There are several different types of volcanic eruptions but the 8 main types are, Plinian, Vulcanian, Strombolian, Hawaiian, Submarine, Peelian, Fissure and Hydrovolcanic eruptions
Plinian
Plinian eruptions produce convecting plumes of ash reaching a height of 45 km in the air. After Mt. Vesuvius in Italy erupted plenty of times in the same way, a volcanologists called these types of eruptions Vesuvian or Plinian eruptions. Long Plinian eruptions happen at felsic volcanoes. Felsic magma has high silica and low Fe(iron) and Mg(Magnesium) contents in it. When felsic magma cools and crystallizes and produces dacite and rhyolite. Plinian ash clouds also make umbrella-shaped heads.
Vulcanian
Andesitic to dacitic magma erupts during Vulcanian eruptions which leads to high gas pressure and explosive eruptions. Close to the vent there are bombs and large blocks like bread-crust bombs which are plentiful. Even though there are bombs near the vent, a volcano with Vulcanian eruptions is full of ash.
Strombolian
The island of Stromboli, which Strombolian eruptions are named after, erupts irregularly every 20 minutes. This type of eruption happens when volcanoes erupt for a short amount of time and have explosive burst of pasty lava that reaches a few tens or hundreds of meters high. These non-harmful booming blasts explode basaltic lava. Strombolian eruptions mostly include scoria fragments which a highly vesicular dark colored volcanic rock. During these eruptions, little or no lava flow is produced.
Hawaiian
Hawaiian eruptions are the calmest eruptions. These volcanoes are filled with highly fluid basalt lava with low gas contents. When erupted, these volcanoes form lava fountains which produce thin layers of lava building up shield volcanoes. Hawaiian eruptions make fire fountains which are jet-like sprays of liquid lava that can make their way hundreds of meters high.
Submarine
These volcanic eruptions happen underwater mostly near mid-ocean ridges. When erupted, sometimes these volcanoes can make volcanic islands or island chains like Hawaii. Volcanoes that are close to the mid-ocean ridges and plate boundaries are made by melting mantle rock. The most common underwater lava is pillow lava which is a spherical shape of lava that flows when eruptions have only small outburst rates.
Fissure
Fissure eruptions happen when magma leaks onto the surface after coming through a crack on the ground. This develops when plate tectonics produce big cracks in the ground. Fissure eruptions are called the curtain of fire because lava springs up a few tens of meters high in a large crack. Even though the lava is slow moving, fissure eruptions can create heavy lava flows.
Hydrovolcanic
Hydrovolcanic eruptions happen near bodies of water so magma and water mix. Water is heated into steam and the magma is turned into ash creating a huge ash cloud. Some Hydrovolcanic or Surtseyan eruptions have very small explosions while other have huge ones. These volcanic eruptions can also melt snow triggering mud slides or large floods.
Pelean
Pelean eruptions create an avalanche of scorching volcanic ash. These types of eruptions occur when lava domes collapse. Volcanoes with Pelean eruptions contain highly dangerous acid and magmas. During eruptions, these volcanoes can produce large eruptive columns.