diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
new file mode 100755
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# release.sh — build and publish a PhotoPhetch release to Gitea
+#
+# Usage:
+#   ./release.sh 1.0.0 "First release with Android and iPhone support"
+#   ./release.sh 1.1.0                   # prompts for release notes
+#
+# Requires:
+#   - curl (built into macOS)
+#   - git
+#   - ./gradlew (Gradle wrapper in this directory)
+#   - GITEA_TOKEN environment variable, or it will prompt
+#     Get a token: https://git.bolenpad.com/user/settings/applications
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# ── Config ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+GITEA_URL="https://git.bolenpad.com"
+GITEA_USER="kbolen"
+GITEA_REPO="photophetch"
+
+# ── Arguments ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
+    echo "Usage: $0 <version> [release-notes]"
+    echo "  Example: $0 1.0.0 'First stable release'"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+VERSION="$1"
+TAG="v${VERSION}"
+
+# Release notes: from argument or prompt
+if [ $# -ge 2 ]; then
+    NOTES="$2"
+else
+    echo "Enter release notes (press Enter twice when done):"
+    NOTES=""
+    while IFS= read -r line; do
+        [[ -z "$line" ]] && break
+        NOTES="${NOTES}${line}\n"
+    done
+fi
+
+# Gitea token
+if [ -z "${GITEA_TOKEN:-}" ]; then
+    echo "GITEA_TOKEN not set."
+    read -rsp "Enter Gitea API token: " GITEA_TOKEN
+    echo
+fi
+
+# ── Pre-flight checks ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+echo "→ Checking for uncommitted changes..."
+if ! git diff --quiet || ! git diff --cached --quiet; then
+    echo "ERROR: Uncommitted changes exist. Commit or stash them first."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "→ Checking we're on main..."
+BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
+if [ "$BRANCH" != "main" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Not on main branch (currently on '$BRANCH'). Switch to main first."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "→ Checking tag $TAG doesn't already exist..."
+if git tag | grep -q "^${TAG}$"; then
+    echo "ERROR: Tag $TAG already exists."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# ── Update version in build.gradle.kts ──────────────────────────────────────
+echo "→ Updating version to $VERSION in build.gradle.kts..."
+sed -i.bak "s/packageVersion = \"[^\"]*\"/packageVersion = \"${VERSION}\"/" build.gradle.kts
+rm -f build.gradle.kts.bak
+
+# ── Commit version bump ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+echo "→ Committing version bump..."
+git add build.gradle.kts
+git commit -m "Bump version to $VERSION"
+
+# ── Build DMG ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+echo "→ Building DMG (this takes a few minutes)..."
+./gradlew packageDmg
+
+DMG_PATH=$(find build/compose/binaries/main/dmg -name "*.dmg" | head -1)
+if [ -z "$DMG_PATH" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: No DMG found in build/compose/binaries/main/dmg/"
+    exit 1
+fi
+DMG_NAME=$(basename "$DMG_PATH")
+echo "→ Built: $DMG_PATH"
+
+# ── Tag and push ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+echo "→ Creating tag $TAG..."
+git tag -a "$TAG" -m "Release $TAG"
+
+echo "→ Pushing commits and tag..."
+git push origin main
+git push origin "$TAG"
+
+# ── Create Gitea release ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+echo "→ Creating Gitea release $TAG..."
+RELEASE_RESPONSE=$(curl -s -X POST \
+    "${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/${GITEA_USER}/${GITEA_REPO}/releases" \
+    -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+    -d "{
+        \"tag_name\": \"${TAG}\",
+        \"name\": \"PhotoPhetch ${TAG}\",
+        \"body\": \"${NOTES}\",
+        \"draft\": false,
+        \"prerelease\": false
+    }")
+
+RELEASE_ID=$(echo "$RELEASE_RESPONSE" | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin)['id'])" 2>/dev/null)
+if [ -z "$RELEASE_ID" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Failed to create release. Response:"
+    echo "$RELEASE_RESPONSE"
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo "→ Created release ID $RELEASE_ID"
+
+# ── Upload DMG ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+echo "→ Uploading $DMG_NAME..."
+UPLOAD_RESPONSE=$(curl -s -X POST \
+    "${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/${GITEA_USER}/${GITEA_REPO}/releases/${RELEASE_ID}/assets?name=${DMG_NAME}" \
+    -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+    -H "Content-Type: application/octet-stream" \
+    --data-binary "@${DMG_PATH}")
+
+DOWNLOAD_URL=$(echo "$UPLOAD_RESPONSE" | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin).get('browser_download_url',''))" 2>/dev/null)
+if [ -z "$DOWNLOAD_URL" ]; then
+    echo "WARNING: Upload may have failed. Response:"
+    echo "$UPLOAD_RESPONSE"
+else
+    echo "✓ Released: $DOWNLOAD_URL"
+fi
+
+echo ""
+echo "✓ Done! PhotoPhetch $TAG released."
+echo "  Release page: ${GITEA_URL}/${GITEA_USER}/${GITEA_REPO}/releases/tag/${TAG}"