diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 780bcc9..0eb163d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ jobs:
           RELEASE_COMMENT_ID: ${{ needs.release.outputs.comment-id }}
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          npm exec --offline -- template-oss-release-manager --lockfile=false
+          npm exec --offline -- template-oss-release-manager --lockfile=false --publish=true
           npm run rp-pull-request --ignore-scripts --if-present
       - name: Commit
         id: commit
@@ -320,41 +320,25 @@ jobs:
     defaults:
       run:
         shell: bash
+    permissions:
+      deployments: write
     steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ fromJSON(needs.release.outputs.release).tagName }}
       - name: Setup Node
         uses: actions/setup-node@v3
         with:
           node-version: 18.x
       - name: Install npm@latest
-        run: npm i --prefer-online --no-fund --no-audit -g npm@latest
-      - name: npm Version
-        run: npm -v
-      - name: View in Registry
         run: |
-          EXIT_CODE=0
-
-          function is_published {
-            if npm view "$@" --loglevel=error > /dev/null; then
-              echo 0
-            else
-              echo 1
-            fi
-          }
-
-          for release in $(echo '${{ needs.release.outputs.releases }}' | jq -r '.[] | @base64'); do
-            name=$(echo "$release" | base64 --decode | jq -r .pkgName)
-            version=$(echo "$release" | base64 --decode | jq -r .version)
-            spec="$name@$version"
-            status=$(is_published "$spec")
-            if [[ "$status" -eq 1 ]]; then
-              echo "$spec ERROR"
-              EXIT_CODE=$status
-            else
-              echo "$spec OK"
-            fi
-          done
-
-          exit $EXIT_CODE
+          npm i --prefer-online --no-fund --no-audit -g npm@latest
+          npm config set '//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken'=\${PUBLISH_TOKEN}
+      - name: Publish
+        env:
+          PUBLISH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PUBLISH_TOKEN }}
+        run: npm publish
 
   post-release-integration:
     needs: [ release, release-integration ]
diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index e6f8775..411256b 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "4.0.0"
+  ".": "4.1.0"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c43708d..88336f5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,20 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [4.1.0](https://github.com/npm/ini/compare/v4.0.0...v4.1.0) (2023-04-13)
+
+### Features
+
+* [`622106a`](https://github.com/npm/ini/commit/622106a1a0bcd2bc32bfd2e6f9cc45a1a1cb53f7) [#205](https://github.com/npm/ini/pull/205) add "align" and "sort" options (#205) (@rquadling)
+* [`dc64a1a`](https://github.com/npm/ini/commit/dc64a1a3aa322c0c258383bedcae738aaa67028d) [#204](https://github.com/npm/ini/pull/204) add bracketedArray option (#204) (@wraithgar)
+* [`6a3cb38`](https://github.com/npm/ini/commit/6a3cb38b134f674dff1a7b5d3732553e8bace777) [#199](https://github.com/npm/ini/pull/199) add platform option to force line endings (#199) (@wraithgar, Francois-Xavier Kowalski)
+* [`b363ae6`](https://github.com/npm/ini/commit/b363ae67ddf9b1232daafb3cc2b2b1e5cb656406) [#198](https://github.com/npm/ini/pull/198) add newline option (#198) (@wraithgar, Francois-Xavier Kowalski)
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* [`ad4b5d8`](https://github.com/npm/ini/commit/ad4b5d8423f67d67b8683ac8e809b9dd23fe82e2) [#200](https://github.com/npm/ini/pull/200) Refactored section split logic (#200) (@wraithgar, @platinumazure)
+* [`5b5c9b7`](https://github.com/npm/ini/commit/5b5c9b777209bae480f62fb80149008350d37bc5) [#123](https://github.com/npm/ini/pull/123) residual space after section causes bad parsing (#123) (@Nautigsam)
+* [`fa2c17e`](https://github.com/npm/ini/commit/fa2c17e6e5f4ebaec30e08653b9603049c8cf0c3) [#201](https://github.com/npm/ini/pull/201) ignore all whitespace lines (#201) (@wraithgar)
+
 ## [4.0.0](https://github.com/npm/ini/compare/v3.0.1...v4.0.0) (2023-03-08)
 
 ### ⚠️ BREAKING CHANGES
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3ff41e8..d775352 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -76,12 +76,29 @@ prepended to all sub-sections, see the usage example above.
 
 The `options` object may contain the following:
 
-* `section` A string which will be the first `section` in the encoded
+* `align` Boolean to specify whether to align the `=` characters for
+  each section. This option will automatically enable `whitespace`.
+  Defaults to `false`.
+* `section` String which will be the first `section` in the encoded
   ini data.  Defaults to none.
+* `sort` Boolean to specify if all keys in each section, as well as
+  all sections, will be alphabetically sorted.  Defaults to `false`.
 * `whitespace` Boolean to specify whether to put whitespace around the
   `=` character.  By default, whitespace is omitted, to be friendly to
   some persnickety old parsers that don't tolerate it well.  But some
   find that it's more human-readable and pretty with the whitespace.
+  Defaults to `false`.
+* `newline` Boolean to specify whether to put an additional newline
+  after a section header. Some INI file parsers (for example the TOSHIBA
+  FlashAir one) need this to parse the file successfully.  By default,
+  the additional newline is omitted.
+* `platform` String to define which platform this INI file is expected
+  to be used with: when `platform` is `win32`, line terminations are
+  CR+LF, for other platforms line termination is LF.  By default, the
+  current platform name is used.
+* `bracketedArrays` Boolean to specify whether array values are appended
+  with `[]`.  By default this is true but there are some ini parsers
+  that instead treat duplicate names as arrays.
 
 For backwards compatibility reasons, if a `string` options is passed
 in, then it is assumed to be the `section` value.
diff --git a/lib/ini.js b/lib/ini.js
index d05682b..763c829 100644
--- a/lib/ini.js
+++ b/lib/ini.js
@@ -1,49 +1,70 @@
 const { hasOwnProperty } = Object.prototype
 
-/* istanbul ignore next */
-const eol = typeof process !== 'undefined' &&
-  process.platform === 'win32' ? '\r\n' : '\n'
+const encode = (obj, opt = {}) => {
+  if (typeof opt === 'string') {
+    opt = { section: opt }
+  }
+  opt.align = opt.align === true
+  opt.newline = opt.newline === true
+  opt.sort = opt.sort === true
+  opt.whitespace = opt.whitespace === true || opt.align === true
+  /* istanbul ignore next */
+  opt.platform = opt.platform || process?.platform
+  opt.bracketedArray = opt.bracketedArray !== false
 
-const encode = (obj, opt) => {
+  /* istanbul ignore next */
+  const eol = opt.platform === 'win32' ? '\r\n' : '\n'
+  const separator = opt.whitespace ? ' = ' : '='
   const children = []
-  let out = ''
 
-  if (typeof opt === 'string') {
-    opt = {
-      section: opt,
-      whitespace: false,
-    }
-  } else {
-    opt = opt || Object.create(null)
-    opt.whitespace = opt.whitespace === true
+  const keys = opt.sort ? Object.keys(obj).sort() : Object.keys(obj)
+
+  let padToChars = 0
+  // If aligning on the separator, then padToChars is determined as follows:
+  // 1. Get the keys
+  // 2. Exclude keys pointing to objects unless the value is null or an array
+  // 3. Add `[]` to array keys
+  // 4. Ensure non empty set of keys
+  // 5. Reduce the set to the longest `safe` key
+  // 6. Get the `safe` length
+  if (opt.align) {
+    padToChars = safe(
+      (
+        keys
+          .filter(k => obj[k] === null || Array.isArray(obj[k]) || typeof obj[k] !== 'object')
+          .map(k => Array.isArray(obj[k]) ? `${k}[]` : k)
+      )
+        .concat([''])
+        .reduce((a, b) => safe(a).length >= safe(b).length ? a : b)
+    ).length
   }
 
-  const separator = opt.whitespace ? ' = ' : '='
+  let out = ''
+  const arraySuffix = opt.bracketedArray ? '[]' : ''
 
-  for (const k of Object.keys(obj)) {
+  for (const k of keys) {
     const val = obj[k]
     if (val && Array.isArray(val)) {
       for (const item of val) {
-        out += safe(k + '[]') + separator + safe(item) + eol
+        out += safe(`${k}${arraySuffix}`).padEnd(padToChars, ' ') + separator + safe(item) + eol
       }
     } else if (val && typeof val === 'object') {
       children.push(k)
     } else {
-      out += safe(k) + separator + safe(val) + eol
+      out += safe(k).padEnd(padToChars, ' ') + separator + safe(val) + eol
     }
   }
 
   if (opt.section && out.length) {
-    out = '[' + safe(opt.section) + ']' + eol + out
+    out = '[' + safe(opt.section) + ']' + (opt.newline ? eol + eol : eol) + out
   }
 
   for (const k of children) {
-    const nk = dotSplit(k).join('\\.')
+    const nk = splitSections(k, '.').join('\\.')
     const section = (opt.section ? opt.section + '.' : '') + nk
-    const { whitespace } = opt
     const child = encode(obj[k], {
+      ...opt,
       section,
-      whitespace,
     })
     if (out.length && child.length) {
       out += eol
@@ -55,24 +76,44 @@ const encode = (obj, opt) => {
   return out
 }
 
-const dotSplit = str =>
-  str.replace(/\1/g, '\u0002LITERAL\\1LITERAL\u0002')
-    .replace(/\\\./g, '\u0001')
-    .split(/\./)
-    .map(part =>
-      part.replace(/\1/g, '\\.')
-        .replace(/\2LITERAL\\1LITERAL\2/g, '\u0001'))
+function splitSections (str, separator) {
+  var lastMatchIndex = 0
+  var lastSeparatorIndex = 0
+  var nextIndex = 0
+  var sections = []
+
+  do {
+    nextIndex = str.indexOf(separator, lastMatchIndex)
 
-const decode = str => {
+    if (nextIndex !== -1) {
+      lastMatchIndex = nextIndex + separator.length
+
+      if (nextIndex > 0 && str[nextIndex - 1] === '\\') {
+        continue
+      }
+
+      sections.push(str.slice(lastSeparatorIndex, nextIndex))
+      lastSeparatorIndex = nextIndex + separator.length
+    }
+  } while (nextIndex !== -1)
+
+  sections.push(str.slice(lastSeparatorIndex))
+
+  return sections
+}
+
+const decode = (str, opt = {}) => {
+  opt.bracketedArray = opt.bracketedArray !== false
   const out = Object.create(null)
   let p = out
   let section = null
-  //          section     |key      = value
-  const re = /^\[([^\]]*)\]$|^([^=]+)(=(.*))?$/i
+  //          section          |key      = value
+  const re = /^\[([^\]]*)\]\s*$|^([^=]+)(=(.*))?$/i
   const lines = str.split(/[\r\n]+/g)
+  const duplicates = {}
 
   for (const line of lines) {
-    if (!line || line.match(/^\s*[;#]/)) {
+    if (!line || line.match(/^\s*[;#]/) || line.match(/^\s*$/)) {
       continue
     }
     const match = line.match(re)
@@ -91,7 +132,13 @@ const decode = str => {
       continue
     }
     const keyRaw = unsafe(match[2])
-    const isArray = keyRaw.length > 2 && keyRaw.slice(-2) === '[]'
+    let isArray
+    if (opt.bracketedArray) {
+      isArray = keyRaw.length > 2 && keyRaw.slice(-2) === '[]'
+    } else {
+      duplicates[keyRaw] = (duplicates?.[keyRaw] || 0) + 1
+      isArray = duplicates[keyRaw] > 1
+    }
     const key = isArray ? keyRaw.slice(0, -2) : keyRaw
     if (key === '__proto__') {
       continue
@@ -132,7 +179,7 @@ const decode = str => {
 
     // see if the parent section is also an object.
     // if so, add it to that, and mark this one for deletion
-    const parts = dotSplit(k)
+    const parts = splitSections(k, '.')
     p = out
     const l = parts.pop()
     const nl = l.replace(/\\\./g, '.')
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 08890d2..5dd968e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "author": "GitHub Inc.",
   "name": "ini",
   "description": "An ini encoder/decoder for node",
-  "version": "4.0.0",
+  "version": "4.1.0",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
     "url": "https://github.com/npm/ini.git"
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@npmcli/eslint-config": "^4.0.0",
-    "@npmcli/template-oss": "4.12.0",
+    "@npmcli/template-oss": "4.13.0",
     "tap": "^16.0.1"
   },
   "license": "ISC",
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@
   },
   "templateOSS": {
     "//@npmcli/template-oss": "This file is partially managed by @npmcli/template-oss. Edits may be overwritten.",
-    "version": "4.12.0"
+    "version": "4.13.0",
+    "publish": "true"
   },
   "tap": {
     "nyc-arg": [
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/duplicate-properties.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/duplicate-properties.js.test.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4a88d10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/duplicate-properties.js.test.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/* IMPORTANT
+ * This snapshot file is auto-generated, but designed for humans.
+ * It should be checked into source control and tracked carefully.
+ * Re-generate by setting TAP_SNAPSHOT=1 and running tests.
+ * Make sure to inspect the output below.  Do not ignore changes!
+ */
+'use strict'
+exports[`test/duplicate-properties.js TAP decode duplicate properties with bracketedArray=false > must match snapshot 1`] = `
+Null Object {
+  "ar": Array [
+    "three",
+  ],
+  "ar[]": "one",
+  "b": Array [
+    "2",
+    "3",
+    "3",
+  ],
+  "brr": "1",
+  "str": "3",
+  "zr": "123",
+  "zr[]": "deedee",
+}
+`
+
+exports[`test/duplicate-properties.js TAP decode with duplicate properties > must match snapshot 1`] = `
+Null Object {
+  "ar": Array [
+    "one",
+    "three",
+  ],
+  "brr": "3",
+  "str": "3",
+  "zr": Array [
+    "deedee",
+    "123",
+  ],
+}
+`
+
+exports[`test/duplicate-properties.js TAP encode duplicate properties with bracketedArray=false > must match snapshot 1`] = `
+ar=1
+ar=2
+ar=3
+br=1
+br=2
+
+`
+
+exports[`test/duplicate-properties.js TAP encode with duplicate properties > must match snapshot 1`] = `
+ar[]=1
+ar[]=2
+ar[]=3
+br[]=1
+br[]=2
+
+`
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/foo.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/foo.js.test.cjs
index 20e521b..26b81ce 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/foo.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/foo.js.test.cjs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ Null Object {
     "three",
     "this is included",
   ],
+  "b": Null Object {},
   "br": "warm",
   "eq": "eq=eq",
   "false": false,
@@ -110,6 +111,110 @@ noHashComment=this\\# this is not a comment
 
 `
 
+exports[`test/foo.js TAP encode with align > must match snapshot 1`] = `
+o                    = p
+a with spaces        = b  c
+" xa  n          p " = "\\"\\r\\nyoyoyo\\r\\r\\n"
+"[disturbing]"       = hey you never know
+s                    = something
+s1                   = "something'
+s2                   = something else
+s3                   = 
+s4                   = 
+s5                   = "   "
+s6                   = " a "
+s7                   = true
+true                 = true
+false                = false
+null                 = null
+undefined            = undefined
+zr[]                 = deedee
+ar[]                 = one
+ar[]                 = three
+ar[]                 = this is included
+br                   = warm
+eq                   = "eq=eq"
+
+[a]
+av   = a val
+e    = { o: p, a: { av: a val, b: { c: { e: "this [value]" } } } }
+j    = "\\"{ o: \\"p\\", a: { av: \\"a val\\", b: { c: { e: \\"this [value]\\" } } } }\\""
+"[]" = a square?
+cr[] = four
+cr[] = eight
+
+[a.b.c]
+e = 1
+j = 2
+
+[x\\.y\\.z]
+x.y.z = xyz
+
+[x\\.y\\.z.a\\.b\\.c]
+a.b.c         = abc
+nocomment     = this\\; this is not a comment
+noHashComment = this\\# this is not a comment
+
+`
+
+exports[`test/foo.js TAP encode with align and sort > must match snapshot 1`] = `
+" xa  n          p " = "\\"\\r\\nyoyoyo\\r\\r\\n"
+"[disturbing]"       = hey you never know
+a with spaces        = b  c
+ar[]                 = one
+ar[]                 = three
+ar[]                 = this is included
+br                   = warm
+eq                   = "eq=eq"
+false                = false
+null                 = null
+o                    = p
+s                    = something
+s1                   = "something'
+s2                   = something else
+s3                   = 
+s4                   = 
+s5                   = "   "
+s6                   = " a "
+s7                   = true
+true                 = true
+undefined            = undefined
+zr[]                 = deedee
+
+[a]
+"[]" = a square?
+av   = a val
+cr[] = four
+cr[] = eight
+e    = { o: p, a: { av: a val, b: { c: { e: "this [value]" } } } }
+j    = "\\"{ o: \\"p\\", a: { av: \\"a val\\", b: { c: { e: \\"this [value]\\" } } } }\\""
+
+[a.b.c]
+e = 1
+j = 2
+
+[x\\.y\\.z]
+x.y.z = xyz
+
+[x\\.y\\.z.a\\.b\\.c]
+a.b.c         = abc
+noHashComment = this\\# this is not a comment
+nocomment     = this\\; this is not a comment
+
+`
+
+exports[`test/foo.js TAP encode with newline > must match snapshot 1`] = `
+[log]
+
+type=file
+
+[log.level]
+
+label=debug
+value=10
+
+`
+
 exports[`test/foo.js TAP encode with option > must match snapshot 1`] = `
 [prefix.log]
 type=file
@@ -120,6 +225,64 @@ value=10
 
 `
 
+exports[`test/foo.js TAP encode with platform=win32 > must match snapshot 1`] = `
+Array [
+  "[log]",
+  "type=file",
+  "",
+  "[log.level]",
+  "label=debug",
+  "value=10",
+  "",
+]
+`
+
+exports[`test/foo.js TAP encode with sort > must match snapshot 1`] = `
+" xa  n          p "="\\"\\r\\nyoyoyo\\r\\r\\n"
+"[disturbing]"=hey you never know
+a with spaces=b  c
+ar[]=one
+ar[]=three
+ar[]=this is included
+br=warm
+eq="eq=eq"
+false=false
+null=null
+o=p
+s=something
+s1="something'
+s2=something else
+s3=
+s4=
+s5="   "
+s6=" a "
+s7=true
+true=true
+undefined=undefined
+zr[]=deedee
+
+[a]
+"[]"=a square?
+av=a val
+cr[]=four
+cr[]=eight
+e={ o: p, a: { av: a val, b: { c: { e: "this [value]" } } } }
+j="\\"{ o: \\"p\\", a: { av: \\"a val\\", b: { c: { e: \\"this [value]\\" } } } }\\""
+
+[a.b.c]
+e=1
+j=2
+
+[x\\.y\\.z]
+x.y.z=xyz
+
+[x\\.y\\.z.a\\.b\\.c]
+a.b.c=abc
+noHashComment=this\\# this is not a comment
+nocomment=this\\; this is not a comment
+
+`
+
 exports[`test/foo.js TAP encode with whitespace > must match snapshot 1`] = `
 [log]
 type = file
diff --git a/test/duplicate-properties.js b/test/duplicate-properties.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f47c91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/duplicate-properties.js
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+const i = require('../')
+const tap = require('tap')
+const test = tap.test
+const fs = require('fs')
+const path = require('path')
+
+const fixture = path.resolve(__dirname, './fixtures/duplicate.ini')
+const data = fs.readFileSync(fixture, 'utf8')
+
+tap.cleanSnapshot = s => s.replace(/\r\n/g, '\n')
+
+test('decode with duplicate properties', function (t) {
+  const d = i.decode(data)
+  t.matchSnapshot(d)
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('encode with duplicate properties', function (t) {
+  const e = i.encode({
+    ar: ['1', '2', '3'],
+    br: ['1', '2'],
+  })
+  t.matchSnapshot(e)
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('decode duplicate properties with bracketedArray=false', function (t) {
+  const d = i.decode(data, { bracketedArray: false })
+  t.matchSnapshot(d)
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('encode duplicate properties with bracketedArray=false', function (t) {
+  const e = i.encode({
+    ar: ['1', '2', '3'],
+    br: ['1', '2'],
+  }, { bracketedArray: false })
+  t.matchSnapshot(e)
+  t.end()
+})
diff --git a/test/fixtures/duplicate.ini b/test/fixtures/duplicate.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7bce09a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/duplicate.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+zr[] = deedee
+zr=123
+ar[] = one
+ar[] = three
+str = 3
+brr = 1
+brr = 2
+brr = 3
+brr = 3
diff --git a/test/fixtures/foo.ini b/test/fixtures/foo.ini
index 22b72b6..219b4aa 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/foo.ini
+++ b/test/fixtures/foo.ini
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ o = p
 
 ; Test single quotes
 s = 'something'
-
+   
 ; Test mixing quotes
 
 s1 = "something'
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ j = "{ o: "p", a: { av: "a val", b: { c: { e: "this [value]" } } } }"
 cr[] = four
 cr[] = eight
 
+; b section with a space after its title
+[b] 
+
 ; nested child without middle parent
 ; should create otherwise-empty a.b
 [a.b.c]
diff --git a/test/foo.js b/test/foo.js
index 5165a9a..4d380e3 100644
--- a/test/foo.js
+++ b/test/foo.js
@@ -44,3 +44,43 @@ test('encode with whitespace', function (t) {
   t.matchSnapshot(e)
   t.end()
 })
+
+test('encode with newline', function (t) {
+  const obj = { log: { type: 'file', level: { label: 'debug', value: 10 } } }
+  const e = i.encode(obj, { newline: true })
+
+  t.matchSnapshot(e)
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('encode with platform=win32', function (t) {
+  const obj = { log: { type: 'file', level: { label: 'debug', value: 10 } } }
+  const e = i.encode(obj, { platform: 'win32' })
+
+  t.matchSnapshot(e.split('\r\n'))
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('encode with align', function (t) {
+  const d = i.decode(data)
+  const e = i.encode(d, { align: true })
+
+  t.matchSnapshot(e)
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('encode with sort', function (t) {
+  const d = i.decode(data)
+  const e = i.encode(d, { sort: true })
+
+  t.matchSnapshot(e)
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('encode with align and sort', function (t) {
+  const d = i.decode(data)
+  const e = i.encode(d, { align: true, sort: true })
+
+  t.matchSnapshot(e)
+  t.end()
+})