(also virtual memory)
vMem (virtual memory) is a memory management technique used by operating systems (OS) to extend the available physical memory of a computer by using a portion of the hard disk or solid-state drive. It allows multiple applications to run simultaneously, even if the total memory requirement exceeds the available RAM. vMem works by swapping inactive parts of the memory (called pages) to the disk, freeing up space for active applications. However, relying heavily on vMem can slow down the system because accessing data from the disk is significantly slower than accessing it from RAM.
RAM is the primary memory used by the computer to store and access data quickly. It’s faster but limited in capacity. vMem extends the available memory by using the hard disk or solid-state drive, which is slower but has a larger capacity.