- Initialize a new project or update the existing passing working environment name and its options (`issue #3686 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3686>`_)
- Automatically build PlatformIO Core extra Python dependencies on a host machine if they are missed in the registry (`issue #3700 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3700>`_)
- Fixed a "PermissionError: [WinError 5]" on Windows when an external repository is used with `lib_deps <https://docs.platformio.org/page/projectconf/section_env_library.html#lib-deps>`__ option (`issue #3664 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3664>`_)
- Fixed a "KeyError: 'versions'" when dependency does not exist in the registry (`issue #3666 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3666>`_)
- Fixed an issue with GCC linker when "native" dev-platform is used in pair with library dependencies (`issue #3669 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3669>`_)
- Fixed an "AssertionError: ensure_dir_exists" when checking library updates from simultaneous subprocesses (`issue #3677 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3677>`_)
- Fixed an issue when `pio package publish <https://docs.platformio.org/page/core/userguide/package/cmd_publish.html>`__ command removes original archive after submitting to the registry (`issue #3716 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3716>`_)
- Fixed an issue when multiple `pio lib install <https://docs.platformio.org/page/core/userguide/lib/cmd_install.html>`__ command with the same local library results in duplicates in ``lib_deps`` (`issue #3715 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3715>`_)
- Fixed an issue with a "wrong" timestamp in device monitor output using `"time" filter <https://docs.platformio.org/page/core/userguide/device/cmd_monitor.html#filters>`__ (`issue #3712 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3712>`_)
- Added support for "owner" requirement when declaring ``dependencies`` using `library.json <https://docs.platformio.org/page/librarymanager/config.html#dependencies>`__
- Fixed an issue when using a custom git/ssh package with `platform_packages <https://docs.platformio.org/page/projectconf/section_env_platform.html#platform-packages>`__ option (`issue #3624 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3624>`_)
- Fixed an issue with "ImportError: cannot import name '_get_backend' from 'cryptography.hazmat.backends'" when using `Remote Development <https://docs.platformio.org/page/plus/pio-remote.html>`__ on RaspberryPi device (`issue #3652 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3652>`_)
- Fixed an issue when the package manager tries to install a built-in library from the registry (`issue #3662 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3662>`_)
- Fixed an issue with incorrect value for C++ language standard in IDE projects when an in-progress language standard is used (`issue #3653 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3653>`_)
- Fixed an issue with "Invalid simple block (semantic_version)" from library dependency that refs to an external source (repository, ZIP/Tar archives) (`issue #3658 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3658>`_)
- Fixed an issue when can not remove update or remove external dev-platform using PlatformIO Home (`issue #3663 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3663>`_)
- Support for owner-based dependency declaration (resolves name conflicts) (`issue #1824 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/1824>`_)
- Automatically save dependencies to `"platformio.ini" <https://docs.platformio.org/page/projectconf.html>`__ when installing using PlatformIO CLI (`issue #2964 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/2964>`_)
- Upgraded build engine to the `SCons 4.0 - a next-generation software construction tool <https://scons.org/>`__
*`Configuration files are Python scripts <https://docs.platformio.org/page/projectconf/advanced_scripting.html>`__– use the power of a real programming language to solve build problems
* Built-in reliable and automatic dependency analysis
* Improved support for parallel builds
* Ability to `share built files in a cache <https://docs.platformio.org/page/projectconf/section_platformio.html#projectconf-pio-build-cache-dir>`__ to speed up multiple builds
* Launch command with custom options declared in `"platformio.ini" <https://docs.platformio.org/page/projectconf.html>`__
* Python callback as a target (use the power of Python interpreter and PlatformIO Build API)
* List available project targets (including dev-platform specific and custom targets) with a new `pio run --list-targets <https://docs.platformio.org/page/core/userguide/cmd_run.html#cmdoption-platformio-run-list-targets>`__ command (`issue #3544 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3544>`_)
- Enable "cyclic reference" for GCC linker only for the embedded dev-platforms (`issue #3570 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3570>`_)
- Automatically enable LDF dependency `chain+ mode (evaluates C/C++ Preprocessor conditional syntax) <https://docs.platformio.org/page/librarymanager/ldf.html#dependency-finder-mode>`__ for Arduino library when "library.property" has "depends" field (`issue #3607 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3607>`_)
- Fixed an issue with improper processing of source files added via multiple Build Middlewares (`issue #3531 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3531>`_)
- Fixed an issue with the ``clean`` target on Windows when project and build directories are located on different logical drives (`issue #3542 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3542>`_)
- Added support for "globstar/`**`" (recursive) pattern for the different commands and configuration options (`pio ci <https://docs.platformio.org/page/core/userguide/cmd_ci.html>`__, `src_filter <https://docs.platformio.org/page/projectconf/section_env_build.html#src-filter>`__, `check_patterns <https://docs.platformio.org/page/projectconf/section_env_check.html#check-patterns>`__, `library.json > srcFilter <https://docs.platformio.org/page/librarymanager/config.html#srcfilter>`__). Python 3.5+ is required
- Added a new ``-e, --environment`` option to `pio project init <https://docs.platformio.org/page/core/userguide/project/cmd_init.html#cmdoption-platformio-project-init-e>`__ command that helps to update a PlatformIO project using the existing environment
- Dump build system data intended for IDE extensions/plugins using a new `pio project data <https://docs.platformio.org/page/core/userguide/project/cmd_data.html>`__ command
- Do not generate ".travis.yml" for a new project, let the user have a choice
***Unit Testing**
- Updated PIO Unit Testing support for Mbed framework and added compatibility with Mbed OS 6
- Fixed an issue when running multiple test environments (`issue #3523 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3523>`_)
- Fixed an issue when Unit Testing engine fails with a custom project configuration file (`issue #3583 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3583>`_)
*`Cppcheck <https://docs.platformio.org/page/plus/check-tools/cppcheck.html>`__ v2.1 with a new "soundy" analysis option and improved code parser
*`PVS-Studio <https://docs.platformio.org/page/plus/check-tools/pvs-studio.html>`__ v7.09 with a new file list analysis mode and an extended list of analysis diagnostics
- Fixed an issue with PIO Check when a defect with a multiline error message is not reported in verbose mode (`issue #3631 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3631>`_)
- Display system-wide information using a new `pio system info <https://docs.platformio.org/page/core/userguide/system/cmd_info.html>`__ command (`issue #3521 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3521>`_)
- Remove unused data using a new `pio system prune <https://docs.platformio.org/page/core/userguide/system/cmd_prune.html>`__ command (`issue #3522 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/3522>`_)