Simplify: shared tool-step runner, probe args helper, buildtool touch stamp, knob-spelling parity

.github/workflows/ci-docker.yml

@@ -203,7 +203,10 @@ jobs:
           - nrf52
           - host
         # Fail the job if the precompiled header silently degrades on the
-        # platforms where it must work (libretiny needs a toolchain bump)
+        # platforms where it must work. Excluded: bk72xx/rtl87xx/ln882x
+        # (libretiny GCC rejects its own pch until a toolchain bump),
+        # esp32-*-platformio (no pch; the toolchain is being dropped),
+        # nrf52 and host (no pch)
         include:
           - id: esp8266-arduino
             pch_strict: "1"

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -1203,8 +1203,8 @@ jobs:
 
           # ESP8266 Arduino built directly (no PlatformIO); compile validates
           # config first, so a separate config pass is redundant. Strict pch:
-          # the docker smoke test covers the PlatformIO default, this job is
-          # the only CI exercise of the native ninja pch (and its probe edge).
+          # exercises the native ninja pch (and its probe edge) against real
+          # component configs; the docker matrix smoke-tests both toolchains.
           ESPHOME_PCH_STRICT=1 python3 script/test_build_components.py -e compile -t esp8266-ard -c "$TEST_COMPONENTS" -f --toolchain arduino --fail-on-no-tests
 
   device-builder: