emulaties

Emulaties, usually referred to in English as emulations, are methods for reproducing the behavior of one computer or device on a different platform so software written for the original system can run there. The guest system’s instructions, memory layout, and input/output behavior are replicated by software or dedicated hardware on the host. Emulation is used for software preservation, retro gaming, cross-platform testing, and research.

Emulation can be achieved in two broad ways. Full-system emulation recreates the entire guest hardware, including the CPU, memory, graphics and sound subsystems, and peripherals. Application or API emulation focuses on reproducing a specific interface or library, allowing software to run without fully modeling the underlying hardware. Implementations may be interpreted, where guest instructions are translated on the fly by an interpreter, or dynamic recompilation, where blocks of guest code are translated to host code for higher performance. Accurate timing and cycle-accurate behavior are common goals but can reduce speed; many projects offer both functional and cycle-accurate modes.

Common challenges include accurately modeling hardware timing, peripherals, and graphics pipelines, and handling copy protection or firmware. Legal considerations often center on the distribution of BIOS or firmware and the availability of legally dumped game media or software. Open-source emulators are widely used in preservation and education, while commercial implementations may accompany licensed hardware products or project partnerships.

Emulaties have contributed to archiving obsolete software, enabling researchers to study historical systems and enabling enthusiasts to experience software across generations.