diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..468c804
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+name: Release
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+jobs:
+  release:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Detect release tag in commit message
+        id: detect
+        run: |
+          MSG="${{ github.event.head_commit.message }}"
+          if echo "$MSG" | grep -qE '\[(major|minor|patch)\]'; then
+            echo "triggered=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          else
+            echo "triggered=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          fi
+
+      - name: Read version
+        if: steps.detect.outputs.triggered == 'true'
+        id: version
+        run: echo "version=$(cat VERSION)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      - name: Create and push tag
+        if: steps.detect.outputs.triggered == 'true'
+        run: |
+          git tag "v${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
+          git push origin "v${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
+
+      - name: Package release artifact
+        if: steps.detect.outputs.triggered == 'true'
+        run: zip -r release.zip . --exclude ".git/*" --exclude ".github/*"
+
+      - name: Create GitHub Release
+        if: steps.detect.outputs.triggered == 'true'
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          gh release create "v${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}" \
+            release.zip \
+            --title "Release v${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}" \
+            --generate-notes
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-version.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-version.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..03ffaaf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-version.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+name: Validate version
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [main]
+
+jobs:
+  validate:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Check version consistency
+        run: |
+          VERSION=$(cat VERSION)
+          PLUGIN_VERSION=$(jq -r '.version' .claude-plugin/plugin.json)
+          if [ "$VERSION" != "$PLUGIN_VERSION" ]; then
+            echo "::error::Version mismatch: VERSION=$VERSION but .claude-plugin/plugin.json.version=$PLUGIN_VERSION"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "All versions consistent: $VERSION"
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 06018fd..2d4b37f 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -43,11 +43,19 @@ This downloads the pinned upstream tarball and replaces the contents of `skills/
 
 - [ ] `node scripts/validate-claude-plugin.mjs` passes.
 - [ ] `claude plugin validate` passes (before directory submission or major releases).
-- [ ] Version bumped in [`.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](.claude-plugin/plugin.json) when the plugin changes.
 - [ ] No secrets, credentials, or files under `**/local-cache/` committed.
 - [ ] If the skill tree changed: `pin` in `.github/scripts/sync-skills-vendor.json` matches the upstream tag the new tree was generated from.
 - [ ] Smoke-test: `claude --plugin-dir .` from the repo root.
 
+## Releasing
+
+To cut a release:
+
+1. In your PR, bump `VERSION` and sync `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` `.version` to match. The `validate-version` PR check enforces this.
+2. Merge to `main` with `[major]`, `[minor]`, or `[patch]` anywhere in the commit message.
+
+The release workflow reads `VERSION`, creates a `vX.Y.Z` git tag, and publishes a GitHub Release with a repo zip attached. No bot push to `main` — the version bump is part of the PR itself.
+
 ### Submitting to the Claude plugin directory
 
 Use [Submitting your plugin](https://claude.com/docs/plugins/submit). Submit the **public GitHub URL** of this repository — the **repository root** is the plugin root (manifest in `.claude-plugin/`, skills committed under `skills/`, vendored from [jfrog/jfrog-skills](https://github.com/jfrog/jfrog-skills)).
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b003284
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0.2.7