We present a framework to classify PL-types of large censuses of triangulated $4$-manifolds, which we use to classify the PL-types of all triangulated $4$-manifolds with up to six pentachora. This is successful except for triangulations homeomorphic to the $4$-sphere, $\mathbb{C}P^2$, and the rational homology sphere $QS^4(2)$, where we find at most four, three, and two PL-types respectively. We conjecture that they are all standard. In addition, we look at the cases resisting classification and discuss the combinatorial structure of these triangulations -- which we deem interesting in their own rights.

Dimension 4 is the first dimension in which exotic smooth manifold pairs appear - manifolds which are topologically the same but for which there is no smooth deformation of one into the other. Whilst smooth and triangulated 4-manifolds do coincide, comparatively little work has been done towards gaining an understanding of smooth 4-manifolds from the discrete and algorithmic perspective. In this paper we introduce new software tools to make this possible, including a software implementation of an algorithm which enables us to build triangulations of 4-manifolds from Kirby diagrams, as well as a new heuristic for simplifying 4-manifold triangulations. Using these tools, we present new triangulations of several bounded exotic pairs, corks and plugs (objects responsible for "exoticity"), as well as the smallest known triangulation of the fundamental K3 surface. The small size of these triangulations benefit us by revealing fine structural features in 4-manifold triangulations.