- Utilize hardware virtualization.
- Rely on a hypervisor to virtualize physical hardware resources (processors, RAM, storage, network cards).
- Use operating system-level virtualization.
- Built upon the host OS's kernel, allowing multiple containers to run on a single OS instance.
- Achieve machine isolation, creating independent virtual machines with a hypervisor.
- Provide process isolation, enabling applications to run in separate environments with only necessary resources visible.
- Interaction mainly through a Type 1 hypervisor, simulating hardware.
- Utilize Linux kernel features like namespaces (for isolated environments) and cgroups (for resource monitoring and limitation).
- Offer flexibility in configuring virtual hardware.
- Provide portability, defined by a Docker file or similar, easily deployable across different environments.
- Operates above the hardware level, commonly seen in tools like VirtualBox or Parallels.
- Integration of VMs and containers (e.g., KubeVirt in Kubernetes and OpenShift) can address various use-cases.
VMs and containers, while distinct in their operation and purposes, are increasingly used together in cloud-native application development and deployment, offering a blend of isolation, flexibility, and portability.