Final answer:
Virtual machines provide benefits such as hardware and software isolation, security, and flexibility by running separate operating systems on the same hardware, although they are less resource-efficient compared to containers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is about the benefits of using virtual machines (VMs) for running applications as opposed to containers. One of the benefits of using VMs is that they can provide an isolated and complete environment to run applications, including the operating system and any necessary dependencies. As such, VMs offer a few specific advantages:
- Hardware and software isolation: Each VM runs its own full-fledged operating system, providing a high level of isolation from other VMs. This can be essential for applications that require a specific set of hardware or software configurations.
- Security: The isolation also contributes to security, as one VM's environment is segregated from another, reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
- Flexibility: VMs allow for running multiple different operating systems on the same physical hardware, facilitating cross-platform compatibility and development.
However, it is worth noting that VMs are generally less efficient than containers in terms of resource utilization, as each VM includes a full operating system rather than sharing the host's kernel, as containers do.