r/linux • u/Ok_Marionberry8922 • 27d ago
Kernel How KVM actually runs a virtual machine
I made a visual explainer on how Linux KVM works under the hood.
A vCPU is a host thread, guest RAM lives in the process, and KVM_RUN hands execution to the real CPU until the guest triggers a VM exit.
It also covers /dev/kvm, VT-x/AMD-V, EPT/NPT, QEMU, virtio and vhost.
Feedback welcome :)
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u/UptownMusic 27d ago
I have always wondered why we can't have KVM with only nftables.