diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 68d2d2b..4359f68 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1022,6 +1022,14 @@ dependencies = [
  "wat",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "tinywasm-component-abi"
+version = "0.11.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "tinywasm",
+ "wat",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "tinywasm-parser"
 version = "0.11.0"
diff --git a/crates/component-abi/Cargo.toml b/crates/component-abi/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e4607b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/component-abi/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+[package]
+name = "tinywasm-component-abi"
+version.workspace = true
+edition.workspace = true
+rust-version.workspace = true
+description = "Opt-in canonical ABI memory helpers for TinyWasm hosts"
+homepage.workspace = true
+repository.workspace = true
+license.workspace = true
+keywords = ["tinywasm", "component-model", "wasm", "wit"]
+categories = ["wasm", "no-std"]
+
+[dependencies]
+tinywasm = { workspace = true, default-features = false }
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+tinywasm = { workspace = true, features = ["parser"] }
+wat.workspace = true
+
+[lints]
+workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/component-abi/README.md b/crates/component-abi/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d14784
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/component-abi/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# tinywasm-component-abi
+
+This optional `no_std + alloc` crate starts with checked, borrowed wasm32
+canonical-ABI access for UTF-8 strings, `list<u8>`, and `list<u32>`. Hosts
+provide the memory handle and a per-transfer byte limit; reads do not copy or
+allocate. The crate has no dependency on `tinywasm-wasi`, and neither the core
+interpreter nor the WASI Preview 1 calling path depends on it.
+
+This is **not** a component runtime. It does not parse or instantiate
+components, implement WASI Preview 2/3 modules, call `realloc`, manage resource
+handles, or bridge async calls. It is a small foundation for custom WIT host
+modules; full components and cross-language async can be built incrementally
+without making Preview 1 users pay for them.
+
+Hosts still need store fuel/time limits, memory/resource quotas, and their own
+total-work budgets. The byte limit here applies to each transfer only.
diff --git a/crates/component-abi/src/lib.rs b/crates/component-abi/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c431ae7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/component-abi/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+#![no_std]
+#![forbid(unsafe_code)]
+#![warn(missing_docs, rust_2018_idioms)]
+
+//! Opt-in, allocation-free access to a small subset of the component canonical ABI.
+//!
+//! This crate does not parse, validate, instantiate, or link components. It helps
+//! hosts implementing WIT-shaped imports for core Wasm modules read and write
+//! canonical-ABI-shaped values in a selected wasm32 linear memory. The memory
+//! is supplied explicitly: canonical ABI memories need not be named `memory`.
+//!
+//! Only UTF-8 strings, `list<u8>`, and `list<u32>` are covered here. Full
+//! component values, resource handles, `realloc`, post-return, and async calls
+//! require further work. Per-transfer bounds do not replace store fuel, memory
+//! limits, or per-instance resource quotas.
+
+extern crate alloc;
+
+use alloc::string::ToString;
+use core::fmt;
+use tinywasm::types::MemoryArch;
+use tinywasm::{Memory, Store};
+
+/// The canonical ABI's maximum string/list byte length.
+pub const CANONICAL_MAX_BYTES: usize = (1 << 28) - 1;
+
+/// A host-selected bound on each string or list transfer.
+///
+/// The effective bound is also capped by [`CANONICAL_MAX_BYTES`]. A host
+/// should use a smaller value appropriate to its device and interface.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct Limits {
+    /// Maximum bytes read or written in one operation.
+    pub max_transfer_bytes: usize,
+}
+
+/// A failed canonical ABI memory operation.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum AbiError {
+    /// The memory handle is invalid for this store or memory access failed.
+    Runtime(tinywasm::Error),
+    /// This initial helper only handles wasm32 memory.
+    Memory64,
+    /// A string or list exceeds the host or canonical ABI bound.
+    TooLarge,
+    /// Pointer arithmetic overflowed or the region is outside linear memory.
+    OutOfBounds,
+    /// A list pointer does not satisfy its element alignment.
+    Misaligned,
+    /// The canonical UTF-8 string has invalid encoding.
+    InvalidUtf8,
+}
+
+impl fmt::Display for AbiError {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            Self::Runtime(error) => write!(f, "{error}"),
+            Self::Memory64 => f.write_str("canonical ABI helper requires wasm32 memory"),
+            Self::TooLarge => f.write_str("canonical ABI transfer exceeds the configured limit"),
+            Self::OutOfBounds => f.write_str("canonical ABI memory range is out of bounds"),
+            Self::Misaligned => f.write_str("canonical ABI list pointer is misaligned"),
+            Self::InvalidUtf8 => f.write_str("canonical ABI string is not valid UTF-8"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<tinywasm::Error> for AbiError {
+    fn from(error: tinywasm::Error) -> Self {
+        Self::Runtime(error)
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<AbiError> for tinywasm::Error {
+    fn from(error: AbiError) -> Self {
+        match error {
+            AbiError::Runtime(error) => error,
+            error => Self::Other(error.to_string()),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Checked access to one explicitly selected wasm32 linear memory.
+///
+/// Reads borrow the store's memory; they neither allocate nor copy. The borrow
+/// must end before the guest can execute or grow that memory again.
+pub struct CanonicalMemory {
+    memory: Memory,
+    limits: Limits,
+}
+
+impl CanonicalMemory {
+    /// Binds a memory handle and an explicit per-transfer limit.
+    pub fn new(memory: Memory, store: &Store, limits: Limits) -> Result<Self, AbiError> {
+        if memory.ty(store)?.arch() != MemoryArch::I32 {
+            return Err(AbiError::Memory64);
+        }
+        Ok(Self { memory, limits })
+    }
+
+    /// Borrows a canonical `list<u8>` from guest memory.
+    pub fn bytes<'a>(&self, store: &'a Store, ptr: u32, len: u32) -> Result<&'a [u8], AbiError> {
+        let memory = self.memory.data(store)?;
+        self.range(memory.len(), ptr, len as usize, 1).map(|range| &memory[range])
+    }
+
+    /// Borrows a canonical UTF-8 string from guest memory.
+    pub fn utf8<'a>(&self, store: &'a Store, ptr: u32, len: u32) -> Result<&'a str, AbiError> {
+        core::str::from_utf8(self.bytes(store, ptr, len)?).map_err(|_| AbiError::InvalidUtf8)
+    }
+
+    /// Borrows a canonical `list<u32>` without allocating or copying.
+    ///
+    /// Values are decoded from little-endian bytes by the returned iterator.
+    pub fn u32_list<'a>(&self, store: &'a Store, ptr: u32, len: u32) -> Result<U32List<'a>, AbiError> {
+        let bytes = (len as usize).checked_mul(4).ok_or(AbiError::TooLarge)?;
+        let memory = self.memory.data(store)?;
+        let range = self.range(memory.len(), ptr, bytes, 4)?;
+        Ok(U32List { chunks: memory[range].as_chunks::<4>().0.iter() })
+    }
+
+    /// Writes into an already allocated canonical `list<u8>` or UTF-8 region.
+    ///
+    /// Allocation and `realloc` are deliberately left to the caller.
+    pub fn write_bytes(&self, store: &mut Store, ptr: u32, bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<(), AbiError> {
+        let memory = self.memory.data_mut(store)?;
+        let range = self.range(memory.len(), ptr, bytes.len(), 1)?;
+        memory[range].copy_from_slice(bytes);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn range(
+        &self,
+        memory_len: usize,
+        ptr: u32,
+        bytes: usize,
+        align: usize,
+    ) -> Result<core::ops::Range<usize>, AbiError> {
+        if bytes > self.limits.max_transfer_bytes.min(CANONICAL_MAX_BYTES) {
+            return Err(AbiError::TooLarge);
+        }
+        let start = ptr as usize;
+        if !start.is_multiple_of(align) {
+            return Err(AbiError::Misaligned);
+        }
+        let end = start.checked_add(bytes).ok_or(AbiError::OutOfBounds)?;
+        if end > memory_len {
+            return Err(AbiError::OutOfBounds);
+        }
+        Ok(start..end)
+    }
+}
+
+/// A borrowed iterator over canonical little-endian `list<u32>` elements.
+pub struct U32List<'a> {
+    chunks: core::slice::Iter<'a, [u8; 4]>,
+}
+
+impl Iterator for U32List<'_> {
+    type Item = u32;
+
+    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
+        self.chunks.next().map(|bytes| u32::from_le_bytes(*bytes))
+    }
+
+    fn size_hint(&self) -> (usize, Option<usize>) {
+        let count = self.chunks.len();
+        (count, Some(count))
+    }
+}
+
+impl ExactSizeIterator for U32List<'_> {}
diff --git a/crates/component-abi/tests/memory.rs b/crates/component-abi/tests/memory.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0e8fd15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/component-abi/tests/memory.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+use tinywasm::types::{MemoryArch, MemoryType};
+use tinywasm::{FuncContext, HostFunction, Imports, Memory, ModuleInstance, Store};
+use tinywasm_component_abi::{AbiError, CANONICAL_MAX_BYTES, CanonicalMemory, Limits};
+
+const LIMITS: Limits = Limits { max_transfer_bytes: 64 };
+
+fn memory() -> (Store, CanonicalMemory) {
+    let mut store = Store::default();
+    let handle = Memory::try_new(&mut store, MemoryType::default().with_page_count_initial(1)).unwrap();
+    let abi = CanonicalMemory::new(handle, &store, LIMITS).unwrap();
+    (store, abi)
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn borrows_and_writes_without_allocating() {
+    let (mut store, abi) = memory();
+    abi.write_bytes(&mut store, 7, b"hello").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(abi.bytes(&store, 7, 5).unwrap(), b"hello");
+    assert_eq!(abi.utf8(&store, 7, 5).unwrap(), "hello");
+    abi.write_bytes(&mut store, 16, &[1, 0, 0, 0, 0xfe, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(abi.u32_list(&store, 16, 2).unwrap().collect::<Vec<_>>(), [1, 0xffff_fffe]);
+    assert_eq!(abi.u32_list(&store, 16, 0).unwrap().len(), 0);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn rejects_pathological_lengths_pointers_alignment_and_encoding() {
+    let (mut store, abi) = memory();
+    assert!(matches!(abi.bytes(&store, 0, 65), Err(AbiError::TooLarge)));
+    assert!(matches!(abi.bytes(&store, 0, (CANONICAL_MAX_BYTES + 1) as u32), Err(AbiError::TooLarge)));
+    assert!(matches!(abi.u32_list(&store, 0, 17), Err(AbiError::TooLarge)));
+    assert!(matches!(abi.bytes(&store, u32::MAX, u32::MAX), Err(AbiError::TooLarge)));
+    assert!(matches!(abi.bytes(&store, u32::MAX, 4), Err(AbiError::OutOfBounds)));
+    assert!(matches!(abi.bytes(&store, 65536, 1), Err(AbiError::OutOfBounds)));
+    assert!(abi.bytes(&store, 65536, 0).unwrap().is_empty());
+    assert!(matches!(abi.u32_list(&store, 1, 1), Err(AbiError::Misaligned)));
+    assert!(matches!(abi.u32_list(&store, 65536, 1), Err(AbiError::OutOfBounds)));
+    assert!(matches!(abi.write_bytes(&mut store, 65535, b"xx"), Err(AbiError::OutOfBounds)));
+    assert!(matches!(abi.write_bytes(&mut store, 0, &[0; 65]), Err(AbiError::TooLarge)));
+    abi.write_bytes(&mut store, 0, &[0xff]).unwrap();
+    assert!(matches!(abi.utf8(&store, 0, 1), Err(AbiError::InvalidUtf8)));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn arbitrary_guest_ranges_never_escape_memory() {
+    let (store, abi) = memory();
+    let mut random = 0x9e37_79b9_u32;
+    for i in 0..20_000 {
+        random ^= random << 13;
+        random ^= random >> 17;
+        random ^= random << 5;
+        let ptr = if i % 2 == 0 { random % 65_540 } else { random };
+        random ^= random << 13;
+        random ^= random >> 17;
+        random ^= random << 5;
+        let len = if i % 2 == 0 { random % 70 } else { random };
+
+        let expected = usize::try_from(len).unwrap() <= LIMITS.max_transfer_bytes
+            && (ptr as usize).checked_add(len as usize).is_some_and(|end| end <= 65536);
+        assert_eq!(abi.bytes(&store, ptr, len).is_ok(), expected, "ptr={ptr} len={len}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn rejects_memory64_and_foreign_store_handles() {
+    let mut store = Store::default();
+    let memory64 =
+        Memory::try_new(&mut store, MemoryType::default().with_arch(MemoryArch::I64).with_page_count_initial(1))
+            .unwrap();
+    assert!(matches!(CanonicalMemory::new(memory64, &store, LIMITS), Err(AbiError::Memory64)));
+
+    let (other_store, _) = memory();
+    assert!(matches!(CanonicalMemory::new(memory64, &other_store, LIMITS), Err(AbiError::Runtime(_))));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn custom_wit_shaped_import_uses_borrowed_guest_data() -> tinywasm::Result<()> {
+    let wasm = wat::parse_str(
+        r#"(module
+            (import "snqr:example/bytes@0.1.0" "checksum" (func $checksum (param i32 i32) (result i32)))
+            (memory (export "memory") 1)
+            (data (i32.const 8) "\01\02\03\04")
+            (func (export "run") (result i32)
+                i32.const 8
+                i32.const 4
+                call $checksum))"#,
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    let module = tinywasm::parse_bytes(&wasm)?;
+    let mut imports = Imports::new();
+    imports.define(
+        "snqr:example/bytes@0.1.0",
+        "checksum",
+        HostFunction::from(|ctx: FuncContext<'_>, (ptr, len): (i32, i32)| -> tinywasm::Result<i32> {
+            let abi = CanonicalMemory::new(ctx.memory("memory")?, ctx.store(), LIMITS)?;
+            let bytes = abi.bytes(ctx.store(), ptr as u32, len as u32)?;
+            Ok(bytes.iter().map(|&byte| i32::from(byte)).sum())
+        }),
+    );
+    let mut store = Store::default();
+    let instance = ModuleInstance::instantiate(&mut store, &module, Some(&imports))?;
+    assert_eq!(instance.func::<(), i32>(&store, "run")?.call(&mut store, ())?, 10);
+    Ok(())
+}