Preferences

iSH works differently. It’s not running “Linux” and it isn’t virtualizing hardware either. Anything you run has to be compiled already and the syscalls are emulated, there is no Linux kernel in iSH.

kdrag0n
iSH actually uses a semi-JIT to emulate an x86 CPU — it doesn't run ARM64 code. It basically creates an arrray of function pointers to snippets of pre-translated code. It's not a full JIT like UTM, but it's an interesting workaround for iOS' restrictions.

Official description: https://github.com/tbodt/ish#a-note-on-the-jit

saagarjha
A more accurate term for it would be threaded interpretation.
lazerl0rd
I said it was a 'usermode Linux "terminal" emulator', never said it was a VM or anything like that. IIRC the dev said he also wasn't allowed to publish it to the App Store and I assume it falls under the same catagory of "not allowed" in Apple's eyes as UTM would've had.
saagarjha
> I said it was a 'usermode Linux "terminal" emulator', never said it was a VM or anything like that.

It's a full x86 emulator.

> IIRC the dev said he also wasn't allowed to publish it to the App Store

He didn't, it's just never been tested whether it could be on the store or not.

jedieaston
Actually, someone compiled it, added ads, and put it on the App Store. Not sure if it is still there, but it got through approval.
saagarjha
Oh, that happens all the time. The real test is when the official app gets approved and stays on the App Store.
saagarjha
> Anything you run has to be compiled already

You can compile binaries on iSH and they'll run on the emulator just as all the other code does.

jsjohnst OP
Compile using what? It’s form of emulation has never been complete enough to run a compiler (heck even interpreters like Python have been very brittle) in my experience as a user since the beginning, so I’m curious what you’ve seen success with.
saagarjha
GCC works reasonably well.
jsjohnst OP
Interesting, thx for the reply. I haven’t tried GCC in the last few updates, so will try again.

Edit: just tried it and indeed you are right, it works in a few cases now. Clang also works for basic test cases.

This item has no comments currently.