diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
index 5de2b96..6aa1f50 100644
--- a/.dockerignore
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ coverage.out
 README.md
 DEVELOPMENT.md
 SUMMARY.md
-DOCKERHUB_SETUP.md
-DOCKERHUB_QUICKSTART.md
 PROJECT_COMPLETE.md
 LICENSE
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/docker-publish.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index eb6328d..0000000
--- a/.github/workflows/docker-publish.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,89 +0,0 @@
-name: Build and Push Docker Image
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-      - master
-    tags:
-      - "v*.*.*"
-  pull_request:
-    branches:
-      - main
-      - master
-  workflow_dispatch:
-
-env:
-  DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME: s3dir
-
-jobs:
-  test:
-    name: Run Tests
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Set up Go
-        uses: actions/setup-go@v5
-        with:
-          go-version: "1.25"
-
-      - name: Run tests
-        run: go test -v -race ./...
-
-  build-and-push:
-    name: Build and Push Docker Image
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: test
-    if: github.event_name != 'pull_request'
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Set up QEMU
-        uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3
-
-      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
-        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-
-      - name: Log in to Docker Hub
-        uses: docker/login-action@v3
-        with:
-          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
-          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
-
-      - name: Extract metadata
-        id: meta
-        uses: docker/metadata-action@v5
-        with:
-          images: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}/${{ env.DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME }}
-          tags: |
-            type=ref,event=branch
-            type=ref,event=pr
-            type=semver,pattern={{version}}
-            type=semver,pattern={{major}}.{{minor}}
-            type=semver,pattern={{major}}
-            type=sha,prefix={{branch}}-,enable=${{ github.ref_type == 'branch' }}
-            type=raw,value=latest,enable={{is_default_branch}}
-
-      - name: Build and push Docker image
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
-        with:
-          context: .
-          platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
-          push: true
-          tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
-          labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
-          cache-from: type=gha
-          cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
-
-      - name: Update Docker Hub description
-        uses: peter-evans/dockerhub-description@v4
-        with:
-          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}
-          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
-          repository: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}/${{ env.DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME }}
-          short-description: S3-Compatible Directory Server - Expose local directories via S3 API
-          readme-filepath: ./README.md
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 704d9b7..e5b11bd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,103 +1,107 @@
 name: Release
 
 on:
-  push:
-    tags:
-      - "v*.*.*"
-
-permissions:
-  contents: write
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      bump:
+        description: 'Version bump for the next dev cycle'
+        type: choice
+        default: minor
+        options:
+          - minor
+          - major
 
 jobs:
-  create-release:
-    name: Create Release
+  release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+      packages: write
 
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
-      - name: Set up Go
-        uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+      - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: "1.25"
+          go-version-file: go.mod
 
       - name: Run tests
-        run: go test -v ./...
+        run: go test -race ./...
 
-      - name: Build binaries
+      - name: Resolve release version
+        id: version
         run: |
-          # Build for multiple platforms
-          GOOS=linux GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags="-s -w" -o s3dir-linux-amd64 ./cmd/s3dir
-          GOOS=linux GOARCH=arm64 go build -ldflags="-s -w" -o s3dir-linux-arm64 ./cmd/s3dir
-          GOOS=darwin GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags="-s -w" -o s3dir-darwin-amd64 ./cmd/s3dir
-          GOOS=darwin GOARCH=arm64 go build -ldflags="-s -w" -o s3dir-darwin-arm64 ./cmd/s3dir
-          GOOS=windows GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags="-s -w" -o s3dir-windows-amd64.exe ./cmd/s3dir
-
-          # Create archives
-          tar czf s3dir-linux-amd64.tar.gz s3dir-linux-amd64
-          tar czf s3dir-linux-arm64.tar.gz s3dir-linux-arm64
-          tar czf s3dir-darwin-amd64.tar.gz s3dir-darwin-amd64
-          tar czf s3dir-darwin-arm64.tar.gz s3dir-darwin-arm64
-          zip s3dir-windows-amd64.zip s3dir-windows-amd64.exe
-
-          # Generate checksums
-          sha256sum s3dir-*.tar.gz s3dir-*.zip > checksums.txt
-
-      - name: Generate release notes
-        id: release_notes
+          DEV_VERSION=$(cat VERSION)
+          PENDING_VERSION="${DEV_VERSION%-dev}"
+          MAJOR=$(echo $PENDING_VERSION | cut -d. -f1)
+          MINOR=$(echo $PENDING_VERSION | cut -d. -f2)
+          if [ "${{ inputs.bump }}" = "major" ]; then
+            RELEASE_VERSION="$((MAJOR + 1)).0.0"
+            NEXT_VERSION="$((MAJOR + 1)).1.0-dev"
+          else
+            RELEASE_VERSION="$MAJOR.$MINOR.0"
+            NEXT_VERSION="$MAJOR.$((MINOR + 1)).0-dev"
+          fi
+          echo "$RELEASE_VERSION" > VERSION
+          echo "release=$RELEASE_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "next=$NEXT_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Tag release
         run: |
-          VERSION=${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}
-          echo "version=$VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-
-          cat > release_notes.md << 'EOF'
-          ## S3Dir ${{ github.ref_name }}
-
-          ### Installation
-
-          #### Docker
-          ```bash
-          docker pull ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USERNAME }}/s3dir:${{ github.ref_name }}
-          ```
-
-          #### Binary Download
-          Download the appropriate binary for your platform below.
-
-          #### From Source
-          ```bash
-          git clone https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}
-          cd s3dir
-          git checkout ${{ github.ref_name }}
-          go build -o s3dir ./cmd/s3dir
-          ```
-
-          ### Quick Start
-          ```bash
-          # Extract binary (Linux/macOS example)
-          tar xzf s3dir-linux-amd64.tar.gz
-
-          # Run
-          ./s3dir-linux-amd64
-          ```
-
-          ### Changes
-          See commit history for detailed changes.
+          git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
+          git config user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
+          git add VERSION
+          git commit -m "chore: release v${{ steps.version.outputs.release }} [skip ci]"
+          git tag "v${{ steps.version.outputs.release }}"
+          git push
+          git push --tags
+
+      - name: Bump to next dev version
+        run: |
+          echo "${{ steps.version.outputs.next }}" > VERSION
+          git add VERSION
+          git commit -m "chore: bump version to ${{ steps.version.outputs.next }} [skip ci]"
+          git push
 
-          ### Checksums
-          See `checksums.txt` for SHA256 checksums of all artifacts.
-          EOF
+      - name: Build binaries
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p dist
+          LDFLAGS="-s -w -X main.version=${{ steps.version.outputs.release }}"
+          CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=linux   GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags "$LDFLAGS" -o dist/s3dir-linux-amd64   ./cmd/s3dir
+          CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=linux   GOARCH=arm64 go build -ldflags "$LDFLAGS" -o dist/s3dir-linux-arm64   ./cmd/s3dir
+          CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=darwin  GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags "$LDFLAGS" -o dist/s3dir-darwin-amd64  ./cmd/s3dir
+          CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=darwin  GOARCH=arm64 go build -ldflags "$LDFLAGS" -o dist/s3dir-darwin-arm64  ./cmd/s3dir
+          CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=windows GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags "$LDFLAGS" -o dist/s3dir-windows-amd64.exe ./cmd/s3dir
+
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Log in to GHCR
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          registry: ghcr.io
+          username: ${{ github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
-      - name: Create GitHub Release
-        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v1
+      - name: Build and push Docker image
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
         with:
-          files: |
-            s3dir-*.tar.gz
-            s3dir-*.zip
-            checksums.txt
-          body_path: release_notes.md
-          draft: false
-          prerelease: false
+          context: .
+          platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
+          push: true
+          build-args: |
+            VERSION=${{ steps.version.outputs.release }}
+          tags: |
+            ghcr.io/stut/s3dir:v${{ steps.version.outputs.release }}
+            ghcr.io/stut/s3dir:latest
+
+      - name: Create release
+        run: |
+          gh release create "v${{ steps.version.outputs.release }}" \
+            --title "v${{ steps.version.outputs.release }}" \
+            --generate-notes \
+            dist/*
         env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index f3a1f05..494be90 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -210,8 +210,19 @@ aws --endpoint-url=http://localhost:8000 s3 cp --debug large-file s3://bucket/
 
 GitHub Actions workflows in `.github/workflows/`:
 - `ci.yml` - Tests on Ubuntu/macOS with Go 1.24/1.25
-- `docker-publish.yml` - Docker image builds
-- `release.yml` - Release binaries for multiple platforms
+- `release.yml` - Manually-dispatched release workflow
+
+### Versioning and releases
+
+The `VERSION` file holds the current version, `X.Y.Z-dev` during development.
+The version is injected at build time via `-ldflags "-X main.version=..."`
+(the Makefile and Dockerfile both do this; a plain `go build` shows "dev").
+
+Releases are cut by running the Release workflow (workflow_dispatch) with a
+`minor` or `major` bump. It strips the `-dev` suffix, commits and tags
+`vX.Y.0`, bumps `VERSION` to the next `-dev` version, builds the platform
+binaries and a multi-arch image pushed to `ghcr.io/stut/s3dir`, and creates a
+GitHub release with generated notes. Do not tag releases by hand.
 
 **Important:**
 - All tests must pass with `-race` flag
diff --git a/DOCKERHUB_QUICKSTART.md b/DOCKERHUB_QUICKSTART.md
deleted file mode 100644
index e537cf7..0000000
--- a/DOCKERHUB_QUICKSTART.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,79 +0,0 @@
-# DockerHub Quick Start
-
-## What You Need to Do
-
-### 1. Get Your DockerHub Credentials
-
-Create a DockerHub access token:
-- Go to: https://hub.docker.com/settings/security
-- Click "New Access Token"
-- Name it: `GitHub Actions - s3dir`
-- Copy the token (you won't see it again!)
-
-### 2. Add Secrets to GitHub
-
-Go to your GitHub repository → Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions
-
-Add these two secrets:
-
-| Secret Name | Value |
-|-------------|-------|
-| `DOCKERHUB_USERNAME` | Your DockerHub username |
-| `DOCKERHUB_TOKEN` | The token you just created |
-
-### 3. Done!
-
-Push to GitHub and your Docker image will automatically build and publish to DockerHub!
-
-## What Happens Automatically
-
-✅ **On every push to main/master:**
-- Runs all tests
-- Builds Docker images for amd64 and arm64
-- Pushes to `yourusername/s3dir:latest`
-
-✅ **On version tags (e.g., `git tag v1.0.0`):**
-- Same as above, plus:
-- Pushes `yourusername/s3dir:1.0.0`
-- Pushes `yourusername/s3dir:1.0`
-- Pushes `yourusername/s3dir:1`
-
-## Testing Locally
-
-```bash
-# Build
-docker build -t s3dir:test .
-
-# Run
-docker run -d -p 8000:8000 -v $(pwd)/data:/data s3dir:test
-```
-
-## Creating a Release
-
-```bash
-# Tag and push
-git tag v1.0.0
-git push origin v1.0.0
-
-# GitHub Actions will automatically build and publish
-```
-
-## Using Published Image
-
-```bash
-# Pull from DockerHub
-docker pull yourusername/s3dir:latest
-
-# Run
-docker run -d -p 8000:8000 -v $(pwd)/data:/data yourusername/s3dir:latest
-```
-
-## Troubleshooting
-
-**Build fails?**
-1. Check GitHub Actions logs
-2. Verify secrets are correct
-3. Ensure DockerHub token hasn't expired
-
-**Need help?**
-See [DOCKERHUB_SETUP.md](DOCKERHUB_SETUP.md) for detailed instructions.
diff --git a/DOCKERHUB_SETUP.md b/DOCKERHUB_SETUP.md
deleted file mode 100644
index d8d2f94..0000000
--- a/DOCKERHUB_SETUP.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,216 +0,0 @@
-# DockerHub Setup Guide
-
-This guide explains how to configure GitHub Actions to automatically build and push Docker images to DockerHub.
-
-## Prerequisites
-
-1. A DockerHub account ([sign up here](https://hub.docker.com/signup))
-2. A GitHub repository with this project
-3. GitHub repository admin access
-
-## Step-by-Step Setup
-
-### 1. Create DockerHub Access Token
-
-1. Log in to [DockerHub](https://hub.docker.com/)
-2. Click on your username in the top-right corner
-3. Select **Account Settings**
-4. Click on **Security** in the left sidebar
-5. Click **New Access Token**
-6. Configure the token:
-   - **Description**: `GitHub Actions - s3dir`
-   - **Access permissions**: Select **Read, Write, Delete**
-7. Click **Generate**
-8. **IMPORTANT**: Copy the token immediately (it won't be shown again)
-
-### 2. Add Secrets to GitHub Repository
-
-1. Go to your GitHub repository
-2. Click on **Settings** tab
-3. In the left sidebar, click **Secrets and variables** → **Actions**
-4. Click **New repository secret**
-5. Add the following secrets:
-
-#### Secret 1: DOCKERHUB_USERNAME
-- **Name**: `DOCKERHUB_USERNAME`
-- **Value**: Your DockerHub username (e.g., `yourusername`)
-- Click **Add secret**
-
-#### Secret 2: DOCKERHUB_TOKEN
-- **Name**: `DOCKERHUB_TOKEN`
-- **Value**: The access token you copied in Step 1
-- Click **Add secret**
-
-### 3. Create DockerHub Repository (Optional)
-
-The workflow will push to: `yourusername/s3dir`
-
-You can either:
-- **Let GitHub Actions create it automatically** (recommended)
-- **Create it manually**:
-  1. Go to [DockerHub](https://hub.docker.com/)
-  2. Click **Create Repository**
-  3. Name: `s3dir`
-  4. Visibility: Public or Private
-  5. Click **Create**
-
-### 4. Verify Setup
-
-After pushing to GitHub, the workflow will:
-1. Run all tests
-2. Build multi-platform Docker images (amd64, arm64)
-3. Push to DockerHub with appropriate tags
-
-### 5. Workflow Triggers
-
-The Docker build workflow triggers on:
-
-- **Push to main/master branch** → Builds with `latest` tag
-- **Push tag matching `v*.*.*`** → Builds with version tags (e.g., `v1.0.0`, `1.0`, `1`)
-- **Manual trigger** → Via GitHub Actions UI
-
-## Image Tags
-
-The workflow automatically creates multiple tags:
-
-### For branch pushes:
-- `latest` (for main/master branch)
-- `main` or `master` (branch name)
-- `main-<commit-sha>` (branch + commit)
-
-### For version tags (e.g., `v1.2.3`):
-- `1.2.3` (full version)
-- `1.2` (major.minor)
-- `1` (major only)
-- `latest` (if on default branch)
-
-## Example: Creating a Release
-
-To create a versioned release:
-
-```bash
-# Tag your commit
-git tag v1.0.0
-git push origin v1.0.0
-```
-
-This will build and push:
-- `yourusername/s3dir:1.0.0`
-- `yourusername/s3dir:1.0`
-- `yourusername/s3dir:1`
-- `yourusername/s3dir:latest`
-
-## Using the Published Image
-
-Once published, users can pull and run your image:
-
-```bash
-# Pull the image
-docker pull yourusername/s3dir:latest
-
-# Run the container
-docker run -d \
-  -p 8000:8000 \
-  -v $(pwd)/data:/data \
-  --name s3dir \
-  yourusername/s3dir:latest
-```
-
-## Troubleshooting
-
-### Workflow Fails with "Authentication Required"
-
-**Problem**: GitHub Actions can't authenticate with DockerHub
-
-**Solutions**:
-1. Verify `DOCKERHUB_USERNAME` secret is correct (case-sensitive)
-2. Verify `DOCKERHUB_TOKEN` is valid and not expired
-3. Regenerate the DockerHub access token if needed
-4. Ensure secrets are added to the correct repository
-
-### Workflow Fails with "Repository Not Found"
-
-**Problem**: DockerHub repository doesn't exist or is inaccessible
-
-**Solutions**:
-1. Create the repository manually on DockerHub
-2. Ensure the repository name matches: `yourusername/s3dir`
-3. Check repository visibility settings
-
-### Build Fails on Specific Platform
-
-**Problem**: Build fails for `linux/arm64` or another platform
-
-**Solutions**:
-1. Check the Dockerfile for platform-specific issues
-2. Review build logs in GitHub Actions
-3. Test locally with: `docker buildx build --platform linux/arm64 .`
-
-## Manual Testing
-
-Test the workflow locally using Docker Buildx:
-
-```bash
-# Set up buildx
-docker buildx create --use
-
-# Build multi-platform image
-docker buildx build \
-  --platform linux/amd64,linux/arm64 \
-  -t yourusername/s3dir:test \
-  --push \
-  .
-```
-
-## Customization
-
-### Change Docker Image Name
-
-Edit `.github/workflows/docker-publish.yml`:
-
-```yaml
-env:
-  DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME: your-custom-name  # Change this
-```
-
-### Add Additional Tags
-
-Edit the `tags:` section in `docker-publish.yml`:
-
-```yaml
-tags: |
-  type=raw,value=stable
-  type=raw,value=prod
-  # Add your custom tags here
-```
-
-### Build for Additional Platforms
-
-Edit the `platforms:` in `docker-publish.yml`:
-
-```yaml
-platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64,linux/arm/v7
-```
-
-## Security Best Practices
-
-1. **Use Access Tokens**: Never use your DockerHub password in GitHub secrets
-2. **Limit Token Scope**: Create tokens with minimum required permissions
-3. **Rotate Tokens**: Regenerate tokens periodically
-4. **Monitor Usage**: Check DockerHub for unauthorized access
-5. **Use Branch Protection**: Require reviews before merging to main
-
-## Additional Resources
-
-- [DockerHub Documentation](https://docs.docker.com/docker-hub/)
-- [GitHub Actions Documentation](https://docs.github.com/en/actions)
-- [Docker Buildx Documentation](https://docs.docker.com/buildx/working-with-buildx/)
-- [GitHub Secrets Documentation](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/security-guides/encrypted-secrets)
-
-## Questions?
-
-If you encounter issues:
-1. Check the GitHub Actions logs for detailed error messages
-2. Review this guide for common solutions
-3. Open an issue in the repository
-4. Consult DockerHub and GitHub Actions documentation
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 3b9244f..21439ff 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-# Build stage
-FROM golang:1.25-alpine AS builder
+# Build stage - cross-compile for the target platform so nothing runs under
+# emulation during multi-arch builds
+FROM --platform=$BUILDPLATFORM golang:1.25-alpine AS builder
 
 # Install build dependencies
 RUN apk add --no-cache git
@@ -17,7 +18,9 @@ RUN go mod download
 COPY . .
 
 # Build the application
-RUN CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=linux go build -a -installsuffix cgo -ldflags '-s -w' -o s3dir ./cmd/s3dir
+ARG VERSION=dev
+ARG TARGETOS TARGETARCH
+RUN CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=$TARGETOS GOARCH=$TARGETARCH go build -ldflags "-s -w -X main.version=${VERSION}" -o s3dir ./cmd/s3dir
 
 # Final stage
 FROM alpine:latest
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ab60dce..4880862 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 # Binary name
 BINARY_NAME=s3dir
 
-# Build variables
-VERSION?=dev
-BUILD_TIME=$(shell date -u '+%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M:%S')
-LDFLAGS=-ldflags "-s -w -X main.Version=$(VERSION) -X main.BuildTime=$(BUILD_TIME)"
+# Build variables - the version comes from the VERSION file (X.Y.Z-dev during
+# development; the release workflow strips the suffix when releasing)
+VERSION := $(shell cat VERSION)
+LDFLAGS=-ldflags "-s -w -X main.version=$(VERSION)"
 
 all: test build
 
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ vet:
 ## docker-build: Build Docker image
 docker-build:
 	@echo "Building Docker image..."
-	@docker build -t s3dir:$(VERSION) -t s3dir:latest .
+	@docker build --build-arg VERSION=$(VERSION) -t s3dir:$(VERSION) -t s3dir:latest .
 	@echo "Docker build complete"
 
 ## docker-run: Run Docker container
diff --git a/PROJECT_COMPLETE.md b/PROJECT_COMPLETE.md
index a143124..cf0b327 100644
--- a/PROJECT_COMPLETE.md
+++ b/PROJECT_COMPLETE.md
@@ -29,13 +29,11 @@ A production-ready, S3-compatible directory server implemented in Go with compre
 - ✅ Race condition detection enabled
 - ✅ Edge case and error handling coverage
 
-### Documentation (6 comprehensive guides)
+### Documentation (4 comprehensive guides)
 1. **README.md** - User guide with examples and use cases
 2. **DEVELOPMENT.md** - Developer guide with architecture details
-3. **DOCKERHUB_SETUP.md** - Complete DockerHub integration guide
-4. **DOCKERHUB_QUICKSTART.md** - 5-minute setup reference
-5. **examples/README.md** - Client usage examples
-6. **SUMMARY.md** - Project statistics and overview
+3. **examples/README.md** - Client usage examples
+4. **SUMMARY.md** - Project statistics and overview
 
 ### Client Examples (4 languages)
 1. **Bash** (`bash-client.sh`) - AWS CLI examples
@@ -49,23 +47,17 @@ A production-ready, S3-compatible directory server implemented in Go with compre
 - ✅ Health checks and security (non-root user)
 - ✅ Multi-platform support (amd64, arm64)
 
-### CI/CD (3 GitHub Actions workflows)
+### CI/CD (2 GitHub Actions workflows)
 1. **ci.yml** - Continuous Integration
    - Tests on Ubuntu & macOS
    - Multiple Go versions (1.21, 1.22)
    - Linting with golangci-lint
    - Multi-platform binary builds
    
-2. **docker-publish.yml** - Docker Automation
-   - Automated Docker builds on push
-   - Multi-platform images (amd64, arm64)
-   - Smart tagging (latest, version, sha)
-   - Auto-publish to DockerHub
-   
-3. **release.yml** - Release Management
-   - Automated releases on version tags
+2. **release.yml** - Release Management
+   - Manually-dispatched releases
    - Cross-platform binaries (5 platforms)
-   - Checksums and GitHub releases
+   - Multi-arch images published to GHCR
 
 ### Build Automation
 - ✅ Makefile with 15+ targets
@@ -126,34 +118,12 @@ aws --endpoint-url=http://localhost:8000 s3 ls s3://my-bucket/
 
 ---
 
-## 🔧 DockerHub Integration
-
-### What You Need to Do
-
-**Step 1:** Create DockerHub Access Token
-- Go to https://hub.docker.com/settings/security
-- Create token named "GitHub Actions - s3dir"
-- Copy the token
-
-**Step 2:** Add GitHub Secrets
-- Repository → Settings → Secrets → Actions
-- Add `DOCKERHUB_USERNAME` (your username)
-- Add `DOCKERHUB_TOKEN` (the token from step 1)
-
-**Step 3:** Push to GitHub
-- GitHub Actions will automatically build and push to DockerHub!
-
-**Detailed Guide:** See `DOCKERHUB_SETUP.md` or `DOCKERHUB_QUICKSTART.md`
-
----
-
 ## 📁 Project Structure
 
 ```
 s3dir/
 ├── .github/workflows/       # CI/CD automation
 │   ├── ci.yml              # Continuous integration
-│   ├── docker-publish.yml  # Docker builds
 │   └── release.yml         # GitHub releases
 ├── cmd/s3dir/              # Main application
 │   └── main.go
@@ -166,7 +136,6 @@ s3dir/
 ├── examples/               # Client examples (4 languages)
 ├── README.md               # User documentation
 ├── DEVELOPMENT.md          # Developer guide
-├── DOCKERHUB_SETUP.md      # DockerHub integration guide
 ├── Dockerfile              # Container definition
 ├── docker-compose.yml      # Multi-container setup
 ├── Makefile                # Build automation
@@ -197,7 +166,6 @@ All requirements completed:
   - [x] User-facing README with examples
   - [x] Developer-facing DEVELOPMENT guide
   - [x] API usage examples (4 languages)
-  - [x] DockerHub setup guide
   - [x] Inline code documentation
 
 - [x] **Best Practices**
@@ -266,7 +234,7 @@ All requirements completed:
 - **Fully automated** CI/CD pipeline
 - **Multi-platform** Docker support
 - **Clean codebase** following Go best practices
-- **Ready to use** - just add DockerHub secrets!
+- **Ready to use** - just build and run!
 
 ---
 
@@ -285,11 +253,10 @@ This project demonstrates:
 
 ## 🚢 Next Steps
 
-1. **Set up DockerHub** (see DOCKERHUB_QUICKSTART.md)
-2. **Push to GitHub** to trigger CI/CD
-3. **Create a release** with `git tag v1.0.0`
-4. **Share with users** via DockerHub
-5. **Consider future enhancements**:
+1. **Push to GitHub** to trigger CI/CD
+2. **Create a release** by running the Release workflow
+3. **Share with users** via GHCR
+4. **Consider future enhancements**:
    - Multipart upload support
    - Object metadata persistence
    - Full AWS Signature V4 verification
@@ -332,7 +299,6 @@ This project demonstrates:
 
 - **User Guide**: README.md
 - **Developer Guide**: DEVELOPMENT.md
-- **DockerHub Setup**: DOCKERHUB_SETUP.md or DOCKERHUB_QUICKSTART.md
 - **Examples**: examples/README.md
 - **Issues**: Use GitHub Issues
 
@@ -347,7 +313,7 @@ This is a complete, production-ready S3-compatible server with:
 - Automated CI/CD
 - Multi-platform support
 
-**The project is ready to use immediately** - just build and run, or set up DockerHub automation for seamless deployment!
+**The project is ready to use immediately** - just build and run!
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b6bb93f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1.3.0-dev
diff --git a/cmd/s3dir/main.go b/cmd/s3dir/main.go
index e424c0a..4675f02 100644
--- a/cmd/s3dir/main.go
+++ b/cmd/s3dir/main.go
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stut/s3dir/pkg/storage"
 )
 
+// version is injected at build time via -ldflags "-X main.version=..."
+var version = "dev"
+
 func main() {
 	// Load configuration
 	cfg, err := config.Load()
@@ -25,6 +28,7 @@ func main() {
 	// Print startup information
 	fmt.Printf("S3Dir - S3-Compatible Directory Server\n")
 	fmt.Printf("========================================\n")
+	fmt.Printf("Version: %s\n", version)
 	fmt.Printf("Data Directory: %s\n", cfg.DataDir)
 	fmt.Printf("Listen Address: %s\n", cfg.Address())
 	fmt.Printf("Authentication: %v\n", cfg.EnableAuth)