4 ms·

Semantics, libvirt abstracts over KVM via QEMU because QEMU/KVM/HVT is all one driver.

• bonzini 3y ago
  KVM is not enough to create a virtual machine. KVM only virtualizes the processor, not a whole machine.
  • reactordev 3y ago
    >Using KVM, one can run multiple virtual machines running unmodified Linux or Windows images. Each virtual machine has private virtualized hardware: a network card, disk, graphics adapter, etc. Straight from their site. QEMU is the user space interface, KVM the kernel space driver. It’s enough to run whatever OS. That’s the point. For libvirt: https://libvirt.org/drivers.html https://libvirt.org/drivers.html They support a bunch as well.
    • bonzini 3y ago
      Exactly, it's QEMU that abstracts over the processor virtualization APIs of KVM, Microsoft WHPX, Apple Hypervisor.framework etc. Not Libvirt.
    • cthalupa 3y ago
      I don't want to necessarily make this an argument to/from authority, but for some context here - you are discussing this with Paolo Bonzini, maintainer of KVM, contributor to QEMU. In the list of people that best understand the difference and demarcation points between KVM and QEMU, he's pretty far up there.