---
name: "bhyve"
section: "4"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/bhyve/4"
---

# bhyve(4)

virtual machine monitor

## NAME

**bhyve** – virtual machine monitor

## SYNOPSIS

**/usr/sbin/bhyve** **/usr/sbin/bhyveload** **/usr/sbin/bhyvectl** **/boot/kernel/vmm.ko**

## DESCRIPTION

**bhyve** is a virtual machine monitor that is hosted by FreeBSD. It is used to host unmodified guest operating systems on top of FreeBSD.

**bhyve** relies heavily on hardware assist provided by the CPU and chipset to virtualize processor and memory resources.

## SEE ALSO

[vmm(4)](/vmm/4.md), [bhyve(8)](/bhyve/8.md), [bhyvectl(8)](/bhyvectl/8.md), [bhyveload(8)](/bhyveload/8.md)

## HISTORY

**bhyve** first appeared in FreeBSD 10.0, and was developed at NetApp Inc.

## AUTHORS

**bhyve** was developed by Peter Grehan ⟨*grehan@FreeBSD.org*⟩ and Neel Natu ⟨*neel@FreeBSD.org*⟩ at NetApp Inc.

## BUGS

**bhyve** is considered experimental in FreeBSD.