* Framework Improvements:
  * Eliminated the StoreConfig class, and ability to work with Configuration through the Store object. Scope Config was introduced instead.
  * Fixed performance degradation caused by DI argument processors
  * Covered Magento library components with unit tests:
     * Magento/App/Request
     * Magento/App/Resource directory and Magento/App/Resource.php
     * Magento/App/Response
     * Magento/App/Route
     * Magento/App/Router
     * Magento/App/Http.php
     * Magento/Translate.php
  * Improved the Web API framework based on Customer Service
  * Updated the API Service Exception Handling
  * Changed the conventional notation of Vendor name in theme path: from `app/design/<area>/<vendor>_<theme>` to `app/design/<area>/<vendor>/<theme>`
  * Renamed the 3DSecure library to CardinalCommerce, and removed the unused flex library
* Themes update:
  * Updated the look&feel of the Admin theme
* Modularity improvements:
  * Introduced a new Store module. Moved all Store related logic from Magento_Core to Magento_Store
  * Moved the library part of the Config component from the Magento_Core module to the library
  * Moved the Session related logic from the Magento_Core module to the library
  * Moved the abstract logic related to Magento "Module" from Magento_Core to the library
  * Moved the form key related functionality to the library
  * Introduced a new Magento_UrlRewrite module and moved related classes from Magento_Core to the new module
  * Moved the resource model to Magento_Install module
  * Eliminated the Core\Helper\Js class
  * Moved the Email related logic from Magento_Core module to Magento_Email module
  * Moved the Cache related logic from the Magento_Core module to the library
  * Resolved issues which appeared when an order had been placed before the Magento_Payment module was disabled
  * Eliminated Magento_Catalog dependency on Magento_Rating
  * Removed the Magento_Rating module, its logic moved to Magento_Review
  * Moved the View related components from Magento_Core to the Magento/View library
* Refactored the following modules to use Customer Service
  * Magento_Multishipping
  * Magento_Paypal
  * Magento_Log
  * Magento_RSS
  * Magento_Review
  * Magento_Wishlist
  * Magento_Weee
  * Magento_CatalogInventory
  * Magento_CatalogRule
  * Magento_SalesRule
* GitHub requests:
  * [#520] (https://github.com/magento/magento2/issues/520) -- Fixed spelling in Magento\Payment\Model\Method\AbstractMethod
  * [#481] (https://github.com/magento/magento2/issues/481) -- GD2 Adapter PHP memory_limit
  * [#516] (https://github.com/magento/magento2/issues/516) -- Make Sure That save_before Event Is Dispatched
  * [#465] (https://github.com/magento/magento2/issues/465) -- Absolute path is assembled incorrectly when merging js/css files
  * [#504] (https://github.com/magento/magento2/issues/504) -- Renamed "contacts" module to "contact"
  * [#529] (https://github.com/magento/magento2/issues/529) -- Fixed exception at admin dashboard
  * [#535] (https://github.com/magento/magento2/issues/535) -- Fixed an issue during creating or editing product template
  * [#535] (https://github.com/magento/magento2/issues/535) -- Fixed Typo in the module name
  * [#538] (https://github.com/magento/magento2/issues/538) -- Fixed missing tax amount in the invoice
  * [#518] (https://github.com/magento/magento2/issues/518) -- Change to Magento\Customer\Block\Widget\Dob new version
* Fixed bugs:
  * Fixed implementation issues with Cron task group threading
  * Fixed inability to place order during customer registration flow
  * Fixed an issue where after JS minification errors appeared when loading pages which contained minified JS
  * Fixed an issue where it was impossible for users with restricted permission to export certain entities
  * Fixed an issue where checkout was blocked by the "Please enter the State/Province" pop-up for customers that had saved addresses
  * Fixed an issue where a fatal error appeared when trying to check out the second time with OnePageCheckout
  * Fixed an issue where a fatal error appeared when trying to create an online invoice for an order placed with PayPal Express Checkout (Payment Action = Order)
  * Fixed an issue where the special price for a bundle product was calculated wrongly
  * Fixed an issue where a fatal error appeared when trying to create a shipment for an order if Magento was installed without the USPS module
  * Fixed an issue where the Lifetime Sales and Average Orders sections of the Admin Dashboard were missing
  * Fixed an issue where the active tab changed after changing the attribute set
  * Fixed an issue with incorrect order of product types in the Add Product menu in the backend
  * Fixed an issue with saving the tier price attribute
* JavaScript improvements:
  * Upgraded the frontend jQuery library to version 1.11
  * Upgraded the frontend jQuery UI library to version 1.10.4
  * Modified the loader widget to render content using handlebars
  * Added the 'use strict' mode to the accordion widget
  * Added the 'use strict' mode to the tab widget