bochs ☆

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Description:
Open source IA-32 (x86) PC emulator written in C++

Type: Formula | Latest Version: 3.0@0 | Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Developer tools

Tags: emulator x86 virtualization debugging system

Install: brew install bochs

About:
Bochs is a highly portable open source IA-32 (x86) PC emulator written in C++. It is capable of running various operating systems including Linux, Windows, and DOS within the emulated environment. Its primary value lies in its detailed emulation capabilities, making it a valuable tool for low-level system development and debugging.

Key Features:

Complete x86 instruction set emulation
Supports various operating systems (Linux, Windows, DOS)
Built-in debugger for low-level analysis
Highly portable across different host platforms
Plugin-based device emulation

Use Cases:

OS development and kernel debugging
Running legacy software or operating systems
Computer architecture education and research

Alternatives:

QEMU – QEMU generally offers higher performance through hardware acceleration, whereas Bochs prioritizes precise emulation and debugging capabilities.
VirtualBox – VirtualBox is a Type 2 hypervisor focused on running production OSes with guest additions, while Bochs is strictly an interpreter for low-level analysis.

License: LGPL-2.0-or-later

Dependencies: libtool, sdl2, readline

Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 12, 2025 6:48pm		0	VERSION_BUMP	96491b90