diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 2d44983..2aebc8a 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -12,24 +12,24 @@ To test individual modules, cd into them and run `yarn test`. For example, runni
 
 # Publishing a Release
 
-### Release Branch
-
-1. Checkout main locally
-2. Increment the version number in modules/react-arborist/package.json
-3. Create a branch called release/v0.0.0
-4. Open a PR to main
-5. Test, review, and merge, delete branch
-
-### Create Github Release
-
-1. Create a release based on main
-2. Assign a new tag to be created with v0.0.0
-3. Title the release "Version 0.0.0"
-4. Write release notes
-5. Publish
-6. Check that it successfully published to npmjs
-
-The Github actions workflow will publish to npm.
+Releases are driven by `bin/release.mjs`, invoked via `yarn release`. The script bumps the version, runs tests, and pushes a `v*` tag. The tag push triggers `.github/workflows/publish.yml`, which publishes to npm via Trusted Publishing (OIDC) — no token needed.
+
+1. On `main`, with a clean working tree, update `CHANGELOG.md` with a new section for the upcoming version. Commit and push.
+2. Run `yarn release <patch|minor|major|X.Y.Z>` from the repo root. The script will:
+   - Verify you're on `main`, the working tree is clean, and you're in sync with the remote
+   - Run tests and build
+   - Bump `modules/react-arborist/package.json`, commit it, and tag `vX.Y.Z`
+   - Push the commit and tag to `origin`
+   - Open a GitHub Release draft in your browser (via `gh`)
+3. Edit the release draft, paste in the changelog entry, and publish.
+4. Watch `gh run watch` — the publish workflow will build and `npm publish` via OIDC. Confirm the new version on https://www.npmjs.com/package/react-arborist.
+
+Flags:
+
+- `--preview` — dry-run; the script still reads git state and builds, but no commit, tag, push, or release draft is created.
+- `--any-branch` — skip both the `main` branch check and the remote sync check (useful for testing on a branch that isn't pushed).
+- `--no-tests` — skip `yarn test`.
+- `--yes` — skip the interactive confirmation.
 
 # Publish the Demo Site
 
diff --git a/bin/release.mjs b/bin/release.mjs
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e04481f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/release.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+import { execSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { createInterface } from "node:readline/promises";
+import { stdin as input, stdout as output } from "node:process";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+
+const rootDir = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), "..");
+const pkgPath = path.join(rootDir, "modules/react-arborist/package.json");
+
+const args = process.argv.slice(2);
+const flags = {
+  preview: args.includes("--preview"),
+  anyBranch: args.includes("--any-branch"),
+  skipTests: args.includes("--no-tests"),
+  yes: args.includes("--yes") || args.includes("-y"),
+};
+const versionArg = args.find((a) => !a.startsWith("-"));
+
+function out(cmd) {
+  return execSync(cmd, { cwd: rootDir, encoding: "utf8" }).trim();
+}
+
+function run(cmd) {
+  if (flags.preview) {
+    console.log(`  [preview] ${cmd}`);
+    return;
+  }
+  execSync(cmd, { cwd: rootDir, stdio: "inherit" });
+}
+
+function step(name) {
+  console.log(`\n→ ${name}`);
+}
+
+function fail(msg) {
+  console.error(`✖ ${msg}`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+function bump(current, kind) {
+  if (/^\d+\.\d+\.\d+$/.test(kind)) return kind;
+  const [maj, min, pat] = current.split(".").map(Number);
+  if (kind === "patch") return `${maj}.${min}.${pat + 1}`;
+  if (kind === "minor") return `${maj}.${min + 1}.0`;
+  if (kind === "major") return `${maj + 1}.0.0`;
+  fail(`Invalid version: "${kind}". Use patch, minor, major, or X.Y.Z.`);
+}
+
+if (!versionArg) {
+  fail("Usage: yarn release <patch|minor|major|X.Y.Z> [--preview] [--any-branch] [--no-tests] [--yes]");
+}
+
+step("Checking branch");
+const branch = out("git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD");
+if (branch !== "main" && !flags.anyBranch) {
+  fail(`Not on main (currently on ${branch}). Use --any-branch to override.`);
+}
+console.log(`  on ${branch}`);
+
+step("Checking working tree");
+if (out("git status --porcelain")) {
+  fail("Working tree not clean. Commit or stash first.");
+}
+console.log("  clean");
+
+if (flags.anyBranch) {
+  console.log("\n→ Skipping remote sync check (--any-branch)");
+} else {
+  step("Fetching origin");
+  execSync("git fetch origin", { cwd: rootDir, stdio: "inherit" });
+  const local = out(`git rev-parse ${branch}`);
+  const remote = out(`git rev-parse origin/${branch}`);
+  if (local !== remote) {
+    fail(`Local ${branch} (${local.slice(0, 7)}) differs from origin/${branch} (${remote.slice(0, 7)}).`);
+  }
+  console.log("  in sync");
+}
+
+if (!flags.skipTests) {
+  step("Running tests");
+  run("yarn test");
+}
+
+step("Building library");
+run("yarn build-lib");
+
+const pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync(pkgPath, "utf8"));
+const oldVersion = pkg.version;
+const newVersion = bump(oldVersion, versionArg);
+const tag = `v${newVersion}`;
+
+console.log(`\nVersion: ${oldVersion} → ${newVersion}  (tag: ${tag})`);
+
+if (out(`git tag -l ${tag}`)) {
+  fail(`Tag ${tag} already exists.`);
+}
+
+if (!flags.preview && !flags.yes) {
+  const rl = createInterface({ input, output });
+  const answer = await rl.question(`Continue? (y/N) `);
+  rl.close();
+  if (answer.trim().toLowerCase() !== "y") {
+    console.log("Aborted.");
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+}
+
+step(`Bumping ${pkgPath} to ${newVersion}`);
+if (flags.preview) {
+  console.log(`  [preview] write version=${newVersion}`);
+} else {
+  pkg.version = newVersion;
+  writeFileSync(pkgPath, JSON.stringify(pkg, null, 2) + "\n");
+}
+
+step("Committing");
+run(`git commit -am ${tag}`);
+
+step(`Tagging ${tag}`);
+run(`git tag ${tag}`);
+
+step("Pushing commit + tag");
+run(`git push origin ${branch} --follow-tags`);
+
+step("Opening GitHub release draft");
+run(`gh release create ${tag} --draft --title ${tag} --notes "" --web`);
+
+console.log(`\nReleased ${tag}. Watch the publish workflow with: gh run watch`);
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5c92c2d..4ccb892 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
     "clean": "yarn workspace react-arborist clean",
     "showcase": "yarn workspace showcase start",
     "start": "run-s clean build-lib && run-p watch showcase",
-    "publish": "sh bin/publish"
+    "publish": "sh bin/publish",
+    "release": "node bin/release.mjs"
   },
   "private": true,
   "packageManager": "yarn@4.0.2",