January 16, 2026
Another standard? Hold my XML
Independent Guest Virtual Machine (IGVM) File Format
Microsoft's 'Independent' virtual machine file drops — devs shout 'not another standard'
TLDR: Microsoft launched IGVM, a single file meant to start virtual machines anywhere with built‑in verification. Commenters mocked it as “yet another standard,” questioned support in popular tools, poked at the “Independent” label, and joked about Copilot—demanding real adoption, timelines, and a clear reason this exists now.
Microsoft just unveiled IGVM, a new single file meant to pack everything needed to launch a virtual machine (think: a computer inside your computer) anywhere. It even nods to fancy chip security like AMD SEV‑SNP and Intel TDX, and includes checks so platforms can verify it’s the real deal. Sounds tidy… but the crowd is not buying the vibe just yet.
The loudest chorus: Who actually supports this today? One commenter demanded plain answers about QEMU, KVM, VirtualBox, and VMware. Another asked for a design doc explaining why this exists at all, suggesting it looks like a redo of a 20‑year‑old format used by many today. Then came the memes: someone dropped the classic XKCD “standards” comic, while another groaned, “Microsoft just can’t quit doing this.” The word “Independent” also set off alarms after readers spotted Microsoft as the code owner—cue the eyebrow raises and “how is this independent?” replies.
And because it’s the internet, the jokes escalated: a top quip imagined Copilot sliding into your VM uninvited. The mood: skeptical, snarky, and waiting for receipts. Folks want proof of real‑world support, timelines, and a clear “why now.” Until then, IGVM’s biggest barrier isn’t tech—it’s trust.
Key Points
- •IGVM is a file format that encapsulates all information needed to launch a virtual machine across different virtualization stacks.
- •The format specification is available in the igvm_defs crate, with a Rust implementation in the igvm crate.
- •IGVM supports isolation technologies including AMD SEV-SNP and Intel TDX.
- •The format uses a set of commands interpreted by a loader to construct the initial guest state.
- •IGVM includes measurement information for platform-level verification and signature validation.