Daniel Nashed's Blog

Choosing the Right Desktop Virtualization Solution for Mac and Windows

Here is an experiment. I told ChatGPT what I like to say and just fine tuned the result.
ChatGPT is really helpful meanwhile - If you ask the right questions and returns grat results of all sorts of topics.
The following blog post is co-authored with ChatGPT.

Specially on Windows the world changed a bit. For most people (including me) VMware is not an option any more even it is free for personal use meanwhile.
I was a big fan of Windows Sandbox. But with Windows 11 and other software installed it became quite instable for me.

Even I never liked Hyper-V on the server side, as an easy local solution it plays well with other virtualization built on the same foundation like WSL.
WSL2 is a game changer for me for quite a while -- not only for Docker development. I am working with it every day and it is well integration into the Windows stack both ways.
From Windows to access Linux resources and from Linux to access Windows resources.

I would be interested to hear which VM solutions you use in your environment and why..

Daniel


Introduction

As development environments shift toward containers and platform-agnostic workflows, desktop virtualization remains an essential too l— especially for developers, system administrators, and DevOps engineers.
Whether you're working on macOS or Windows, selecting the right virtualization solution is critical for performance, compatibility, and efficiency.
This post highlights the best options for virtualization on Mac and Windows, with a clear breakdown of commercial and free tools, and a special focus on Apple Silicon Macs and Windows ARM-based systems.


-- Virtualization on macOS ---

Apple’s transition to Apple Silicon has changed how virtualization works.
These systems only support ARM-based operating systems natively, which affects tool compatibility, including some legacy enterprise software.


Best Commercial Option: Parallels Desktop

Parallels remains the most refined, high-performance commercial virtualization tool for macOS.
It supports Windows 11 ARM, various Linux distros, and offers excellent Apple Silicon support with fast boot times and tight macOS integration.


Best Free Option: UTM

UTM is a solid open-source alternative. It uses QEMU under the hood and can run ARM and emulated x86 systems (though x86 emulation is slower). It’s a great option for personal projects or basic dev/testing needs.


Commercial Container Option: Docker Desktop for Mac

Docker Desktop is widely used for container-based development. On Apple Silicon, containers must be ARM-based, and some legacy images may not work without modification.
Docker Desktop is free for small teams but requires a paid subscription for larger organizations (250+ employees or $10M+ in revenue).

Important for Domino users: Domino agents on Linux do not work on Apple Silicon Macs due to the lack of x86 compatibility.


Free Container Option: Rancher Desktop

Rancher Desktop is an open-source alternative to Docker Desktop, supporting Kubernetes and containerd. It’s a great choice for developers who want to avoid licensing fees while still getting a container-native workflow.


--- Virtualization on Windows --

Windows offers a rich set of virtualization and containerization tools—many built-in or easily installed. With support for both x86 and ARM editions of Windows 11, your choice depends on the host hardware and guest OS requirements.


Native VM Option: Hyper-V

Since VMware Workstation is off the table for me, even it is now free but hard to get Hyper-V seems to be the best option.

Hyper-V is Microsoft’s built-in hypervisor for Windows 10 Pro and all versions of Windows 11 with Pro or Enterprise licensing. It supports a wide range of guest OSes and is ideal for more traditional VM workloads.


Note: If you’re running Windows on ARM (like on a Surface Pro X), you’ll need to use Windows 11 ARM Edition for your guest VMs.


Virtualizing Linux on Windows

For developers focused on Linux environments, Windows offers multiple high-performance options that don’t require full VMs.


WSL2 with Ubuntu (Recommended)

WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux v2) with Ubuntu is the best way to run a full Linux environment on Windows. It uses a lightweight VM backend and provides near-native performance. Perfect for dev work, scripting, and server emulation.

• Fast startup
• Deep Windows integration (file system access, network)
• No need for dual-boot or heavy VM management

Docker Desktop with WSL2 Integration

Docker Desktop integrates seamlessly with WSL2, making it easy to run containers inside your Linux subsystem. This hybrid model gives you the best of both worlds: native Docker CLI in Linux with a Windows GUI when needed.

• Preferred by most container-based developers
• Easy setup and Kubernetes support
• Commercial licensing applies to larger organizations

Docker Daemon in WSL2 (Manual Setup)

For power users or those avoiding Docker Desktop licensing, you can install the Docker Engine directly inside a WSL2 instance (e.g., Ubuntu). This gives you full Docker CLI functionality without Docker Desktop.

• Lightweight, manual setup
• Avoids licensing fees
• Ideal for scripting or custom CI/CD environments

Bonus Tip: Docker as a "Mini-VM" with Red Hat UBI

If you're looking for VM-like behavior within containers, check out the Red Hat UBI init image. This image runs systemd and other init services, making it behave much more like a traditional Linux VM.
Perfect for testing services that rely on init behavior or for more complex container orchestration needs.
With the UBI init image, containers feel a lot closer to VMs—great for simulating production-like environments.


Comparison Table

Platform	Virtualization Tool	Type	Notes
Mac	Parallels Desktop	Commercial VM	Best for Apple Silicon
Mac	UTM	Free VM	Great for light use, ARM-based only
Mac	Docker Desktop	Commercial Container	ARM-only; licensing applies
Mac	Rancher Desktop	Free Container	Good for Kubernetes users
Windows	Hyper-V	Free VM	Built-in on Pro/Enterprise
Windows	WSL2 + Ubuntu	Free Linux Env	Best Linux dev experience
Windows	Docker Desktop + WSL2	Commercial Container	Powerful, GUI-based
Windows	Docker Engine in WSL2	Free Container	Lightweight, CLI-focused

Conclusion

Virtualization and containerization have matured into robust, flexible options for Mac and Windows users alike. Just remember:

• On Apple Silicon, you're locked into ARM-compatible guests.
• On Windows ARM, use Windows 11 ARM Edition for VMs.
• For container workloads, Docker + WSL2 (on Windows) and Docker or Rancher (on Mac) offer clean, modular workflows.

-- Links --

macOS Virtualization Tools

Parallels Desktop
https://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/

UTM (Free)
https://mac.getutm.app/

Docker Desktop for Mac (Commercial)
https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/

Rancher Desktop (Free)
https://rancherdesktop.io/


Windows Virtualization Tools

Hyper-V (Built-in)
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/virtualization/hyper-v/hyper-v-overview

WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/

Docker Desktop for Windows (Commercial)
https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/

Docker Engine in WSL2 (Free)
https://docs.docker.com/engine/

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