What is VM?
A VM or virtual machine is a software-based emulation of a host machine, running an operating system and applications using virtual resources from the host system. It acts like a physical computer, allowing users to run programs, store data, and connect to networks using virtual resources instead of physical components. VMs can operate independently with their own CPU, memory, storage, and network interface, managed by a hypervisor that allocates and isolates these resources.
What is hypervisor?
Typically, VMs are created using specialized software known as a hypervisor. There are two main types of hypervisor software: Type 1 or bare metal hypervisors, which are used for cloud or on-premise infrastructure, and Type 2 or hosted hypervisors, which are used for desktop or personal computers. Type 2 hypervisors are compatible with major operating systems like Windows, Mac, and Linux. VirtualBox, VMware Desktop, VMware Workstation, VMware Fusion, Hyper-V, and Parallels are the best examples of Type 2 hypervisor.
To build VMs, disable secure boot and enable virtualization in machine BIOS settings. Entering the machine BIOS settings depends upon your brand and model, so please check the internet to find perfect way to do it. This has to be done in all sort of host machines whether Windows, Mac, or Linux.
What is VirtualBox?
VirtualBox is a free, open source, cross-platform Type 2 or hosted hypervisor software for building, managing, and running VMs. It allows users to deploy and run multiple VMs on a single host machine, enabling the execution of different operating systems such as Windows and Linux simultaneously.
What is VMware Fusion?
VMware Fusion is a Type 2 or hosted hypervisor designed specifically for the Mac operating system and is compatible with both Intel and Apple silicon chips. VMware Fusion has two versions - VMware Fusion Pro and VMware Fusion Player - and more information about their differences can be found on their official websites.
Install and configure VirtualBox
Install VMware Fusion
Install and configure Git
- How to install and configure Git on Windows, Mac, and Linux?
- How to launch multiple Git Bash terminals on Windows?
Install Vagrant
If you wish to automate Vagrant VMs with VMware Fusion hypervisor, you must install the Vagrant VMware utility and the Vagrant VMware plugin after successful Vagrant installation. These two components play a vital role in empowering Vagrant to efficiently handle VMware Fusion hypervisor, thereby streamlining the process of automating VM build.
Install Vagrant VMware utility
Mac (Apple silicon - M1, M2, M3)
To install the Vagrant VMware utility on your Mac operating system, follow these steps carefully.
- Download the Vagrant VMware utility package.
- Execute the Vagrant VMware utility package, and proceed with Continue and Install prompts to install Vagrant VMware utility.
Install Vagrant VMware plugin
Mac
Here are the step-by-step guidelines for installing the Vagrant VMware plugin on a Mac operating system.
- Open the terminal.
- Execute the below commands in the terminal to install Vagrant VMware plugin.
# Install Vagrant VMware plugin.
$ sudo vagrant plugin install vagrant-vmware-desktop