The PGI compilers and tools are supported on both 32-bit and 64-bit variants of the Linux and Windows operating systems on a variety of x86-compatible processors. There are a wide variety of releases and distributions of each of these types of operating systems. The Portland Group defines the following terms with respect to these platforms:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| x86 | Refers to the Intel* Corporation's x86 family of CPU chips, which includes Pentiums and all preceding models such as the 486 and 386. x86-based computers include x86-compatible CPUs from AMD and others. The Portland Group refers to all x86-based computers as x86. |
| IA32 | The extended version of the x86 architecture introduced with the 386 is called x86-32 or Intel Architecture 32-bit. IA32 processors are binary compatible with x86 processors but incorporate new features such as streaming SIMD extensions (SSE) for improved performance. |
| AMD64 | a 64-bit processor from AMD designed to be binary compatible with IA32 processors, and incorporating new features such as additional registers and 64-bit addressing support for improved performance and greatly increased memory range. Popular examples include the Opteron*, Athlon* 64 and Turion*. |
| EM64T | a 64-bit IA32 processor from Intel Corp. with Extended Memory 64-bit Technology extensions that are binary compatible with AMD64 processors. In 2007, Intel designated IA32 processors with EM64T as Intel 64 technology. |
| Intel 64 | See EM64T entry above. |
| x64 | collectively, all AMD64 and Intel 64 processors supported by the PGI compilers. |
| linux86 | 32-bit Linux* operating system running on an x86 or x64 processor-based system, with 32-bit GNU tools, utilities and libraries used by the PGI compilers to assemble and link for 32-bit execution. |
| linux86-64 | 64-bit Linux operating system running on an x64 processor-based system, with 64-bit and 32-bit GNU tools, utilities and libraries used by the PGI compilers to assemble and link for execution in either linux86 or linux86-64 environments. The 32-bit development tools and execution environment under linux86-64 are considered a cross development environment for x86 processor-based applications. |
| Win32 | any of the 32-bit Microsoft* Windows* operating systems (XP/2000/Server 2003) running on an x86 or x64 processor-based system. On these targets, the PGI compiler products include additional tools and libraries needed to build executables for 32-bit Windows systems. |
| Win64 | any of the 64-bit Microsoft Windows operating systems (Vista, XP Professional/Windows Server* 2003 x64 Editions) running on an x64 processor-based system. |
| Windows | collectively, all Win32 and Win64 platforms supported by the PGI compilers and tools. |