What is virtual memory in an operating system?

  • A memory management technique
  • A physical memory unit
  • Memory used by the CPU
  • Memory used by the GPU
Virtual memory in an operating system is a technique that allows the system to use disk space as a form of extended memory. When the physical RAM (Random Access Memory) is full, inactive or less frequently used data is moved from RAM to a reserved space on the hard drive, known as the swap space or page file. This enables the system to free up physical memory for other processes, thereby preventing memory shortages and improving overall system performance. Virtual memory is crucial for running large applications or multiple programs simultaneously, as it provides the illusion of having more RAM than physically available.
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