diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 437c5d5..ca137f7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.PHONY: install build test clean release-major release-minor release-patch
+.PHONY: install build test clean bump-major bump-minor bump-patch release
 
 # Default target
 all: install build test
@@ -19,16 +19,20 @@ test:
 clean:
 	rm -rf main.js main.js.map
 
-# Release targets
-release-major: clean install build test
+# Version bump targets
+bump-major: clean install build test
 	./bump-version.sh major
 
-release-minor: clean install build test
+bump-minor: clean install build test
 	./bump-version.sh minor
 
-release-patch: clean install build test
+bump-patch: clean install build test
 	./bump-version.sh patch
 
+# Release target
+release:
+	./release.sh
+
 # Development mode
 dev:
 	pnpm run dev
@@ -41,8 +45,9 @@ help:
 	@echo "  make test        - Run tests"
 	@echo "  make clean       - Clean build artifacts"
 	@echo "  make dev         - Run in development mode"
-	@echo "  make release-major - Release major version"
-	@echo "  make release-minor - Release minor version"
-	@echo "  make release-patch - Release patch version"
+	@echo "  make bump-major  - Bump major version"
+	@echo "  make bump-minor  - Bump minor version"
+	@echo "  make bump-patch  - Bump patch version"
+	@echo "  make release     - Release the current version"
 	@echo "  make all         - Install, build, and test"
 	@echo "  make help        - Show this help message"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3921234..894736a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,10 +29,11 @@ This plugin uses a Makefile to streamline development tasks. Here are the availa
 - `make clean` - Clean build artifacts
 - `make all` - Run install, build, and test in sequence
 
-For releases:
-- `make release-major` - Release a major version
-- `make release-minor` - Release a minor version
-- `make release-patch` - Release a patch version
+For version management and releases:
+- `make bump-major` - Bump major version number
+- `make bump-minor` - Bump minor version number
+- `make bump-patch` - Bump patch version number
+- `make release` - Release the current version (create git tag and push)
 
 > [Link to plugin](https://github.com/dilantha/obsidian-link-formatter)
 > [Buy me a coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/dilantha)
diff --git a/bump-version.sh b/bump-version.sh
index 46e9e5e..72fb9f5 100755
--- a/bump-version.sh
+++ b/bump-version.sh
@@ -50,11 +50,4 @@ sed -i '' "s/\"version\": \"$current_version\"/\"version\": \"$new_version\"/" p
 # Update manifest.json
 sed -i '' "s/\"version\": \"$current_version\"/\"version\": \"$new_version\"/" manifest.json
 
-# Git operations
-git add package.json manifest.json
-git commit -m "chore: bump version to $new_version"
-git tag "v$new_version"
-git push origin main
-git push origin "v$new_version"
-
-echo "Successfully bumped version to $new_version and pushed changes"
+echo "$new_version"
diff --git a/manifest.json b/manifest.json
index a95f705..885562c 100644
--- a/manifest.json
+++ b/manifest.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
 	"id": "link-formatter",
 	"name": "Link Formatter",
-	"version": "1.0.1",
+	"version": "1.0.2",
 	"minAppVersion": "0.15.0",
 	"description": "Formats a block of links into a clean markdown list",
 	"author": "Dilantha Nanayakkara",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f5311fc..64ab873 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "link-formatter",
-  "version": "1.0.1",
+  "version": "1.0.2",
   "description": "",
   "main": "main.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..171e8e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Get version from manifest.json
+version=$(grep '"version":' manifest.json | cut -d'"' -f4)
+
+if [ -z "$version" ]; then
+    echo "Error: Could not get version from manifest.json"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Git operations
+git add .
+git commit -m "Release version $version"
+git tag "v$version"
+git push origin main
+git push origin "v$version"
+
+echo "Successfully released version $version and pushed changes"