Crowsnest v5 is here! 🎉

[mryel00]

After two years of development, Crowsnest v5 (internally known as Pynest) is finally ready!

The highlights

• Python rewrite: Startup time dropped from ~30 seconds to just 1 second, and the new codebase is far easier to maintain and extend.
• No more long compile times: Precompiled backend packages via our own APT repository (apt.mainsail.xyz)
• Spyglass joins the crew: Now an official Crowsnest Streaming backend, bringing Picamera support (including on the Pi 5) with WebRTC.
• Better logging: New rollover_on_start keeps up to 5 old logs for troubleshooting, and clearer error messages help you debug config issues on your own.
• Two identical cameras? No problem. Both are now correctly detected and logged.

How to upgrade

The update won't show up in your Update Manager. Just run:

cd ~/crowsnest
git pull
make upgrade

This handles everything: uninstalling the old version, migrating your configs, and installing v5.

📖 Full release notes: GitHub Release v5.0.0
💬 Need help upgrading?

• Discord #support-forum
• GitHub Issue

:mainsail_heart: Support the Team
If you want to support our work:

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/meteyou
• Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/mainsail
• GitHub Sponsors: https://github.com/sponsors/mainsail-crew

Happy streaming!