What is the difference between a virus and a bacterial cell?

The primary differences between a virus and a bacterial cell are: 1. Structure: Bacteria are unicellular organisms with a cell wall, membrane, ribosomes, and DNA, while viruses are much simpler, consisting of only a protein coat (capsid) and genetic material (either DNA or RNA). 2. Metabolism: Bacteria can carry out metabolic processes independently, whereas viruses require a host cell to replicate and produce new viral particles. 3. Reproduction: Bacteria reproduce asexually through binary fission, while viruses replicate by infecting host cells and hijacking their machinery to produce new viruses.