Are linux VMs installed on Windows Host in VirtualBox “real” linux?

Question

I have VirtualBox on my Windows 7 machine, and recently installed a Redhat linux VM. I'm planning to learn linux programming with some low-level stuff, such as kernel function calls and assembly.

My question is: is my Redhat VM a "real" linux environment for my purpose? I guess that whatever I do in the VM is done in a "linux simulator" in VirtualBox, and under the hood the "linux simulator" still does its job using functionalities provided by the Windows host (eg Windows function calls). Is this true?

Answer 1

VirtualBox is not a "Linux simulator", it is a "computer simulator". OS selections within such an simulator are for the purpose of deciding which virtual devices to make visible, and not for running a different simulator "core".

Answer 2

I think you should dual boot linux instead of VM because not only it saves resources ("Prevent Computer from going slow") But also give you better functionality and hardware support

Edit: and you can also use Live Cd(also usb)