Oracle VM VirtualBox (FOSS)
@GibN mentions that running virtual environments “allows developers to run multiple versions and multiple variants” of their Android application.
VirtualBox is a virtual machine software. Want to run Linux Mint, but don’t have an old computer to run it on? Want to run an old Windows 98 game, but don’t have an old computer to run it on? Want to run Android on your Linux computer? Want to test a device, worried that you might destroy it, and want to be able to wipe it and start new?
VirtualBox is a powerful PC virtualization product for enterprise as well as home use. You can run another guest operating system (like Linux Mint or Windows 98 or even Android) on your host operating system (like your PC already running Linux Mint or Windows 10 or 11).
Presently, VirtualBox runs on Windows, Linux, Macintosh, and Solaris hosts and supports a large number of guest operating systems. I run Linux Mint and Windows, so I’ll tell you how to install on those.
Install
Linux Mint hosts
Go to Menu > Administration > Software Manager.
In the upper-right, search for virtualbox.
Choose Virtualbox, not Virtualbox (base) or Virtualbox-dkms, or any other. Install. If you can’t install here, you can follow the instructions below for Other Linux hosts.
Other Linux hosts
You can download for other Linux versions. Go to the download link below.
Also, if you can’t install on Linux Mint with the instructions above, then you can download there. For Linux Mint, download for Ubuntu, and choose for your Linux Mint version.
Download: https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads
Windows hosts
Click the link below, then click Download VirtualBox x.x. Click Windows hosts. The installer will download automatically. Go to your Downloads folder/directory. Double-click on the VirtualBox installer. Mine was VirtualBox-6.1.38-153438-Win.exe. Install VirtualBox. Then restart your PC.
Download: https://www.virtualbox.org/
Epilogue
You now have a virtual machine on your computer, which is capable of becoming a usable virtual computer. What you don’t have is an operating system. In order to make this happen, see An Android Tablet Running On Your PC: Android with Oracle VM VirtualBox.
