Choosing the right virtual machine (VM) for your development workflow can make or break your productivity. Whether you're a backend engineer, frontend dev, data scientist, or full-stack tinkerer, the wrong setup can slow you down, rack up costs, and introduce bugs you don’t want to debug.

Here’s a clear, no-nonsense guide to help you match the right VM configuration with your dev stack and use case.

1. Start with Your Stack Requirements

Every stack demands different resources. Here’s a quick reference:

Tip: If you're constantly compiling code or running parallel environments, prioritize CPU cores and RAM.

2. Prioritize SSD Storage for Faster Builds

Always go for VMs with SSD-based storage. The difference in read/write speed will drastically reduce build times, data loads, and performance lags.

• Frontend devs: Compiling large React/Vue apps? SSDs make hot reloads feel instant.

• Backend devs: Fast database queries and test runs depend heavily on disk I/O.

At Raff, all VMs come with SSD storage by default, so you’re covered.

3. Think About Your Use Case (Not Just Specs)

• Local development mirror: You might only need a lightweight VM (2 CPU, 4 GB RAM) to reflect your environment.

• Full-blown deployment testbed: Go bigger – 4+ CPU, 16+ GB RAM, or even GPU.

• Team collaboration / sandbox testing: Consider VMs with snapshot, multi-user access, or persistent storage.

→ Don’t overpay for idle power. Optimize based on actual workload.

4. Consider OS Preferences & Pre-Built Templates

Do you want Ubuntu 22.04 or Arch? Need Docker pre-installed? Choose a platform (like Raff) that gives you:

• One-click templates for popular stacks

• Easy switching between OS images

• Minimal setup time

If you're setting up a dev stack from scratch, a base image with your language runtime (Node, Python, Go) saves time.

5. Test Before You Commit (Seriously)

It’s tempting to spin up the beefiest VM just to "be safe" but it might be overkill. Take advantage of trial credits, spin up a few environments, run benchmarks, and monitor your resource use.

At Raff, you get $100 in free credits, so you can run your actual tools and see what works no guessing.

TL;DR – VM Picking Cheatsheet

Choosing a VM shouldn't feel like configuring a spaceship. With a bit of thought around your stack, use case, and future growth, you’ll find a setup that’s powerful, responsive, and cost-efficient.

Need help choosing the best VM on Raff? Contact support or use our built-in configuration wizard.