diff --git a/.cursor/skills/release/SKILL.md b/.cursor/skills/release/SKILL.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3c3486
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.cursor/skills/release/SKILL.md
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+---
+name: release
+description: >-
+  Prepares a version bump in pyproject.toml, opens a PR from branch release/VERSION
+  toward main with auto-merge, and coordinates with CI that publishes a GitHub Release
+  when that branch merges. Use when the user invokes /release, /release VERSION, asks
+  for a release PR, version bump, or release automation.
+---
+
+# Release (`/release` and optional VERSION)
+
+## When this applies
+
+- User message starts with **`/release`** or **`/release VERSION`** (VERSION optional).
+- User asks to cut a release, bump the package version, or open a release PR with auto-merge.
+
+## Preconditions
+
+- Working tree clean (`git status`); stash or commit unrelated work first.
+- `gh` CLI authenticated (`gh auth status`).
+- Remote `origin` is GitHub.
+- Repository allows **auto-merge** (Settings → General → Pull Requests → Allow auto-merge). If auto-merge is unavailable, open the PR anyway and tell the user to merge manually after checks pass.
+
+## Version selection
+
+1. Read the current version from `pyproject.toml` under `[project]` → `version` (PEP 440 / semver `MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH`).
+2. If **VERSION was provided**: set the new version to that string (must match `^\d+\.\d+\.\d+` unless the project already uses a different scheme—then follow existing `pyproject.toml` format).
+3. If **VERSION was omitted**: bump the **patch** segment only (e.g. `0.2.1` → `0.2.2`). If the current value is not `x.y.z`, stop and ask the user for an explicit VERSION.
+
+## Git identity (this repo)
+
+Configure once if needed:
+
+```bash
+git config user.email "cursor@proxymesh.com"
+git config user.name "Cursor"
+```
+
+## Steps
+
+1. **Sync main**
+
+   ```bash
+   git fetch origin main
+   ```
+
+2. **Compute** `NEW_VERSION` (per rules above). **Branch name** is `release/${NEW_VERSION}` (no `v` prefix in the branch name).
+
+3. **Create branch from latest main**
+
+   ```bash
+   git checkout -B "release/${NEW_VERSION}" origin/main
+   ```
+
+4. **Edit** `pyproject.toml`: set `version = "NEW_VERSION"` in `[project]`.
+
+5. **Commit and push** (never push to `main`; push only the release branch)
+
+   ```bash
+   git add pyproject.toml
+   git commit -m "chore: bump version to ${NEW_VERSION}"
+   git push -u origin "release/${NEW_VERSION}"
+   ```
+
+6. **Open PR** into `main` with a short body (no Cursor boilerplate). Example:
+
+   ```bash
+   gh pr create --base main --head "release/${NEW_VERSION}" \
+     --title "Release ${NEW_VERSION}" \
+     --body "Bumps the package version to ${NEW_VERSION} for release."
+   ```
+
+7. **Enable auto-merge** after the PR exists (merge method: repository default—omit `--merge` / `--squash` / `--rebase` unless the user specified one).
+
+   ```bash
+   gh pr merge <PR_NUMBER_OR_URL> --auto
+   ```
+
+   If `--auto` fails (permissions, auto-merge disabled, or pending checks), leave the PR open and report the error; the user can merge manually after CI passes. You can poll with `gh pr checks <PR_NUMBER_OR_URL> --watch` then retry `gh pr merge ... --auto`, or merge manually.
+
+## After merge
+
+Merging the PR into `main` triggers `.github/workflows/github_release_on_release_branch_merge.yml`, which creates a **GitHub Release** for tag `v{version}` from the merge commit. That **published** release event runs the existing PyPI **publish** workflow.
+
+## Quick reference
+
+| Input              | Result                                      |
+|--------------------|---------------------------------------------|
+| `/release`         | Patch bump, branch `release/x.y.(z+1)`      |
+| `/release 1.4.0`   | Version `1.4.0`, branch `release/1.4.0`     |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/github_release_on_release_branch_merge.yml b/.github/workflows/github_release_on_release_branch_merge.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..848804b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/github_release_on_release_branch_merge.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# When a PR from release/* is merged into main, create a GitHub Release (tag vX.Y.Z).
+# The existing publish.yml workflow runs on release: published and uploads to PyPI.
+
+name: GitHub Release on release branch merge
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    types: [closed]
+    branches:
+      - main
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+jobs:
+  create-release:
+    if: github.event.pull_request.merged == true && startsWith(github.head_ref, 'release/')
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout merge commit
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.merge_commit_sha }}
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.12"
+
+      - name: Read version from pyproject.toml
+        id: meta
+        run: |
+          python3 <<'PY'
+          import os
+          import tomllib
+
+          with open("pyproject.toml", "rb") as f:
+              data = tomllib.load(f)
+          version = data["project"]["version"]
+          with open(os.environ["GITHUB_OUTPUT"], "a", encoding="utf-8") as out:
+              out.write(f"version={version}\n")
+          PY
+
+      - name: Create GitHub Release
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          VERSION="${{ steps.meta.outputs.version }}"
+          TAG="v${VERSION}"
+          MERGE_SHA="${{ github.event.pull_request.merge_commit_sha }}"
+          if gh release view "${TAG}" --repo "${{ github.repository }}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "Release ${TAG} already exists; skipping."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          gh release create "${TAG}" \
+            --repo "${{ github.repository }}" \
+            --target "${MERGE_SHA}" \
+            --title "${TAG}" \
+            --generate-notes