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bhyve vs Xen Project: catalog facts
bhyve	Xen Project
Free Free, included with FreeBSD.	Free Free and open source, developed under the Linux Foundation.
Self-hosted, Command line	Self-hosted
Included with FreeBSD, nothing extra to install Also available on illumos	Type-1 hypervisor with strong isolation between guests Used in servers, embedded and safety-critical systems
Only runs on FreeBSD and illumos hosts Managed from the command line unless paired with a front end	Installed on bare metal, so setup is more involved than desktop VM apps Aimed at infrastructure builders rather than casual users
Operating system	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.