machinetypes

Machine type is a classification or specification that identifies the hardware configuration of a computer system or virtualized instance. A machine type typically encodes core attributes such as processor architecture, number of cores, memory capacity, storage, and chosen I/O devices. It serves as a basis for compatibility, provisioning, and performance planning across hardware and software ecosystems.

In physical hardware, machine types are used by manufacturers and users to distinguish product lines and generations. A given model may share the same architecture as others but differ in memory size, peripherals, or firmware features, making the machine type a practical reference for parts, drivers, and service notes.

In virtualization and emulation, machine types define the emulated hardware presented to a guest operating system. Hypervisors and emulators expose a finite set of machine types, which determine available virtual devices and BIOS/firmware behavior. Examples include QEMU’s pc and q35 machine types, and VMware’s virtual hardware versions.

In cloud computing and hosted platforms, machine types or instance sizes specify the resources allocated to a virtual machine, such as vCPU count, memory, and storage. Providers publish tiers that balance cost and performance, and customers select a machine type to match workload requirements.

Common uses of machine types include capacity planning, deployment automation, and compatibility checks. Standardization improves portability, but differing machine type definitions can complicate cross-platform software compatibility and performance tuning.

See also: hardware model, architecture, virtualization, cloud instance, hardware compatibility.