emulari

Emulari denotes the practice of emulation, where the behavior of a system is reproduced on another platform to run software or operate hardware as if on the original system. An emulator recreates the original architecture, instruction set, timing, and peripherals in software or hardware, enabling programs written for one system to execute on a different one. Emulation differs from virtualization in that it often models the entire hardware stack, sometimes at the instruction level, while virtualization typically runs guest software on virtualized hardware with the same instruction set.

Emulators can be software-based, hardware-assisted, or a combination. Software emulation may use interpretation, dynamic recompilation, or just-in-time techniques to translate instructions of the guest system for the host processor. Some emulators aim for high accuracy and cycle-level timing, while others prioritize compatibility and speed at the expense of precise replication.

Common uses include digital preservation of old software and games, cross-platform development and testing, and accessibility for users who lack original hardware. Notable examples include MAME for arcade hardware, DOSBox for MS-DOS, QEMU for multi-architecture virtualization and emulation, and game-console emulators such as Dolphin and PCSX2, often used via front-ends like RetroArch.

Legal and ethical considerations vary by jurisdiction and use case. Emulation itself is typically legal; however, distributing proprietary BIOS, firmware, or game ROMs can violate copyright or licensing terms. Emulators may also raise copyright concerns when used to bypass protections.

See also: emulation, virtualization, digital preservation.