diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..25e8234
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+name: Release
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - semrel
+
+jobs:
+  build-test-release:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Define environment variables
+        run: echo IMAGE_NAME=ghcr.io/$(echo ${{ github.repository }} | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]') >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0  # Important for Semantic Release to analyze all commits
+
+      - name: Set up Docker buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Build container
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
+        with:
+          file: Dockerfile.test
+          tags: ${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:pre-semver
+          load: true
+          cache-from: ${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:latest
+
+      - name: Run tests
+        run: docker run ${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:pre-semver curl --version
+
+      - name: Semantic release
+        uses: cycjimmy/semantic-release-action@v4
+        id: semantic
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ steps.semantic.outputs.new_release_git_tag }}
+
+      - name: Login to GitHub container registry
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          registry: ghcr.io
+          username: ${{ github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Build container
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
+        with:
+          file: Dockerfile.test
+          tags: |
+            ${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:latest
+            ${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ steps.semantic.outputs.new_release_version }}
+          push: true
+          cache-from: ${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:pre-semver
diff --git a/.releaserc.yaml b/.releaserc.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5be77ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.releaserc.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# See https://semantic-release.gitbook.io/semantic-release/usage/configuration
+branches:
+  - semrel
+tagFormat: '${version}' # without this, the tag is prefixed with a 'v'
+plugins:
+  - "@semantic-release/commit-analyzer"
+  - "@semantic-release/release-notes-generator"
+  - "@semantic-release/changelog"
+  - path: "@semantic-release/npm"
+    npmPublish: false
+  - path: "@semantic-release/git"
+    assets:
+      - "CHANGELOG.md"
+      - "package.json"
+    message: "chore(release): ${nextRelease.version}\n\n${nextRelease.notes}"
diff --git a/Dockerfile.test b/Dockerfile.test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e34109b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile.test
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# syntax=docker/dockerfile:latest
+
+FROM nvcr.io/nvidia/cuda:11.8.0-runtime-ubuntu22.04
+
+ARG DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+
+RUN apt update && apt install -y curl
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..48a528a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{
+  "name": "esi-opticks",
+  "version": "1.2.0",
+  "description": "esi shell project",
+  "repository": {
+    "type": "git",
+    "url": "git+https://github.com/BNLNPPS/esi-opticks.git"
+  },
+  "keywords": [],
+  "author": "BNL NPPS",
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "bugs": {
+    "url": "https://github.com/BNLNPPS/esi-opticks/issues"
+  },
+  "homepage": "https://github.com/BNLNPPS/esi-opticks#readme",
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "@semantic-release/changelog": "^6.0.3",
+    "@semantic-release/commit-analyzer": "^12.0.0",
+    "@semantic-release/git": "^10.0.1",
+    "@semantic-release/release-notes-generator": "^13.0.0",
+    "semantic-release": "^23.0.8"
+  }
+}