating-system environment; a container usually shares a host kernel.

Which concepts should I read alongside Virtual machine?

Container: An isolated process environment that packages an application's software and dependencies while sharing the host operating-system kernel.
VPS: A virtual private server is a virtual machine supplied with an operating system and an allocation of compute resources.