diff --git a/.github/pull_request_template.md b/.github/pull_request_template.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6bd82a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/pull_request_template.md
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+## Summary
+
+## Changes
+
+-
+
+## Type of Change
+
+- [ ] `feat` — New feature
+- [ ] `fix` — Bug fix
+- [ ] `perf` — Performance improvement
+- [ ] `refactor` — Code refactor (no behavior change)
+- [ ] `chore` — Build, tooling, dependencies
+- [ ] `docs` — Documentation only
+- [ ] `ci` — CI/CD changes
+- [ ] `BREAKING CHANGE` — Incompatible API change
+
+## Checklist
+
+- [ ] Code builds without errors (`go build ./...` / `bun run build`)
+- [ ] Commit messages follow [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/)
+- [ ] `.env.example` updated if new environment variables were added
+- [ ] API documentation updated if endpoints changed
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/backend/config/version.go b/backend/config/version.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c5e411a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/config/version.go
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+// Code generated by scripts/release.sh — DO NOT EDIT.
+package config
+
+const Version = "1.0.0"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e1a212f..5f48989 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@
   "description": "🧘‍♂️ ZenReply: Protect Your Deep Work",
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
-    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1",
+    "release:patch": "bash scripts/release.sh patch",
+    "release:minor": "bash scripts/release.sh minor",
+    "release:major": "bash scripts/release.sh major",
+    "release": "bash scripts/release.sh",
     "prepare": "husky"
   },
   "repository": {
diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4999ffe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+ROOT_DIR="$(cd "$SCRIPT_DIR/.." && pwd)"
+
+# Colors
+RED='\033[0;31m'
+GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+BLUE='\033[0;34m'
+BOLD='\033[1m'
+NC='\033[0m'
+
+log_info()    { echo -e "${BLUE}ℹ${NC}  $*"; }
+log_success() { echo -e "${GREEN}✓${NC}  $*"; }
+log_warn()    { echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠${NC}  $*"; }
+log_error()   { echo -e "${RED}✗${NC}  $*" >&2; }
+
+# Helpers
+require_command() {
+  if ! command -v "$1" &>/dev/null; then
+    log_error "Required command not found: $1"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+}
+
+require_command git
+require_command node
+
+# Validate working directory
+cd "$ROOT_DIR"
+
+if [[ ! -f "package.json" ]]; then
+  log_error "Must be run from the ZenReply root directory."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Check for uncommitted changes
+if [[ -n "$(git status --porcelain)" ]]; then
+  log_error "Working directory is not clean. Commit or stash changes first."
+  git status --short
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Determine current version
+CURRENT_VERSION=$(node -p "require('./package.json').version")
+log_info "Current version: ${BOLD}${CURRENT_VERSION}${NC}"
+
+# Parse bump type or explicit version
+BUMP="${1:-}"
+
+if [[ -z "$BUMP" ]]; then
+  log_error "Usage: $0 <patch|minor|major|x.y.z>"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+bump_semver() {
+  local version="$1"
+  local part="$2"
+  IFS='.' read -r major minor patch <<< "$version"
+  case "$part" in
+    major) echo "$((major + 1)).0.0" ;;
+    minor) echo "${major}.$((minor + 1)).0" ;;
+    patch) echo "${major}.${minor}.$((patch + 1))" ;;
+    *)     echo "$part" ;;  # explicit version
+  esac
+}
+
+NEW_VERSION=$(bump_semver "$CURRENT_VERSION" "$BUMP")
+
+# Validate semver format
+if ! [[ "$NEW_VERSION" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+(-[a-zA-Z0-9.]+)?$ ]]; then
+  log_error "Invalid version format: $NEW_VERSION (expected: x.y.z or x.y.z-rc.1)"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+log_info "New version:     ${BOLD}${NEW_VERSION}${NC}"
+echo ""
+
+# ── Confirm ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+read -rp "$(echo -e "${YELLOW}?${NC}  Bump ${CURRENT_VERSION} → ${NEW_VERSION} and push tag? [y/N] ")" confirm
+if [[ "${confirm,,}" != "y" ]]; then
+  log_warn "Aborted."
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+echo ""
+
+# Step 1: Update root package.json
+log_info "Updating root package.json..."
+node -e "
+  const fs = require('fs');
+  const pkg = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('package.json', 'utf8'));
+  pkg.version = '${NEW_VERSION}';
+  fs.writeFileSync('package.json', JSON.stringify(pkg, null, 2) + '\n');
+"
+log_success "package.json → ${NEW_VERSION}"
+
+# Step 2: Update frontend/package.json
+if [[ -f "frontend/package.json" ]]; then
+  log_info "Updating frontend/package.json..."
+  node -e "
+    const fs = require('fs');
+    const pkg = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('frontend/package.json', 'utf8'));
+    pkg.version = '${NEW_VERSION}';
+    fs.writeFileSync('frontend/package.json', JSON.stringify(pkg, null, 2) + '\n');
+  "
+  log_success "frontend/package.json → ${NEW_VERSION}"
+fi
+
+# Step 3: Update backend version constant
+log_info "Updating backend/config/version.go..."
+cat > "backend/config/version.go" << EOF
+// Code generated by scripts/release.sh — DO NOT EDIT.
+package config
+
+const Version = "${NEW_VERSION}"
+EOF
+log_success "backend/config/version.go → ${NEW_VERSION}"
+
+# Step 4: Git commit
+log_info "Committing version bump..."
+git add \
+  package.json \
+  frontend/package.json \
+  backend/config/version.go
+
+git commit -m "chore(release): v${NEW_VERSION}
+
+Bump version across all packages:
+- package.json: ${CURRENT_VERSION} → ${NEW_VERSION}
+- frontend/package.json: ${CURRENT_VERSION} → ${NEW_VERSION}
+- backend/config/version.go: ${CURRENT_VERSION} → ${NEW_VERSION}"
+
+log_success "Committed: chore(release): v${NEW_VERSION}"
+
+# Step 5: Create annotated Git tag
+log_info "Creating tag v${NEW_VERSION}..."
+git tag -a "v${NEW_VERSION}" -m "Release v${NEW_VERSION}"
+log_success "Tag created: v${NEW_VERSION}"
+
+# Step 6: Push commit + tag
+log_info "Pushing to origin..."
+git push origin main
+git push origin "v${NEW_VERSION}"
+log_success "Pushed commit and tag to origin"
+
+echo ""
+echo -e "${GREEN}${BOLD} Release v${NEW_VERSION} triggered!${NC}"
+echo ""
+echo -e "  GitHub Actions will now:"
+echo -e "  ${BLUE}1.${NC} Build Docker image (linux/amd64 + linux/arm64)"
+echo -e "  ${BLUE}2.${NC} Push to ghcr.io with tags: ${NEW_VERSION}, latest"
+echo -e "  ${BLUE}3.${NC} Create GitHub Release with auto-generated notes"
+echo ""
+echo -e "  Track progress: ${BLUE}https://github.com/blogic-kietle/ZenReply/actions${NC}"