ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Operating system–level virtualization implementations

Okay kiddo, so an operating system is like the captain of a big ship. It tells all the different parts and systems of the ship what to do and how to work together to keep the ship running smoothly. Now imagine if the captain could create multiple copies of the ship, each with their own crew and passengers, but all sharing the same resources like fuel and electricity. That's kind of what an operating system-level virtualization does!

Basically, it allows one single operating system to create multiple "virtual machines" (or "ship copies") that can each run their own programs and processes, but all share the same underlying resources of the physical computer (or "ship's engines"). This allows for more efficient use of resources and easier management of multiple systems on one computer.

There are different ways to implement this, but one common method is called containerization. This is kind of like having multiple little ships inside of one big ship, where each little ship (or container) has its own crew and cargo, but all share the same resources like the ship's engines and supplies. This allows for faster start-up times and less overhead than traditional virtual machines.

Overall, operating system-level virtualization is a cool way for one computer to do the work of many, while still keeping everything organized and working smoothly like a good ship captain.