A virtual machine (VM) is an emulated computer. It has all the components of a physical computer like RAM and storage, but they all run virtually. VMs have multiple use cases. Here are a few reasons why you should use virtual machines.
Try Something New
You may be a Windows user and want to give Linux a shot.
Virtual machines can help with this. You can create multiple VMs with different operating systems. To start, you'll need basic VM software. VirtualBox is a great choice, it's free.
Then, you just need to download any Linux installation ISO and install it. Now you can run Linux in a separate window within your computer without having to dual boot.
A virtual machine is just a sandbox. If something goes wrong like a corrupted setting or malware, it won't affect your real PC. You can dump that VM and start from scratch.
Run Specific Software
Let's say there is some new software you want to try. Use virtual machines to create isolated environments to test things out. If it works well on a VM, you can take a chance on your real PC.
You may have switched to a Mac recently, but miss some features of Windows. Or you want to run an old program or OS that doesn't exist anymore.
VMs provide a space to run software that's not compatible with your machine. All you need is the installer.
Running old software is potentially dangerous because it's not getting regular updates or security patches. Using a VM to run outdated software is safer because everything is sandboxed.
Cut Costs
VMs don't require demanding hardware. You won't need to invest money in different devices.
For example, if you're a business owner, you could use virtual machines to run different services on one device.
You can create multiple virtual machines and store servers in them, without having to invest in multiple hardware systems.
The maintenance costs will be cut down as they are all stored on the same physical server.
Wrapping Up
A virtual machine is a great option if you want to experiment with a new OS or software. It can keep old software alive, and it's safer to run because it's a sandbox environment.
VMs are cheaper than buying a bunch of computers or servers. You can run multiple virtual machines from one device.
VM files are stored on your device. Just copy them to external or cloud storage. You can install the VM anywhere else.
