Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM)

Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) is a Linux virtualization technology used to run isolated virtual machines.

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Hosting & Servers
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Glossary Hosting & Servers
Kernel-based Virtual Machine Also known as KVM.Aliases: KVM virtualization.

Definition

Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) is a Linux virtualization technology used to run isolated virtual machines.

How it works

KVM builds virtualization into the Linux kernel itself, using the processor's hardware support to run guests at close to native speed. For a VPS, that means your server boots its own kernel on its own virtual hardware with its allocated resources — genuinely independent of the other virtual machines sharing the host.

Example: A KVM-based VPS boots its own Linux kernel and is administered independently of its neighbors.

Often confused: KVM gives each guest a full operating system of its own; containers share the host's kernel instead.

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Last reviewed 2026-07-19.