diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_examples.yaml b/.github/workflows/build_examples.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..be4c268
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_examples.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+name: CI - Build examples
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - main
+
+jobs:
+  # generate the build matrix
+  gen_matrix:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      examples_matrix: ${{ steps.gen_matrix.outputs.matrix }}
+    steps:
+      # checkout the repository
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      # generate the build matrix, containing all subdirectories in the 'examples' directory
+      # that contain a 'platformio.ini' file
+      - name: Generate build matrix
+        id: gen_matrix
+        run: |
+          # Get all subdirectories containing platformio.ini in the ./example directory
+          subdirectories=$(find ./examples -type f -name "platformio.ini" -exec dirname {} \; | sort -u)
+
+          # Convert subdirectories to JSON array
+          json_array="["
+          for subdir in $subdirectories; do
+              json_array+="\"$subdir\", "
+          done
+          json_array="${json_array%, }]"
+
+          echo "$json_array"
+          echo "matrix=$json_array" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+  # build the CI environment in all examples
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: gen_matrix
+
+    # run all examples in a matrix
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        example: ${{ fromJson(needs.gen_matrix.outputs.examples_matrix) }}
+
+    steps:
+      # checkout the repository
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      
+      # enable caching of pip and platformio
+      - uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: |
+            ~/.cache/pip
+            ~/.platformio/.cache
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-pio
+      
+      # install python
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: '3.9'
+
+      # install platformio
+      - name: Install PlatformIO core
+        run: pip install --upgrade platformio
+      
+      # print the platformio.ini file path
+      - name: Print matrix value for 'example'
+        run: echo ${{ matrix.example }}
+
+      # build the 'CI' environment
+      - name: Build 'ci' environment
+        run: pio run --project-dir ${{ matrix.example }} --environment ci
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yaml
similarity index 53%
rename from .github/workflows/ci.yaml
rename to .github/workflows/unit_tests.yaml
index 6bee13f..da45d94 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: CI
+name: CI - Unit Tests
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -9,36 +9,7 @@ on:
       - main
 
 jobs:
-  # smoke-test build
-  build:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-    steps:
-      # checkout the repository
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      
-      # enable caching of pip and platformio
-      - uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: |
-            ~/.cache/pip
-            ~/.platformio/.cache
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-pio
-      
-      # install python
-      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
-        with:
-          python-version: '3.9'
-
-      # install platformio
-      - name: Install PlatformIO core
-        run: pip install --upgrade platformio
-      
-      # build the 'blink' environment
-      - name: Build 'blink' environment
-        run: pio run --environment blink
-
-  # unit tests
+  # run unit tests
   test:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
@@ -68,17 +39,17 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install PlatformIO core
         run: pip install --upgrade platformio
       
-      # create .pio/test/ folder
-      - name: Create .pio/test folder
-        run: mkdir -p .pio/test
+      # create test/.pio/test/ folder
+      - name: Create test/.pio/test folder
+        run: mkdir -p test/.pio/test
 
       # run unit tests using 'test-native' environment
       - name: Run Unit Tests (native)
-        run: pio test --environment test_native --junit-output-path '.pio/test/native.xml'
+        run: pio test --project-dir ./test --environment native --junit-output-path 'test/.pio/test/native.xml'
 
       # upload test results
       - uses: test-summary/action@v2
         with:
-          paths: ".pio/test/*.xml"
+          paths: "test/.pio/test/*.xml"
           show: "all"
         if: always()
diff --git a/examples/blink/.gitignore b/examples/blink/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9f3806
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/blink/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+.pio
+.vscode
diff --git a/examples/blink/platformio.ini b/examples/blink/platformio.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81486f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/blink/platformio.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+[env]
+platform = https://github.com/shadow578/platform-hc32f46x/archive/1.0.0.zip
+framework = arduino
+board = generic_hc32f460
+
+[env:default]
+
+# required only for CI
+[env:ci]
+# override theframework-arduino-hc32f46x package with the local one
+board_build.arduino_package_dir = ../../
+extra_scripts = 
+    pre:../../tools/ci/patch_get_package_dir.py
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/blink/main.cpp b/examples/blink/src/main.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from examples/blink/main.cpp
rename to examples/blink/src/main.cpp
diff --git a/platformio.ini b/platformio.ini
deleted file mode 100644
index 946073e..0000000
--- a/platformio.ini
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,43 +0,0 @@
-#
-# framework-arduino-hc32f46x CI environment
-#
-# use the 'blink' environment to build the blink example in /examples/blink
-# use the 'test_native' or 'test_win32' environments to run unit tests
-#
-[platformio]
-src_dir = examples/blink
-test_dir = test
-
-[env]
-test_ignore = *
-platform_packages = 
-    framework-arduino-hc32f46x @ file://./
-extra_scripts = 
-    pre:tools/ci/patch_get_package_dir.py
-
-
-# build the blink example for the hc32f460 platform
-[env:blink]
-platform = https://github.com/shadow578/platform-hc32f46x/archive/1.0.0.zip
-framework = arduino
-board = generic_hc32f460
-
-
-# common test environment
-[testenv]
-extends = env
-test_framework = googletest
-test_ignore =           # run all tests
-build_flags =
-    -Icores/arduino     # add arduino core to include path
-    -Itest/stubs        # add stubs to include path
-
-# run tests on the native platform and toolchain
-[env:test_native]
-extends = testenv
-platform = native
-
-# run tests on windows, without having to manually install the toolchain
-[env:test_win32]
-extends = testenv
-platform = windows_x86
diff --git a/test/.gitignore b/test/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9f3806
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+.pio
+.vscode
diff --git a/test/platformio.ini b/test/platformio.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2bc3f1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/platformio.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#
+# framework-arduino-hc32f46x unit test environment
+#
+# use the 'test_native' or 'test_win32' environments to run unit tests
+#
+[env]
+test_framework = googletest
+test_ignore =           # run all tests
+build_flags =
+    -I../cores/arduino     # add arduino core to include path
+    -Itest/stubs           # add stubs to include path
+
+# override the framework-arduino-hc32f46x package with the local one
+board_build.arduino_package_dir = ../
+extra_scripts = 
+    pre:../tools/ci/patch_get_package_dir.py
+
+# run tests on the native platform and toolchain
+[env:native]
+extends = testenv
+platform = native
+
+# run tests on windows, without having to manually install the toolchain
+[env:win32]
+extends = testenv
+platform = windows_x86
diff --git a/test/README.md b/test/test/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from test/README.md
rename to test/test/README.md
diff --git a/test/stubs/addon_gpio.h b/test/test/stubs/addon_gpio.h
similarity index 100%
rename from test/stubs/addon_gpio.h
rename to test/test/stubs/addon_gpio.h
diff --git a/test/stubs/hc32_ddl.h b/test/test/stubs/hc32_ddl.h
similarity index 100%
rename from test/stubs/hc32_ddl.h
rename to test/test/stubs/hc32_ddl.h
diff --git a/test/stubs/variant.h b/test/test/stubs/variant.h
similarity index 100%
rename from test/stubs/variant.h
rename to test/test/stubs/variant.h
diff --git a/test/test.h b/test/test/test.h
similarity index 100%
rename from test/test.h
rename to test/test/test.h
diff --git a/test/test_arduino/arduino.cpp b/test/test/test_arduino/arduino.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from test/test_arduino/arduino.cpp
rename to test/test/test_arduino/arduino.cpp
diff --git a/test/test_dtostrf/dtostrf.cpp b/test/test/test_dtostrf/dtostrf.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from test/test_dtostrf/dtostrf.cpp
rename to test/test/test_dtostrf/dtostrf.cpp
diff --git a/test/test_itoa/itoa.cpp b/test/test/test_itoa/itoa.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from test/test_itoa/itoa.cpp
rename to test/test/test_itoa/itoa.cpp
diff --git a/test/test_ringbuffer/ringbuffer.cpp b/test/test/test_ringbuffer/ringbuffer.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from test/test_ringbuffer/ringbuffer.cpp
rename to test/test/test_ringbuffer/ringbuffer.cpp
diff --git a/test/test_wcharacter/wcharacter.cpp b/test/test/test_wcharacter/wcharacter.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from test/test_wcharacter/wcharacter.cpp
rename to test/test/test_wcharacter/wcharacter.cpp
diff --git a/tools/ci/patch_get_package_dir.py b/tools/ci/patch_get_package_dir.py
index 66c8ec5..edfee55 100644
--- a/tools/ci/patch_get_package_dir.py
+++ b/tools/ci/patch_get_package_dir.py
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
 # does not apply to 'DefaultEnvironment().PioPlatform().get_package_dir()', which is used 
 # by the hc32f46x build system...
 #
-# this script is a workaround, patching the 'get_package_dir' method to return the project directory
-# for the 'framework-arduino-hc32f46x' package.
+# this script is a workaround, patching the 'get_package_dir' method to return the directory
+# defined by 'board_build.arduino_package_dir' (relative to $PROJECT_DIR) for the 'framework-arduino-hc32f46x' package.
 from SCons.Script import DefaultEnvironment
+from os.path import abspath, join
 
 env = DefaultEnvironment()
 platform = env.PioPlatform()
@@ -12,8 +13,15 @@
 
 def get_package_dir_override(name):
     if name == "framework-arduino-hc32f46x":
-        return env.subst("$PROJECT_DIR")
+        project_dir = env.subst("$PROJECT_DIR")
+        arduino_package_dir = env.BoardConfig().get("build.arduino_package_dir", "")
+        if arduino_package_dir == "":
+            raise ValueError("board_build.arduino_package_dir is not defined")
+
+        package_dir = abspath(join(project_dir, arduino_package_dir))
+        print("Using package dir: " + package_dir)
+        return package_dir
     else:
         return original_get_package_dir(name)
 
-platform.get_package_dir = get_package_dir_override
+platform.get_package_dir = get_package_dir_override
\ No newline at end of file