A software-based emulation of a computer system that provides the functionality of a physical machine. In programming, it often refers to a runtime environment that executes bytecode or intermediate code, providing platform independence.
From 'virtual' (Latin 'virtus' meaning strength or power, implying something that has the effect but not the physical form) and 'machine.' The concept emerged in the 1960s with IBM's CP/CMS system, later adopted for programming language runtime environments.
A virtual machine is like having a computer inside your computer - it creates a fake computer that thinks it's real, allowing programs to run the same way on different operating systems! It's the reason Java can claim 'write once, run anywhere' - the virtual machine handles all the differences between platforms.
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