QEMU
Fabrice Bellard and the QEMU Team
QEMU (Quick Emulator) is a free and open-source emulator and virtualizer. It can emulate a full system, allowing you to run operating systems and programs for one machine architecture on a different machine. QEMU can also perform hardware virtualization, allowing you to run virtual machines with near-native performance.
User Sentiments
Top Likes
- Free and open-source
- Highly configurable and versatile
- Supports a wide range of architectures and operating systems
- Good performance, especially with virtualization
Top Dislikes
- Complex to use, steep learning curve
- Command-line interface can be challenging for beginners
- GUI can be less user-friendly compared to competitors (without external GUI)
Popular Comments
Lucas R - G2
2022-01-14
Powerful, extensible, emulator for virtualized workloads. QEMU runs on so many architectures and platforms, and it can be configured to run with minimal resources. This makes it perfect for embedding in ha...
Adhitya N - G2
2021-01-26
QEMU is a game changer. The best part about QEMU is it's a user friendly software that allows us to run a different OS just like another application we use in our day to d...
Verified User - G2
2021-01-21
QEMU The Saviour. As QEMU facilitates you to abstract your own hardware device, It is very useful to create your own device, abstract all the device-level functional...
Reddit User - kristiandupont
2021-02-25
Hey, I need to thank you for this! This is what I use to run QEMU on my M1 Air. I had a few bumps setting it up but now it runs flawlessly. I SSH to it via VS Code and basically I have a fully functional Linux dev environment with MacOS as the UI, just the way I like it.
Reddit User - unix_lover
2019-08-19
It would definitely be faster on qemu. I am basing this on the fact that running windows in qemu is night and day difference compared to vitualbox. If you run Windows in qemu in full-screen you can't even tell you are in a VM. It's that responsive. Also I am running OSX successfully on QEMU and performance is very good.
MacUpdate User - JasonE
2013-10-07
Wish we had this a couple years ago. Thank you for porting it!
Detailed Review
QEMU is a powerful, open-source emulator and virtualizer that stands out for its flexibility and extensive compatibility. It allows macOS users, particularly developers and system administrators, to run virtual machines with various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and even different versions of macOS, on their machines. QEMU can operate in different modes, including full system emulation and user-mode emulation, and supports hardware virtualization for improved performance when available. While QEMU is primarily command-line based, graphical front-ends like UTM and QEMU-Manager are available to simplify its use on macOS.
Standout Features
- Full System Emulation: Emulates a complete computer system, enabling running different operating systems as guests.
- User-Mode Emulation: Allows running processes compiled for one CPU architecture on a different one, useful for cross-platform development.
- Hardware Virtualization Support: Leverages hardware virtualization extensions (like Intel VT-x and AMD-V) for near-native performance.
- Versatile Disk Image Formats: Supports various disk image formats for virtual machines.
- Wide Guest OS Support: Compatible with a vast array of operating systems including Windows, Linux, macOS, and older systems.
- Open Source and Free: Available for free under the GNU General Public License, promoting community development and customization.
- Portability: Runs on multiple host operating systems, including macOS, Linux, and Windows.
Conclusion
QEMU is an excellent choice for Mac users needing a robust and versatile virtualization solution, especially for development, testing, and running operating systems other than macOS. Its open-source nature and extensive feature set make it a powerful tool. However, its command-line interface and complexity might present a steeper learning curve for users unfamiliar with virtualization concepts or command-line tools. For users seeking a more user-friendly experience, graphical front-ends like UTM provide a good alternative while still leveraging QEMU's powerful engine. For those who are comfortable with command-line tools or require highly customizable virtualization, QEMU is an unmatched free solution.
