diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bbc5f72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+# Copyright (c) JFrog Ltd. 2026
+#
+# Cuts a GitHub Release when a release marker is merged to main.
+# Full flow and rationale: CONTRIBUTING.md#releasing
+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:
+      # Full history, so the tag check below can see existing tags.
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      # Subject line only, not the whole message. MSG goes through env rather than string
+      # interpolation, so a crafted commit subject can't inject shell.
+      - name: Detect release marker in commit subject
+        id: detect
+        env:
+          MSG: ${{ github.event.head_commit.message }}
+        run: |
+          SUBJECT=$(printf '%s\n' "$MSG" | head -1)
+          if printf '%s' "$SUBJECT" | grep -qE '\[(major|minor|patch)\]'; then
+            echo "triggered=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          else
+            echo "triggered=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          fi
+
+      # The manifest is the only place the version lives.
+      - name: Read version from the plugin manifest
+        if: steps.detect.outputs.triggered == 'true'
+        id: version
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          VERSION=$(jq -er '.version' .claude-plugin/plugin.json)
+          if ! printf '%s' "$VERSION" | grep -qE '^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$'; then
+            echo "::error::.claude-plugin/plugin.json version '$VERSION' is not X.Y.Z — refusing to release"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "version=$VERSION" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      # A tag exists only if that version was released, so this catches a marker that was merged
+      # without a manifest bump.
+      - name: Refuse to re-release an existing version
+        if: steps.detect.outputs.triggered == 'true'
+        run: |
+          TAG="v${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
+          if git rev-parse -q --verify "refs/tags/$TAG" >/dev/null; then
+            echo "::error::$TAG already exists — bump .claude-plugin/plugin.json before merging a release marker"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v5
+        if: steps.detect.outputs.triggered == 'true'
+        with:
+          node-version: "24"
+
+      # validate.yml runs on this same push, but as an independent workflow that can't gate this
+      # one. Re-running its check here is what actually gates the release on it.
+      - name: Validate plugin layout before releasing
+        if: steps.detect.outputs.triggered == 'true'
+        run: node scripts/validate-claude-plugin.mjs
+
+      # Tracked files at HEAD only, so nothing left on the runner can end up in the zip.
+      - name: Package release artifact
+        if: steps.detect.outputs.triggered == 'true'
+        run: git archive --format=zip --output=release.zip HEAD -- ':(exclude).github'
+
+      # --target creates the tag as part of the release, so a failure can't leave an orphan tag.
+      - 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 \
+            --target "$GITHUB_SHA" \
+            --title "Release v${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}" \
+            --generate-notes
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 06018fd..e1fea83 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -54,6 +54,25 @@ Use [Submitting your plugin](https://claude.com/docs/plugins/submit). Submit the
 
 Compliance: [Anthropic Software Directory Terms](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13145338-anthropic-software-directory-terms), [Anthropic Software Directory Policy](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13145358-anthropic-software-directory-policy).
 
+## Releasing
+
+To cut a release:
+
+1. In your PR, bump `.version` in [`.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](.claude-plugin/plugin.json). That manifest is the only place the version lives.
+2. Merge to `main` with `[major]`, `[minor]`, or `[patch]` in the commit **subject** - the first
+   line. A marker further down in the body is ignored on purpose: this repo squash-merges, and
+   GitHub pre-fills the squash body from the branch commits or the PR description, either of
+   which may quote a marker while only documenting it.
+
+The marker only decides *whether* to release; the version comes from the manifest either way, so the bump is reviewed in the PR that makes it. There is no bot push to `main`. Merging a marker without bumping the manifest fails the release rather than re-tagging a shipped version.
+
+The workflow reads the version from the manifest, refuses to continue if that version is already tagged, runs the same plugin-layout check as the `validate` PR workflow, packages the tracked files at `HEAD` (minus `.github/`) into `release.zip`, and creates the `vX.Y.Z` tag as part of publishing the GitHub Release.
+
+Two things to know before changing it:
+
+- Validation runs inside the release job. `validate.yml` triggers on the same push, but as an independent workflow, so it can be red while a release still goes out. Re-running its check in the release job is what actually gates the release on it.
+- The tag is created by the release, not before it. `gh release create --target` does both in one API call, so a failed run can't leave a tag behind with no release attached to it.
+
 ## Reporting Issues
 
 Open a [GitHub issue](https://github.com/jfrog/claude-plugin/issues) with: