Bochs

A portable open source x86 PC emulator that emulates the CPU, common devices and a BIOS.

FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux
Official websitebochs.sourceforge.ioSource codegithub.com

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About Bochs

Bochs is an IA-32 and x86-64 PC emulator written in C++. It emulates the processor, common I/O devices and a custom BIOS, and can boot operating systems including Linux, DOS and Windows.

Because it emulates every instruction instead of using hardware virtualization, it is slow for daily use but valuable for operating system development, debugging and studying how x86 hardware behaves. It can be compiled to emulate CPUs from the 386 to recent Intel and AMD processors. The current release is Bochs 3.1.

Strengths

  • Full x86 emulation, from 386 to recent x86-64 CPUs
  • Useful for OS development and low-level debugging
  • Portable across many host platforms
  • Long-running project with current releases

Limitations

  • Much slower than virtualization-based VM software
  • Configuration is text-based and technical

Details

Pricing
FreeFree and open source.
License
Open source, license not stated
Developer
The Bochs contributors
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux
How it runs
Downloadable app
Account
Not required
Works offline
Yes
Best suited for
Operating system developers and anyone studying x86 hardware behaviour
Last verified
Added
Provenance
Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.

Alternatives to Bochs

Compare all

Software that can replace Bochs for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.

  • QEMU

    The machine emulator and virtualiser that most of the Linux virtualisation stack is built on.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    QEMU emulates many processor architectures and reaches near native speed when paired with KVM or Xen, though raw use means working with a large command line option surface.

  • 86Box

    A low-level emulator of vintage IBM PC-compatible hardware for running old DOS and Windows systems.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    86Box recreates period-accurate PC hardware with an interface modelled on mainstream hypervisors, but its CPU emulation stops at the Pentium era and it needs original BIOS ROMs.

  • v86

    An x86 PC emulator that runs operating systems such as Linux and Windows 9x inside a web browser.

    FreeOpen sourceWeb

    v86 runs x86 operating systems inside a web browser with an x86-to-WebAssembly JIT, which removes installation but suits older or lightweight systems best.

  • JSLinux

    A web page that boots Linux and other operating systems in emulated machines inside the browser.

    FreeProprietaryWeb

    JSLinux runs emulated x86, x86_64 and RISC-V machines in a browser, but only from a fixed list of prebuilt systems, and it is not open source.

  • VirtualBox

    The free desktop hypervisor most people start with: run Windows, Linux or BSD in a window on the machine you already have.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    VirtualBox runs guests through virtualization with a graphical interface, snapshots and shared folders, trading Bochs' full x86 emulation and low-level debugging focus for speed.

Similar software

Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.

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