A virtual machine (VM) is a software-based emulation of a physical computer system. It allows users to run multiple operating systems on a single physical machine, effectively creating multiple virtual machines within the same hardware.
Virtual machines are often used for testing software, running multiple operating systems for compatibility testing, and creating isolated environments for security purposes. They are also commonly used in cloud computing environments to provide flexibility and scalability for computing resources.
Popular virtual machine software includes VMware, VirtualBox, and Microsoft Hyper-V. These platforms allow users to create, manage, and run virtual machines with various configurations and operating systems.