[saagarjha]

VMs generally use hardware virtualization features; iSH is just an interpreter.

[scarface74]

There is no requirement for a VM to use hardware virtualization features. It’s more efficient. But not a requirement.

[saagarjha]

Usually VMs for real hardware (as opposed to VMs for runtimes, such as “Java VM” or “JavaScript VM”) are defined by the Popek and Goldberg virtualization requirements, which require efficient hardware virtualization.