diff --git a/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
index ace637e..eec6f2a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ on:
     types: [created]
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
-      release-type:
+      release-version:
         required: true
 
 jobs:
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ jobs:
           node-version: 16
       - run: |
           npm install
+
   publish-gpr:
     needs: build
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -34,6 +35,19 @@ jobs:
           node-version: 16
           registry-url: "https://registry.npmjs.org"
           scope: "@layer5"
-      - run: npm publish --verbose
+
+      - name: Run npm release
+        run: npm run release ${{ github.event.inputs.release-version || github.event.release.tag_name }}
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || github.event_name == 'release'
+
         env:
           NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Commit and push version change
+        uses: stefanzweifel/git-auto-commit-action@v4
+        with:
+          commit_user_name: l5io
+          commit_user_email: ci@layer5.io
+          commit_author: ${{ github.actor }} <${{ github.actor }}@users.noreply.github.com>
+          commit_options: "--signoff"
+          commit_message: "[Release]: Bump version to ${{ github.event.inputs.release-version || github.event.release.tag_name }}"
diff --git a/release.js b/release.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c8806b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release.js
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+const fs = require("fs");
+const path = require("path");
+// for building and release the package
+
+// bump version
+const bump = (version) => {
+  const packagePath = path.resolve(__dirname, "package.json");
+  const package = require(packagePath);
+  package.version = version;
+  fs.writeFileSync(packagePath, JSON.stringify(package, null, 2));
+  console.log("bumped version to " + version);
+};
+
+// build
+const build = () => {
+  // nothing here yet
+};
+
+const publish = () => {
+  // publish to npm
+  const execSync = require("child_process").execSync;
+  execSync("npm publish --verbose", { stdio: [0, 1, 2] });
+  console.log("published to npm");
+};
+
+// main
+const main = () => {
+  const args = process.argv.slice(2);
+  const version = args[0];
+  if (!version) {
+    console.error("version is required");
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+  try {
+    bump(version);
+    build();
+    publish();
+    console.log("done");
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error(e);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+};
+
+main();