Platform matrix: win32-ix86 - supported for third-party hosting, buildsuite candidate

User direction: 32-bit windows joins the canon marked for what it is -
status supported with runtime+lib tiers (hosting for available
third-party runtimes/libs), buildsuite CANDIDATE (zig can target it;
whether we add a buildsuite is undetermined) - the hosting-vs-building
axis expressing exactly that split. Name win32-ix86 = platform::generic's
own 32-bit x86 token (no normalization needed); normalize additionally
folds hand-typed i386/i486/i586/i686.

- vendorlib_tcl8/9 gain win32-ix86 dirs per the tree sync contract.
- punk-runtime local detection: ps1 returns win32-ix86 on genuine 32-bit
  windows hosts (PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE x86 without ARCHITEW6432 - a
  32-bit shell on a 64-bit OS keeps the x86_64 default: the runtime
  store serves what the OS can run); bash MINGW32/CYGWIN prongs key off
  the i*86 machine arch. Rewrapped; roundtrip pin PASS; twins + layout
  copy refreshed.

Project 0.18.4.

Assisted-by: harness=claude; primary-model=claude-fable-5; api-location=anthropic.com

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ The latest `## [X.Y.Z]` header must match the `version` field in `punkproject.to
 Entries are newest-first; one bullet per notable change. See the root `AGENTS.md`
 "Project Versioning" section for the bump policy.
 
+## [0.18.4] - 2026-07-22
+
+- Platform matrix: `win32-ix86` (32-bit x86 windows) added to `punk::platform` / `help platforms` - status supported, runtime+lib tiers, buildsuite `candidate` (zig can target it; a buildsuite is undetermined - hosting for available third-party runtimes/libs is supported regardless). `vendorlib_tcl8`/`_tcl9` gained the platform dirs; `punk-runtime` detects genuine 32-bit windows hosts (32-bit shells on 64-bit OS keep the x86_64 default); `punk::platform::normalize` folds hand-typed `i386`/`i486`/`i586`/`i686` to `ix86`.
+
 ## [0.18.3] - 2026-07-22
 
 - `bin/punk-runtime.cmd` `list -remote` (powershell payload): the local column now uses the shared runtime-candidate filter, so `active.toml`, artifact metadata tomls, stray `.log` files, `.tmp`/build copies and directories no longer appear as local runtimes in the server comparison (bash payload already filtered).

bin/punk-runtime.cmd

@@ -1349,9 +1349,13 @@ elif [[ "$plat" == "OpenBSD"* ]]; then
     local_platform="openbsd-$narch"
     os="openbsd"
 elif [[ "$plat" == "MINGW32"* ]]; then
-    #REVIEW
+    #32-bit msys shell - a genuine 32-bit machine reports i*86; a 32-bit shell
+    #on a 64-bit OS is rare enough that the machine arch decides (REVIEW)
     os="win32"
-    local_platform="win32-x86_64"
+    case "$arch" in
+        i*86) local_platform="win32-ix86";;
+        *)    local_platform="win32-x86_64";;
+    esac
     rt_default="tclsh902z.exe"
     runtime_available=1
 elif [[ "$plat" == "MINGW64"* ]]; then
@@ -1362,7 +1366,10 @@ elif [[ "$plat" == "MINGW64"* ]]; then
     runtime_available=1
 elif [[ "$plat" == "CYGWIN_NT"* ]]; then
     os="win32"
-    local_platform="win32-x86_64"
+    case "$arch" in
+        i*86) local_platform="win32-ix86";;
+        *)    local_platform="win32-x86_64";;
+    esac
     rt_default="tclsh902z.exe"
     runtime_available=1
 elif [[ "$plat" == "MSYS_NT"* ]]; then
@@ -2391,9 +2398,15 @@ function Show-PunkRuntimeHelp {
 #win32-x86_64, linux-x86_64, macosx) - NOT zig triples (the buildsuite maps triples to
 #platform dirs at build time; punk-runtime speaks only the punkbin tier). Validation is
 #deliberately shape-only: the server's sha1sums/404 is the truth for what exists.
-#This payload runs on windows - the local default stays win32-x86_64 (a windows-arm
-#default becomes a question when punkbin carries such a folder).
+#This payload runs on windows - the local default is win32-x86_64, or win32-ix86 on
+#a GENUINE 32-bit windows host (PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE x86 with no
+#PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432 - a 32-bit shell on a 64-bit OS keeps the x86_64 default:
+#the runtime store serves what the OS can run). A windows-arm default becomes a
+#question when punkbin carries such a folder.
 $script:PunkLocalPlatform = "win32-x86_64"
+if ($env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE -eq 'x86' -and -not $env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432) {
+    $script:PunkLocalPlatform = "win32-ix86"
+}
 function Resolve-PunkRuntimePlatform {
     param([string] $requested)
     $plat = $script:PunkLocalPlatform

goals/G-105-buildsuite-cross-target.md

@@ -111,3 +111,13 @@ dimension), G-102 (achieved 2026-07-21 - driver shape settled; target becomes a
   examples). Current values: win32-x86_64 supported (suite_tcl90),
   linux-x86_64 planned (this goal), linux-arm64/linux-arm/macosx/freebsd-*
   candidate, remainder none. This goal updates the field as targets land.
+- 2026-07-22 canon addendum (user): win32-ix86 added to the punk::platform
+  matrix - status supported, tiers runtime+lib, buildsuite CANDIDATE (zig can
+  target 32-bit windows but a buildsuite is undetermined; hosting for
+  available third-party runtimes/libs is wanted regardless - the
+  hosting-vs-building axis working as intended). vendorlib_tcl8/9 gained the
+  win32-ix86 dirs per the tree contract; punk-runtime local detection returns
+  win32-ix86 on genuine 32-bit windows hosts (ps1: PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE x86
+  without ARCHITEW6432 - a 32-bit shell on a 64-bit OS keeps x86_64 since the
+  runtime store serves what the OS runs; bash: i*86 machine in the MINGW32/
+  CYGWIN prongs); normalize folds hand-typed i386/i486/i586/i686 to ix86.

punkproject.toml

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 [project]
 name = "punkshell"
-version = "0.18.3"
+version = "0.18.4"
 license = "BSD-2-Clause"

src/modules/punk/platform-999999.0a1.0.tm

@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ namespace eval punk::platform {
     #  none      - no build intention; hosted/third-party runtimes only
     variable platforms {
         win32-x86_64        {status supported  tiers {runtime lib} buildsuite supported notes "primary development platform (suite_tcl90)"}
+        win32-ix86          {status supported  tiers {runtime lib} buildsuite candidate notes "32-bit x86; hosting for available third-party runtimes/libs - zig can target it but a buildsuite is undetermined"}
         linux-x86_64        {status supported  tiers {runtime lib} buildsuite planned   notes "G-105 first cross-target, WSL-verified"}
         linux-arm64         {status supported  tiers {runtime lib} buildsuite candidate notes "aarch64; punkbin's existing arm kit predates the arm64 name and sits in linux-arm"}
         linux-arm           {status supported  tiers {runtime lib} buildsuite candidate notes "32-bit arm"}
@@ -164,6 +165,7 @@ namespace eval punk::platform {
         switch -- $cpu {
             amd64   {set cpu x86_64}
             aarch64 {set cpu arm64}
+            i386 - i486 - i586 - i686 {set cpu ix86}
             arm {
                 if {$os eq "macosx"} {
                     set cpu arm64

src/project_layouts/vendor/punk/project-0.1/bin/punk-runtime.cmd

@@ -1349,9 +1349,13 @@ elif [[ "$plat" == "OpenBSD"* ]]; then
     local_platform="openbsd-$narch"
     os="openbsd"
 elif [[ "$plat" == "MINGW32"* ]]; then
-    #REVIEW
+    #32-bit msys shell - a genuine 32-bit machine reports i*86; a 32-bit shell
+    #on a 64-bit OS is rare enough that the machine arch decides (REVIEW)
     os="win32"
-    local_platform="win32-x86_64"
+    case "$arch" in
+        i*86) local_platform="win32-ix86";;
+        *)    local_platform="win32-x86_64";;
+    esac
     rt_default="tclsh902z.exe"
     runtime_available=1
 elif [[ "$plat" == "MINGW64"* ]]; then
@@ -1362,7 +1366,10 @@ elif [[ "$plat" == "MINGW64"* ]]; then
     runtime_available=1
 elif [[ "$plat" == "CYGWIN_NT"* ]]; then
     os="win32"
-    local_platform="win32-x86_64"
+    case "$arch" in
+        i*86) local_platform="win32-ix86";;
+        *)    local_platform="win32-x86_64";;
+    esac
     rt_default="tclsh902z.exe"
     runtime_available=1
 elif [[ "$plat" == "MSYS_NT"* ]]; then
@@ -2391,9 +2398,15 @@ function Show-PunkRuntimeHelp {
 #win32-x86_64, linux-x86_64, macosx) - NOT zig triples (the buildsuite maps triples to
 #platform dirs at build time; punk-runtime speaks only the punkbin tier). Validation is
 #deliberately shape-only: the server's sha1sums/404 is the truth for what exists.
-#This payload runs on windows - the local default stays win32-x86_64 (a windows-arm
-#default becomes a question when punkbin carries such a folder).
+#This payload runs on windows - the local default is win32-x86_64, or win32-ix86 on
+#a GENUINE 32-bit windows host (PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE x86 with no
+#PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432 - a 32-bit shell on a 64-bit OS keeps the x86_64 default:
+#the runtime store serves what the OS can run). A windows-arm default becomes a
+#question when punkbin carries such a folder.
 $script:PunkLocalPlatform = "win32-x86_64"
+if ($env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE -eq 'x86' -and -not $env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432) {
+    $script:PunkLocalPlatform = "win32-ix86"
+}
 function Resolve-PunkRuntimePlatform {
     param([string] $requested)
     $plat = $script:PunkLocalPlatform

src/scriptapps/bin/punk-runtime.bash

@@ -69,9 +69,13 @@ elif [[ "$plat" == "OpenBSD"* ]]; then
     local_platform="openbsd-$narch"
     os="openbsd"
 elif [[ "$plat" == "MINGW32"* ]]; then
-    #REVIEW
+    #32-bit msys shell - a genuine 32-bit machine reports i*86; a 32-bit shell
+    #on a 64-bit OS is rare enough that the machine arch decides (REVIEW)
     os="win32"
-    local_platform="win32-x86_64"
+    case "$arch" in
+        i*86) local_platform="win32-ix86";;
+        *)    local_platform="win32-x86_64";;
+    esac
     rt_default="tclsh902z.exe"
     runtime_available=1
 elif [[ "$plat" == "MINGW64"* ]]; then
@@ -82,7 +86,10 @@ elif [[ "$plat" == "MINGW64"* ]]; then
     runtime_available=1
 elif [[ "$plat" == "CYGWIN_NT"* ]]; then
     os="win32"
-    local_platform="win32-x86_64"
+    case "$arch" in
+        i*86) local_platform="win32-ix86";;
+        *)    local_platform="win32-x86_64";;
+    esac
     rt_default="tclsh902z.exe"
     runtime_available=1
 elif [[ "$plat" == "MSYS_NT"* ]]; then

src/scriptapps/bin/punk-runtime.ps1

@@ -143,9 +143,15 @@ function Show-PunkRuntimeHelp {
 #win32-x86_64, linux-x86_64, macosx) - NOT zig triples (the buildsuite maps triples to
 #platform dirs at build time; punk-runtime speaks only the punkbin tier). Validation is
 #deliberately shape-only: the server's sha1sums/404 is the truth for what exists.
-#This payload runs on windows - the local default stays win32-x86_64 (a windows-arm
-#default becomes a question when punkbin carries such a folder).
+#This payload runs on windows - the local default is win32-x86_64, or win32-ix86 on
+#a GENUINE 32-bit windows host (PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE x86 with no
+#PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432 - a 32-bit shell on a 64-bit OS keeps the x86_64 default:
+#the runtime store serves what the OS can run). A windows-arm default becomes a
+#question when punkbin carries such a folder.
 $script:PunkLocalPlatform = "win32-x86_64"
+if ($env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE -eq 'x86' -and -not $env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432) {
+    $script:PunkLocalPlatform = "win32-ix86"
+}
 function Resolve-PunkRuntimePlatform {
     param([string] $requested)
     $plat = $script:PunkLocalPlatform

src/vendorlib_tcl8/win32-ix86/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Tcl library dependencies
+
+pkgIndex.tcl based libraries specific to the win32-ix86 platform (32-bit x86
+windows). Hosting for available third-party libraries - a punkshell buildsuite
+for this platform is undetermined (canonical punkshell platform name - see
+punk::platform / 'help platforms')

src/vendorlib_tcl9/win32-ix86/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Tcl library dependencies
+
+pkgIndex.tcl based libraries specific to the win32-ix86 platform (32-bit x86
+windows). Hosting for available third-party libraries - a punkshell buildsuite
+for this platform is undetermined (canonical punkshell platform name - see
+punk::platform / 'help platforms')