diff --git a/.github/workflows/conventional-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/conventional-pr.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..07d33c244
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/conventional-pr.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+name: conventional-pr-title
+
+# PRs are squash-merged, so the PR title becomes the commit message on main
+# that release-please reads. This check requires titles to follow
+# conventional commits (feat:, fix:, docs:, ci:, chore:, ...).
+on:
+  pull_request_target:
+    types: [opened, edited, synchronize, reopened]
+
+permissions:
+  pull-requests: read
+
+jobs:
+  lint-pr-title:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: amannn/action-semantic-pull-request@v5
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-please.yml b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..430319b60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+name: release-please
+
+# Release automation: conventional commits on main accumulate into a release
+# PR that bumps the version in pixi.toml and updates CHANGELOG.md; merging
+# that PR tags vX.Y.Z and cuts a GitHub release.
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+  pull-requests: write
+
+jobs:
+  release-please:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: googleapis/release-please-action@v4
+        with:
+          config-file: release-please-config.json
+          manifest-file: .release-please-manifest.json
diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..001eb2cd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  ".": "0.1.2"
+}
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..964441543
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Contributing to FIRE
+
+PRs are welcome! Please run the test suite and the formatters before
+submitting:
+
+```bash
+pixi run test
+pixi run fmt
+```
+
+## Conventional commits and releases
+
+Releases are automated with
+[release-please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please): conventional
+commits on `main` accumulate into a release PR that bumps the version in
+`pixi.toml` and updates `CHANGELOG.md`; merging that PR tags the release.
+
+PRs are squash-merged, so **the PR title must follow
+[conventional commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org)** (CI enforces
+this):
+
+- `feat: ...` — new feature; bumps the minor version (`0.2.x` → `0.3.0`).
+  Note that FIRE output directories are versioned by major.minor (e.g.
+  `-v0.2-`), so a minor bump changes output paths.
+- `fix: ...` — bug fix; bumps the patch version (`0.2.0` → `0.2.1`) and does
+  not change output paths.
+- `feat!: ...` or `fix!: ...` — breaking change; also bumps the minor version
+  while we are pre-1.0.
+- `docs: ...`, `ci: ...`, `chore: ...`, `test: ...`, `refactor: ...` — no
+  release.
diff --git a/release-please-config.json b/release-please-config.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..08822c054
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release-please-config.json
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/googleapis/release-please/main/schemas/config.json",
+  "bootstrap-sha": "92b9ea22d9c26baedde217ffd4f24cf9829553f0",
+  "bump-minor-pre-major": true,
+  "include-component-in-tag": false,
+  "packages": {
+    ".": {
+      "release-type": "simple",
+      "changelog-path": "CHANGELOG.md",
+      "extra-files": [
+        {
+          "type": "toml",
+          "path": "pixi.toml",
+          "jsonpath": "$.workspace.version"
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  }
+}