G-104: make.tcl buildsuite list/info/build + sources.config self-description contract

buildsuite group added as a declared passthrough (punk::args + fallback paths):
list discovers suites (dirs carrying suite.tcl; _build excluded), info renders
the manifest-derived detail, build forwards driver args untouched streaming
output and exiting with the driver's status (punk-kit-hosted runs launch the
driver via the kit's script subcommand, selected by the G-058 marker).

Self-description = manifest option: sources.config gains description/product/
doc/zigpin records parsed by both suite.tcl (strict; pinned-zig default now
reads zigpin - one source of truth) and make.tcl (tolerant). suite_tcl90
seeded with its records. Copied trees appear automatically (verified with a
throwaway copy). Contract documented in new src/buildsuites/README.md +
AGENTS.md, indexed from src/AGENTS.md. CHANGELOG extended under 0.23.0.

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

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@ Entries are newest-first; one bullet per notable change. See the root `AGENTS.md
   the 8.6 arc completes). `vfslibs` survives as a standalone narrowing for declaration
   iteration. Help/usage tables regrouped (build & bake / promotion gates / source
   maintenance / deprecated aliases); `workflow` output teaches the two-persona model.
+- make.tcl buildsuite surface (G-104): `buildsuite list` discovers the suites under
+  src/buildsuites (directories carrying a suite.tcl driver; _build excluded) with
+  one-line descriptions; `buildsuite info <name>` renders the suite's configured detail
+  (sources.config records, pinned zig + presence, products, doc pointers); `buildsuite
+  build <name> ?driver-args?` runs the suite driver forwarding args untouched, streaming
+  output and exiting with the driver's status. Suites are self-describing via new
+  sources.config records (description/product/doc/zigpin - same manifest the driver
+  parses; suite.tcl's pinned-zig default now reads the zigpin record), so copied
+  retargeted trees appear automatically. Contract documented in src/buildsuites/README.md
+  (new) + AGENTS.md (new). Works under plain tclsh and punk kit executables.
 
 ## [0.22.2] - 2026-07-25
 

goals/G-104-maketcl-buildsuite-surface.md

@@ -32,6 +32,33 @@ Relationships: G-096 (achieved 2026-07-20 - suite.tcl driver + copy-and-tweak wo
 G-102 (achieved 2026-07-21 - driver shape settled; the info/build contract holds), G-103 (achieved 2026-07-22 - see goals/archive/G-103-runtime-kit-family.md; family
 products appear in info output), G-105 (target dimension forwarded when it exists).
 
+## Progress
+
+- 2026-07-25 surface landed (punkshell 0.23.0, written directly in the G-112
+  stage-true vocabulary): make.tcl gains the buildsuite group (list/info/build)
+  as a declared passthrough beside shell (driver args forwarded untouched in
+  both the punk::args and degraded-fallback dispatch paths). Self-description
+  contract settled on the MANIFEST option: sources.config gains
+  description/product/doc/zigpin records parsed by BOTH suite.tcl (strict; its
+  pinned-zig default now reads the zigpin record - single source of truth) and
+  make.tcl (tolerant - a malformed/absent manifest lists with the problem as
+  its description instead of breaking discovery). Discovery = directory scan
+  for a suite.tcl driver, _build excluded (samplesuite1 auto-excluded).
+  Contract documented in src/buildsuites/README.md (new) + AGENTS.md (new,
+  indexed from src/AGENTS.md); make.tcl help/plain-help document the group.
+- Verified 2026-07-25: list shows suite_tcl90 with its sources.config-derived
+  description; info renders the sources table + zig pin (present) + products +
+  doc pointers; build forwards args and exits with the driver's status
+  (unknown-option run exit 1 streamed; unknown suite/action exit 2; list exit
+  0); works under native tclsh90 AND punk91-kit-hosted (script-mode launcher
+  selection via the G-058 static-capture marker); a throwaway COPY of
+  suite_tcl90 with an edited description appeared in list/info automatically
+  and was removed after the check. suite.tcl direct CLI re-verified
+  (usage-error path through the new config-load position).
+- Remains for acceptance: a real driver run through the surface (satisfied
+  naturally when the G-099 suite_tcl86 arc drives builds via 'make.tcl
+  buildsuite build'); window doc sweep.
+
 ## Notes
 
 - Activation freshness 2026-07-25: goals_xref.tcl score G-104 re-run at the

src/AGENTS.md

@@ -116,5 +116,6 @@ Recovery after a wrong path guess:
 - `vendorlib_tcl8/` — Tcl 8 specific vendor libraries
 - `vendorlib_tcl9/` — Tcl 9 specific vendor libraries
 - `runtime/` — Build runtimes and VFS config (see runtime/AGENTS.md)
+- `buildsuites/` — Zig-built runtime factory: suites building Tcl runtimes from external sources with the pinned zig toolchain; surfaced via `make.tcl buildsuite list/info/build`; suite self-description contract in buildsuites/README.md (see buildsuites/AGENTS.md)
 - `doc/` — Generated documentation (see doc/AGENTS.md)
 - `testansi/` — Sample ANSI art files (do not modify)

src/buildsuites/AGENTS.md

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# src/buildsuites - Buildsuites (zig runtime factory)
+
+## Purpose
+
+Suites that build Tcl runtimes and binary companions from external upstream
+sources using the pinned zig toolchain (zig-only build policy). Arm's-length
+from the project build/bake stages: inputs are upstream checkouts/pins, not
+this project's `src/` tree.
+
+## Ownership
+
+- Suite trees (`suite_tcl90/`, future `suite_tcl86/` etc) are agent-editable
+  under user-directed goal work (the G-096/G-099 arcs).
+- `_build/` is a VCS-ignored build area - never commit from it; each suite
+  stages into `_build/<suitename>`.
+
+## Local Contracts
+
+- The suite self-description contract (what makes a directory a suite, the
+  `sources.config` record grammar incl. description/product/doc/zigpin, the
+  copy-and-tweak guarantee) is documented in `README.md` here - keep it and
+  the `make.tcl buildsuite` surface in step.
+- `sources.config` is parsed, never executed - by both the suite driver and
+  `make.tcl buildsuite list/info`. Grammar changes must land in both parsers
+  (suite.tcl strict, make.tcl tolerant) plus `README.md`.
+- Fossil clones live in the machine-level store (`PUNK_FOSSIL_STORE`, default
+  `~/.punkshell/fossils`) - outside `_build`-class deletable dirs.
+- Suite drivers must keep working when invoked directly (`tclsh suite.tcl ...`)
+  AND via `make.tcl buildsuite build <name>` (which forwards args untouched).
+
+## Verification
+
+- `tclsh src/make.tcl buildsuite list` shows every suite with its description.
+- `tclsh src/make.tcl buildsuite info <name>` renders the manifest-derived
+  detail for the touched suite.
+- Suite pipelines verify per their own README/goal records (test gates vs
+  tracked expected_test_failures baselines).
+
+## Child DOX Index
+
+- `suite_tcl90/` - Tcl 9.0 suite (its README.md carries lineage/detail; no
+  child AGENTS.md yet)

src/buildsuites/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+# src/buildsuites - zig-built runtime factory
+
+Buildsuites build Tcl runtimes (and their binary companions) from external
+sources with the pinned zig toolchain. This is an arm's-length subsystem: it
+consumes upstream Tcl/Tk/extension sources, not this project's `src/` tree,
+and its outputs are runtime executables and artifact families - distinct from
+the project build/bake stages driven by the rest of `make.tcl`.
+
+## Layout
+
+- `suite_tcl90/` - the Tcl 9.0 suite (see its README for lineage and detail)
+- `_build/` - VCS-ignored build area; each suite stages into `_build/<suitename>`
+- other directories without a `suite.tcl` driver are not suites (e.g sample
+  material) and are ignored by discovery
+
+## The make.tcl surface (G-104)
+
+Run from the projectroot:
+
+    tclsh src/make.tcl buildsuite list
+    tclsh src/make.tcl buildsuite info <suitename>
+    tclsh src/make.tcl buildsuite build <suitename> ?driver-args ...?
+
+`list` discovers the suites and their one-line descriptions. `info` shows a
+suite's configured detail: description, source records (url/ref/pin), the
+pinned zig and whether it is present, products, and doc pointers. `build`
+runs the suite's driver (`suite.tcl build`) forwarding the given args
+untouched (e.g `-tclbranch`, `-refresh`, `-steps`), streams its output, and
+exits with the driver's status. The surface works under a plain tclsh and
+under punk kit executables.
+
+## Suite self-description contract
+
+A directory under `src/buildsuites` IS a suite when it carries a `suite.tcl`
+driver. Its `sources.config` is the suite's manifest - parsed as plain line
+records, never executed - read by BOTH the driver and `make.tcl buildsuite
+list/info`. Record grammar (whitespace-separated; `#` comments and blanks
+ignored):
+
+    source <name> <kind> <url> <ref> <dir>   source-pull declarations (fossil|git)
+    description <text...>                    one line - the suite's list/info one-liner
+    product <text...>                        repeatable - what a full build produces
+    doc <relpath>                            repeatable - suite-relative doc pointers
+    zigpin <relpath>                         projectroot-relative pinned zig executable
+
+Because discovery is a directory scan and description/info are answered by the
+suite's own manifest, a copied tree (the copy-and-tweak retargeting workflow -
+copy `suite_tcl90/` to `src/buildsuites/<yourname>/`, edit `sources.config`)
+appears in `list`/`info` automatically and stages into its own
+`_build/<yourname>` - no `make.tcl` edits, ever. A new or forked suite
+satisfies the contract by construction: keep `suite.tcl` + `sources.config`
+and edit the description/product records to tell the truth about your suite.
+
+The `zigpin` record is the single source of truth for the suite's pinned zig:
+`suite.tcl` resolves its default zig from it (precedence: `-zig` option >
+`PUNK_ZIG` env > the pin > `zig` on PATH) and `info` reports it with presence
+state (`bin/punk-getzig.cmd` fetches pinned zig versions).
+
+## Flows
+
+Each suite offers two equivalent flows (G-102):
+
+- FOSSIL DEV FLOW: `suite.tcl build|test|clean` - live checkouts per
+  `sources.config` refs (branches may float), staged from the hermetic clone
+  store (`PUNK_FOSSIL_STORE`, default `~/.punkshell/fossils`).
+- NO-TCLSH FLOW: `zig build stage|bootstrap` from the suite directory -
+  content-hashed per-checkin pins from `build.zig.zon`.
+
+Both delegate the pipeline (configure, compile, install, smoke, test gates)
+to the suite's zig recipe steps.

src/buildsuites/suite_tcl90/sources.config

@@ -41,6 +41,22 @@
 # cloned directly from <url> and pinned to <ref>. critcl is fetched lazily -
 # only when the tcllibc accelerators need building.
 
+# -- suite self-description records (G-104) --------------------------------
+# Consumed by 'make.tcl buildsuite list/info' AND by suite.tcl (same parser
+# grammar both sides - the file stays the single manifest). Part of the
+# copy-and-tweak surface: edit these for your copied suite so it lists and
+# describes itself with no make.tcl edits.
+#   description <text...>   one line - the list/info one-liner for this suite
+#   product <text...>       repeatable - what a full build produces
+#   doc <relpath>           repeatable - suite-relative doc pointers
+#   zigpin <relpath>        projectroot-relative pinned zig executable
+description Zig-built Tcl 9.0 windows runtime family: core + thread/tclvfs/Tk + tcllib/tcllibc, core-test gate, punk kit-family artifacts
+product tclsh9.0.x runtime family (plain / punk / punk-bi) with attached prefix-mirror image - out/family plus punkbin-layout -r<N> artifacts with toml metadata
+product installed lib tree: thread, tclvfs, Tk, tklib, tcllib (+ tcllibc critcl accelerators)
+product core testsuite gate vs the tracked expected_test_failures baseline (parsed all.tcl totals)
+doc README.md
+zigpin bin/tools/zig-x86_64-windows-0.16.0/zig.exe
+
 source tcl       fossil https://core.tcl-lang.org/tcl    core-9-0-branch tcl905
 source tclthread fossil https://core.tcl-lang.org/thread trunk           tclthread
 # tclvfs forTcl9 branch (user 2026-07-22): trunk is the 1.4.2 era; forTcl9 carries

src/buildsuites/suite_tcl90/suite.tcl

@@ -71,6 +71,62 @@ set suiteroot [file dirname [file normalize [info script]]]
 set stage     [file normalize [file join $suiteroot .. _build [file tail $suiteroot]]]
 set builddir  [file join $stage build]
 
+#-- sources.config load ---------------------------------------------------
+#Declared in sources.config (the copy-and-tweak surface for the LIVE-checkout dev
+#flow - see its header; build.zig.zon is the equivalent PINNED surface for the
+#no-tclsh flow). Parsed as line records - never executed.
+#Extended record grammar (G-104 self-description contract - documented in
+#src/buildsuites/README.md; 'make.tcl buildsuite list/info' reads the same
+#records, so a copied suite self-describes with no make.tcl edits):
+#  source <name> <kind> <url> <ref> <dir>   source-pull declarations (the original records)
+#  description <text...>                    one line - the suite's list/info one-liner
+#  product <text...>                        repeatable - what the suite produces
+#  doc <relpath>                            repeatable - suite-relative doc pointers
+#  zigpin <relpath>                         projectroot-relative pinned zig executable
+proc load_sources_config {path} {
+    set config [dict create sources [dict create] description "" products [list] docs [list] zigpin ""]
+    set f [open $path r]; set data [read $f]; close $f
+    set ln 0
+    foreach line [split $data \n] {
+        incr ln
+        set line [string trim $line]
+        if {$line eq "" || [string index $line 0] eq "#"} {continue}
+        if {[catch {llength $line} len]} {
+            fail "sources.config line $ln: not a well-formed record: $line"
+        }
+        switch -- [lindex $line 0] {
+            source {
+                if {$len != 6} {
+                    fail "sources.config line $ln: expected 'source <name> <kind> <url> <ref> <dir>' - got: $line"
+                }
+                lassign $line -> name kind url ref dir
+                if {$kind ni {fossil git}} {
+                    fail "sources.config line $ln: unknown kind '$kind' (expected fossil|git)"
+                }
+                dict set config sources $name [dict create kind $kind url $url ref $ref dir $dir]
+            }
+            description {
+                dict set config description [join [lrange $line 1 end] " "]
+            }
+            product {
+                dict lappend config products [join [lrange $line 1 end] " "]
+            }
+            doc {
+                dict lappend config docs [lindex $line 1]
+            }
+            zigpin {
+                dict set config zigpin [lindex $line 1]
+            }
+            default {
+                fail "sources.config line $ln: unknown record type '[lindex $line 0]' (expected source|description|product|doc|zigpin)"
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return $config
+}
+set suiteconfig [load_sources_config [file join $suiteroot sources.config]]
+set sources [dict get $suiteconfig sources]
+
 #-- options ---------------------------------------------------------------
 set action [lindex $argv 0]
 if {$action ni {build test clean}} {
@@ -92,8 +148,14 @@ set opt(-seedfossils) [file normalize [file join $env(HOME) .fossils]]
 #zig resolution: -zig option > PUNK_ZIG env > the suite's pinned toolchain under
 #bin/tools (zig 0.16.0 official release - hosted on punkbin, minisign-verified;
 #the recipe is 0.16-API and does NOT build under 0.14/0.15 - see README Lineage)
-#> 'zig' on PATH.
-set pinned_zig [file normalize [file join $suiteroot .. .. .. bin tools zig-x86_64-windows-0.16.0 zig.exe]]
+#> 'zig' on PATH. The pinned path comes from the sources.config 'zigpin' record
+#(projectroot-relative; single source of truth shared with 'make.tcl buildsuite
+#info') with the historical suite_tcl90 path as fallback when the record is absent.
+if {[dict get $suiteconfig zigpin] ne ""} {
+    set pinned_zig [file normalize [file join $suiteroot .. .. .. [dict get $suiteconfig zigpin]]]
+} else {
+    set pinned_zig [file normalize [file join $suiteroot .. .. .. bin tools zig-x86_64-windows-0.16.0 zig.exe]]
+}
 if {[info exists env(PUNK_ZIG)]} {
     set opt(-zig) $env(PUNK_ZIG)
 } elseif {[file exists $pinned_zig]} {
@@ -269,29 +331,9 @@ foreach item {build905.zig build_common.zig build_libtommath build_zlib build_tc
 }
 
 #-- sources ---------------------------------------------------------------
-#Declared in sources.config (the copy-and-tweak surface for the LIVE-checkout dev
-#flow - see its header; build.zig.zon is the equivalent PINNED surface for the
-#no-tclsh flow). Parsed as line records - never executed.
-proc load_sources_config {path} {
-    set sources [dict create]
-    set f [open $path r]; set data [read $f]; close $f
-    set ln 0
-    foreach line [split $data \n] {
-        incr ln
-        set line [string trim $line]
-        if {$line eq "" || [string index $line 0] eq "#"} {continue}
-        if {[catch {llength $line} len] || $len != 6 || [lindex $line 0] ne "source"} {
-            fail "sources.config line $ln: expected 'source <name> <kind> <url> <ref> <dir>' - got: $line"
-        }
-        lassign $line -> name kind url ref dir
-        if {$kind ni {fossil git}} {
-            fail "sources.config line $ln: unknown kind '$kind' (expected fossil|git)"
-        }
-        dict set sources $name [dict create kind $kind url $url ref $ref dir $dir]
-    }
-    return $sources
-}
-set sources [load_sources_config [file join $suiteroot sources.config]]
+#(sources.config already loaded near the top - see load_sources_config there;
+#$sources holds the source records, $suiteconfig the full record set incl. the
+#G-104 self-description records)
 foreach required {tcl tclthread tclvfs tk tklib tcllib critcl} {
     if {![dict exists $sources $required]} {
         fail "sources.config: missing required source record '$required'"

src/make.tcl

@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ namespace eval ::punkboot {
     variable foldername [file tail $scriptfolder]
     variable pkg_requirements [list]; variable pkg_missing [list];variable pkg_loaded [list]
     variable help_flags     [list -help --help /? -h]
-    variable known_commands [list bakehouse packages modules libs bake vfslibs bin info check shell vendorupdate bootsupport vfscommonupdate projectversion workflow project vfs]
+    variable known_commands [list bakehouse packages modules libs bake vfslibs bin info check shell vendorupdate bootsupport vfscommonupdate projectversion workflow buildsuite project vfs]
 }
 
 
@@ -1563,6 +1563,9 @@ proc ::punkboot::punkboot_gethelp {args} {
     append h "    - advisory check: verify CHANGELOG.md matches punkproject.toml and warn if src/ has changes since the last project-version bump." \n \n
     append h "  $scriptname workflow" \n
     append h "    - print an ASCII data-flow overview of the build/release workflow (edit -> packages -> bootsupport -> kits)" \n \n
+    append h "  $scriptname buildsuite list|info|build ?<suitename>? ?driver-args ...?" \n
+    append h "    - list the defined buildsuites under src/buildsuites (zig runtime factory), show a suite's configured" \n
+    append h "      detail (sources/zig pin/products from its sources.config), or run its driver forwarding the args" \n \n
     append h "  $scriptname help ?subcommand?" \n
     append h "    - show usage for $scriptname or one of its subcommands (equivalent: $scriptname <subcommand> -help)" \n \n
     append h "  Deprecated aliases (transition window):" \n
@@ -1858,6 +1861,7 @@ if {[info exists ::env(PUNKBOOT_PLAIN)] && [string is true -strict $::env(PUNKBO
                 workflow        "Print an ASCII data-flow overview of the build/release workflow (edit -> packages -> gates -> bake)"
                 shell           "Run the punk shell using bootsupport libraries"
                 help            "Show usage for make.tcl or one of its subcommands"
+                buildsuite      "List, describe or run the defined buildsuites under src/buildsuites (zig runtime factory)"
                 project         "DEPRECATED alias for bakehouse (one-line notice, then runs bakehouse)"
                 vfs             "DEPRECATED alias for bake (one-line notice, then runs bake)"
             }
@@ -1971,6 +1975,31 @@ if {[info exists ::env(PUNKBOOT_PLAIN)] && [string is true -strict $::env(PUNKBO
                  The text is embedded in make.tcl (::punkboot::workflow_text) so it is
                  available wherever make.tcl runs; its MAINTENANCE key states the
                  update contract for keeping it in step with build behaviour."
+                buildsuite
+                "
+                 Surface for the defined buildsuites under src/buildsuites (zig-built
+                 runtime factory - an arm's-length subsystem building Tcl runtimes
+                 from external sources, distinct from the project build/bake stages).
+
+                 Actions:
+                   buildsuite list
+                     Discover the suites (directories carrying a suite.tcl driver;
+                     _build excluded) with their one-line descriptions.
+                   buildsuite info <name>
+                     Show the suite's configured detail: description, source records
+                     (name/kind/url/ref/dir from sources.config), pinned zig and its
+                     resolution, products, doc pointers.
+                   buildsuite build <name> ?driver-args ...?
+                     Run the suite's driver ('suite.tcl build' with the given args
+                     forwarded untouched, e.g -tclbranch/-refresh/-steps), streaming
+                     its output and exiting with the driver's status.
+
+                 Suites are SELF-describing: list/info read each suite's
+                 sources.config records (description/product/doc/zigpin - the same
+                 manifest the suite.tcl driver parses), so a copied/retargeted tree
+                 (copy-and-tweak workflow) appears here automatically with no
+                 make.tcl edits. The contract is documented in
+                 src/buildsuites/README.md."
                 project
                 "
                  DEPRECATED alias for 'bakehouse' (G-112 stage-true rename) - prints a
@@ -2084,6 +2113,15 @@ if {[info exists ::env(PUNKBOOT_PLAIN)] && [string is true -strict $::env(PUNKBO
                 {@values -min 0 -max -1
                 arg -type any -optional 1 -multiple 1 -help\
                     "Arguments passed through to the punk repl."}
+            punk::args::define\
+                "@id -id (script)::punkboot::buildsuite"\
+                "@normalize"\
+                "@cmd -name [list "make.tcl buildsuite"] -summary [list [dict get $SUMMARIES buildsuite]] -help [list [dict get $HELPTEXTS buildsuite]]"\
+                {@form -synopsis "make.tcl buildsuite list|info|build ?<suitename>? ?driver-args ...?"}\
+                {@values -min 0 -max -1
+                arg -type any -optional 1 -multiple 1 -help\
+                    "Action (list|info|build), suite name, and - for build - driver
+                      arguments forwarded to the suite's suite.tcl untouched."}
             punk::args::define\
                 "@id -id (script)::punkboot::help"\
                 "@normalize"\
@@ -2099,6 +2137,7 @@ if {[info exists ::env(PUNKBOOT_PLAIN)] && [string is true -strict $::env(PUNKBO
                 "build & bake"       {bakehouse packages modules libs bake vfslibs bin}
                 "promotion gates"    {bootsupport vfscommonupdate}
                 "source maintenance" {vendorupdate}
+                "buildsuites"        {buildsuite}
                 "informational"      {info check projectversion workflow help}
                 "interactive"        {shell}
                 "deprecated aliases" {project vfs}
@@ -2184,6 +2223,11 @@ if {$::punkboot::punkargs_ok} {
         } elseif {$subcommand eq "shell"} {
             #declared passthrough: everything after 'shell' goes to the repl unparsed
             set ::punkboot::command shell
+        } elseif {$subcommand eq "buildsuite"} {
+            #declared passthrough: the handler parses action/name itself; driver
+            #args (arbitrary suite flags) are forwarded untouched (G-104)
+            set ::punkboot::command buildsuite
+            set ::punkboot::bs_args $subargs
         } else {
             if {[catch {punk::args::parse $subargs -errorstyle $::punkboot::errstyle withid (script)::punkboot::$subcommand} argd]} {
                 puts stderr $argd
@@ -2204,6 +2248,13 @@ if {$::punkboot::punkargs_ok} {
     #unavailable). Keeps check/bootsupport/modules and the -k/-dirty-abort/-confirm flags working.
     set commands_found [list]
     set argsleft $scriptargs
+    if {[lindex $scriptargs 0] eq "buildsuite"} {
+        #declared passthrough (as in the punk::args path): driver args carry
+        #arbitrary suite flags the fallback flag scan must not consume (G-104)
+        set commands_found [list buildsuite]
+        set argsleft [list]
+        set ::punkboot::bs_args [lrange $scriptargs 1 end]
+    }
     while {[llength $argsleft]} {
         set a [lindex $argsleft 0]
         set argsleft [lrange $argsleft 1 end]
@@ -2319,7 +2370,7 @@ set forcekill $::punkboot::opt_forcekill
 #   - patch bump -> warn and proceed (non-breaking)
 # 'check' is exempt in all cases — the warning is shown at the end of its output instead.
 # 'projectversion' and 'workflow' are informational/read-only and are likewise exempt.
-if {[info exists ::punkboot::stale_bootsupport] && $::punkboot::command ni {check projectversion workflow}} {
+if {[info exists ::punkboot::stale_bootsupport] && $::punkboot::command ni {check projectversion workflow buildsuite}} {
     set _stale $::punkboot::stale_bootsupport
     set _have_major 0
     set _have_minor 0
@@ -2867,6 +2918,160 @@ if {$::punkboot::command eq "workflow"} {
     exit 0
 }
 
+if {$::punkboot::command eq "buildsuite"} {
+    #G-104: thin front for the buildsuites (zig runtime factory - arm's-length
+    #subsystem building Tcl runtimes from external sources). Discovery is a
+    #directory scan; description/info come from each suite's sources.config
+    #records (description/product/doc/zigpin - the same manifest the suite.tcl
+    #driver parses), so copied/retargeted trees are first-class with no edits
+    #here. Contract: src/buildsuites/README.md.
+    set bs_root [file join $sourcefolder buildsuites]
+    if {![info exists ::punkboot::bs_args]} {set ::punkboot::bs_args [list]}
+    set bsargs $::punkboot::bs_args
+    set bs_action [lindex $bsargs 0]
+    if {$bs_action eq ""} {set bs_action list}
+    #tolerant manifest reader (make.tcl side): a suite with a malformed or absent
+    #sources.config still lists - with the problem as its description - rather
+    #than breaking discovery of the others. suite.tcl's own parser stays strict.
+    proc ::punkboot::buildsuite_manifest {suitedir} {
+        set m [dict create description "" products [list] docs [list] zigpin "" sources [list] note ""]
+        set cfg [file join $suitedir sources.config]
+        if {![file exists $cfg]} {
+            dict set m note "(no sources.config manifest)"
+            return $m
+        }
+        if {[catch {
+            set f [open $cfg r]; set data [read $f]; close $f
+            foreach line [split $data \n] {
+                set line [string trim $line]
+                if {$line eq "" || [string index $line 0] eq "#"} {continue}
+                if {[catch {llength $line}]} {continue}
+                switch -- [lindex $line 0] {
+                    source      {dict lappend m sources [lrange $line 1 end]}
+                    description {dict set m description [join [lrange $line 1 end] " "]}
+                    product     {dict lappend m products [join [lrange $line 1 end] " "]}
+                    doc         {dict lappend m docs [lindex $line 1]}
+                    zigpin      {dict set m zigpin [lindex $line 1]}
+                }
+            }
+        } cfgerr]} {
+            dict set m note "(sources.config unreadable: $cfgerr)"
+        }
+        return $m
+    }
+    proc ::punkboot::buildsuite_dirs {bs_root} {
+        set dirs [list]
+        foreach dir [lsort [glob -nocomplain -dir $bs_root -type d *]] {
+            if {[file tail $dir] eq "_build"} {continue}
+            if {![file exists [file join $dir suite.tcl]]} {continue} ;#not a suite (no driver)
+            lappend dirs $dir
+        }
+        return $dirs
+    }
+    switch -- $bs_action {
+        list {
+            set suitedirs [::punkboot::buildsuite_dirs $bs_root]
+            if {![llength $suitedirs]} {
+                puts stdout "no buildsuites found under $bs_root (a suite = a directory carrying a suite.tcl driver)"
+                exit 0
+            }
+            puts stdout "buildsuites under $bs_root:"
+            foreach dir $suitedirs {
+                set m [::punkboot::buildsuite_manifest $dir]
+                set desc [dict get $m description]
+                if {$desc eq ""} {set desc [dict get $m note]}
+                if {$desc eq ""} {set desc "(no description record in sources.config)"}
+                puts stdout [format "  %-16s %s" [file tail $dir] $desc]
+            }
+            puts stdout ""
+            puts stdout " - 'make.tcl buildsuite info <name>' shows a suite's configured detail"
+            puts stdout " - 'make.tcl buildsuite build <name> ?driver-args ...?' runs its driver"
+            exit 0
+        }
+        info {
+            set bs_name [lindex $bsargs 1]
+            if {$bs_name eq ""} {
+                puts stderr "usage: make.tcl buildsuite info <suitename>   ('make.tcl buildsuite list' shows the names)"
+                exit 2
+            }
+            set dir [file join $bs_root $bs_name]
+            if {![file isdirectory $dir] || ![file exists [file join $dir suite.tcl]]} {
+                puts stderr "buildsuite '$bs_name' not found (no [file join $dir suite.tcl]) - 'make.tcl buildsuite list' shows the suites"
+                exit 2
+            }
+            set m [::punkboot::buildsuite_manifest $dir]
+            puts stdout "buildsuite: $bs_name"
+            puts stdout "  path:        $dir"
+            if {[dict get $m note] ne ""}        {puts stdout "  note:        [dict get $m note]"}
+            if {[dict get $m description] ne ""} {puts stdout "  description: [dict get $m description]"}
+            if {[llength [dict get $m sources]]} {
+                puts stdout "  sources (sources.config - the live dev-flow refs; the 'zig build' flow pins per-checkin via build.zig.zon):"
+                puts stdout [format "    %-10s %-7s %-40s %-16s %s" name kind url ref dir]
+                foreach s [dict get $m sources] {
+                    lassign $s sname skind surl sref sdir
+                    puts stdout [format "    %-10s %-7s %-40s %-16s %s" $sname $skind $surl $sref $sdir]
+                }
+            }
+            set zigpin [dict get $m zigpin]
+            if {$zigpin ne ""} {
+                set pinpath [file normalize [file join $projectroot $zigpin]]
+                set pinstate [expr {[file exists $pinpath] ? "present" : "NOT PRESENT (bin/punk-getzig.cmd can fetch it)"}]
+                puts stdout "  zig pin:     $zigpin ($pinstate)"
+            } else {
+                puts stdout "  zig pin:     (no zigpin record in sources.config)"
+            }
+            if {[info exists ::env(PUNK_ZIG)]} {
+                puts stdout "  zig via env: PUNK_ZIG=$::env(PUNK_ZIG) (overrides the pin for driver runs)"
+            }
+            foreach p [dict get $m products] {
+                puts stdout "  product:     $p"
+            }
+            foreach d [dict get $m docs] {
+                puts stdout "  doc:         [file join $dir $d]"
+            }
+            exit 0
+        }
+        build {
+            set bs_name [lindex $bsargs 1]
+            if {$bs_name eq ""} {
+                puts stderr "usage: make.tcl buildsuite build <suitename> ?driver-args ...?"
+                exit 2
+            }
+            set dir [file join $bs_root $bs_name]
+            set driver [file join $dir suite.tcl]
+            if {![file exists $driver]} {
+                puts stderr "buildsuite '$bs_name' not found (no $driver) - 'make.tcl buildsuite list' shows the suites"
+                exit 2
+            }
+            set fwdargs [lrange $bsargs 2 end]
+            #interpreter for the driver: this tclsh - or, punk-exe-hosted (the
+            #G-058 static-capture marker identifies a kit boot), the kit's
+            #'script' subcommand so the driver runs with plain script semantics
+            set launcher [list [info nameofexecutable]]
+            if {[info exists ::punkboot::static_packages]} {
+                set launcher [list [info nameofexecutable] script]
+            }
+            puts stdout "buildsuite build $bs_name: running '$driver build' with forwarded args: $fwdargs"
+            flush stdout
+            #stream driver output; exit with the driver's status
+            if {[catch {exec {*}$launcher $driver build {*}$fwdargs >@stdout 2>@stderr} execerr execopts]} {
+                set ecode [dict get $execopts -errorcode]
+                if {[lindex $ecode 0] eq "CHILDSTATUS"} {
+                    exit [lindex $ecode 2]
+                }
+                puts stderr "buildsuite build $bs_name: failed to run the driver: $execerr"
+                exit 1
+            }
+            exit 0
+        }
+        default {
+            puts stderr "unknown buildsuite action '$bs_action' - expected list|info|build"
+            puts stderr "usage: make.tcl buildsuite list|info|build ?<suitename>? ?driver-args ...?"
+            exit 2
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 if {$::punkboot::command eq "shell"} {
     #G-113: the ansistrip transform serves make.tcl's own output only - the repl's
     #colour behaviour is the shell's own concern (colour on/off + NO_COLOR there).