diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3294f24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2023 - for information on the respective copyright owner
+# see the NOTICE file and/or the repository https://github.com/carbynestack/java-http-client.
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+name: Release
+on:
+    push:
+        branches:
+            - master
+jobs:
+    release-please:
+        runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+        steps:
+            - name: Release Please
+              uses: google-github-actions/release-please-action@v3
+              with:
+                  command: manifest
+                  signoff: "cs-minion <rng_cr_carbynestack@bosch.com>"
+                  token: ${{ secrets.CS_MINION_PAT }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 5279a37..93c948d 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@ repos:
   hooks:
     - id: pretty-format-java
       args: [--autofix]
+- repo: https://github.com/alessandrojcm/commitlint-pre-commit-hook
+  rev: v9.5.0
+  hooks:
+    - id: commitlint
+      stages:
+        - commit-msg
+      additional_dependencies:
+        - '@commitlint/config-conventional'
 - repo: https://github.com/executablebooks/mdformat
   rev: 0.7.7
   hooks:
@@ -19,6 +27,7 @@ repos:
         - "80"
       additional_dependencies:
         - mdformat-gfm
+      exclude: ^3RD-PARTY-LICENSES/.*$
 - repo: https://github.com/igorshubovych/markdownlint-cli
   rev: v0.27.1
   hooks:
diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..88d1d60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+    ".": "0.1.0"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2329d93..b023bc3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 [![codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/carbynestack/java-http-client/branch/master/graph/badge.svg?token=iJ4L3PbGvT)](https://codecov.io/gh/carbynestack/java-http-client)
 [![Codacy Badge](https://app.codacy.com/project/badge/Grade/819ea9adb8a64ae18beb9065a9b00b82)](https://www.codacy.com?utm_source=github.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=carbynestack/java-http-client&utm_campaign=Badge_Grade)
 [![Known Vulnerabilities](https://snyk.io/test/github/carbynestack/java-http-client/badge.svg)](https://snyk.io/test/github/carbynestack/java-http-client)
+[![Conventional Commits](https://img.shields.io/badge/Conventional%20Commits-1.0.0-%23FE5196?logo=conventionalcommits&logoColor=white)](https://conventionalcommits.org)
 [![pre-commit](https://img.shields.io/badge/pre--commit-enabled-brightgreen?logo=pre-commit&logoColor=white)](https://github.com/pre-commit/pre-commit)
 [![Contributor Covenant](https://img.shields.io/badge/Contributor%20Covenant-2.1-4baaaa.svg)](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md)
 
diff --git a/commitlint.config.js b/commitlint.config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..63d933e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/commitlint.config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2023 - for information on the respective copyright owner
+ * see the NOTICE file and/or the repository https://github.com/carbynestack/java-http-client.
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+module.exports = {
+    extends: ["@commitlint/config-conventional"],
+    rules: {
+        "scope-empty": [0, "never"],
+        "scope-enum": [2, "always", ["java-http-client"]],
+    },
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 80ad97b..8393597 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <artifactId>java-http-client</artifactId>
     <groupId>io.carbynestack</groupId>
-    <version>${revision}</version>
+    <version>0.1.0</version>
     <name>Carbyne Stack Java HTTP Client</name>
     <description>Basic Java client used by Carbyne Stack service client implementations.</description>
     <licenses>
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
         <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
         <project.reporting.outputEncoding>UTF-8</project.reporting.outputEncoding>
 
-        <revision>0.1-SNAPSHOT</revision>
         <skip.tests>false</skip.tests>
         <java.version>1.8</java.version>
 
diff --git a/release-please-config.json b/release-please-config.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ee695c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release-please-config.json
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+    "bump-minor-pre-major": true,
+    "separate-pull-requests": true,
+    "pull-request-title-pattern": "chore: release ${component} ${version}",
+    "pull-request-header": ":package: Staging a new release",
+    "packages": {
+        ".": {
+            "package-name": "java-http-client",
+            "release-type": "maven",
+            "skip-snapshot": true
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file