DevOps & CloudBeginner
Instance
PronunciationIN-stans
Definition
An instance is a single, running copy of a virtual server or a software application. It represents a specific, isolated environment where your code executes.
Where you hear it
In cloud infrastructure management, server deployment, and virtualization discussions.
Examples
We need to spin up a new instance to handle the increased traffic.
The application instance crashed due to an out-of-memory error.
Common mistake
Confusing an instance with the underlying physical hardware; an instance is a virtualized slice of resources, not the entire physical machine itself.