diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15e7cd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+name: Build and Deploy
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - develop
+      - main
+    paths-ignore:
+      - '**.md'
+      - '.gitignore'
+      - 'LICENSE'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      channel:
+        description: 'Release Channel'
+        required: true
+        default: 'snapshot'
+        type: choice
+        options:
+          - snapshot
+          - rc
+          - release
+      version:
+        description: 'Version (only for release channel)'
+        required: false
+        type: string
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout Code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 1
+
+      - name: Set up JDK 21
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4.7.0
+        with:
+          distribution: 'temurin'
+          java-version: '21'
+          cache: 'gradle'
+
+      - name: Set up Gradle
+        uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@v4
+        with:
+          build-scan-publish: true
+          build-scan-terms-of-use-url: 'https://gradle.com/help/legal-terms-of-use'
+          build-scan-terms-of-use-agree: 'yes'
+
+      - name: Make Gradle Wrapper Executable
+        run: chmod +x ./gradlew
+
+      - name: Determine Version and Channel
+        id: version
+        run: |
+          # If triggered manually, use workflow input; otherwise, decide based on branch name
+          if [[ "${{ github.event_name }}" == "workflow_dispatch" ]]; then
+            CHANNEL="${{ github.event.inputs.channel }}"
+            if [[ "$CHANNEL" == "release" && -n "${{ github.event.inputs.version }}" ]]; then
+              VERSION="${{ github.event.inputs.version }}"
+            fi
+          elif [[ "${{ github.ref }}" == "refs/heads/main" ]]; then
+            CHANNEL="release"
+          else
+            CHANNEL="snapshot"
+          fi
+
+          # Get the commit hash (short version)
+          COMMIT_HASH=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
+          echo "COMMIT_HASH=$COMMIT_HASH" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+          # Read the base version from gradle.properties
+          BASE_VERSION=$(grep '^baseVersion=' gradle.properties | cut -d'=' -f2)
+          if [ "$CHANNEL" == "release" ]; then
+            FINAL_VERSION="$BASE_VERSION"
+          elif [ "$CHANNEL" == "rc" ]; then
+            FINAL_VERSION="${BASE_VERSION}-rc.${COMMIT_HASH}"
+          else
+            FINAL_VERSION="${BASE_VERSION}-SNAPSHOT.${COMMIT_HASH}"
+          fi
+          echo "Determined version: $FINAL_VERSION"
+
+          # Set outputs for later steps
+          echo "CHANNEL=$CHANNEL" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "VERSION=$FINAL_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Build with Gradle
+        run: |
+          ./gradlew --parallel --build-cache clean build shadowJar \
+            -PreleaseType=${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }} \
+            -Pversion=${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
+        env:
+          COMMIT_HASH: ${{ env.COMMIT_HASH }}
+
+      - name: Publish to SimpleCloud Repository
+        run: |
+          if [[ "${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }}" == "release" ]]; then
+            export GPG_TTY=$(tty)
+            export GRADLE_OPTS="-Dorg.gradle.daemon=false"
+            ./gradlew --no-daemon --parallel --build-cache publishMavenJavaPublicationToSimplecloudRepository \
+              -PreleaseType=${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }} \
+              -Pversion=${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }} \
+              -Psigning.gnupg.keyName="${{ secrets.GPG_KEY_ID }}" \
+              -Psigning.gnupg.passphrase="${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}"
+          else
+            ./gradlew --parallel --build-cache publishMavenJavaPublicationToSimplecloudRepository \
+              -PreleaseType=${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }} \
+              -Pversion=${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
+          fi
+        env:
+          COMMIT_HASH: ${{ env.COMMIT_HASH }}
+          SIMPLECLOUD_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.SIMPLECLOUD_USERNAME }}
+          SIMPLECLOUD_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.SIMPLECLOUD_PASSWORD }}
+          ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_signingKey: ${{ secrets.GPG_PRIVATE_KEY }}
+          ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_signingPassphrase: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
+
+      - name: Prepare Artifacts
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p release-artifacts
+          find . -type f -name "*.jar" -path "*/build/libs/*.jar" -not -path "./build/libs/*" \
+            -not -name "*${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}*" \
+            -exec cp {} release-artifacts/ \;
+
+      - name: Update Channel Tag
+        run: |
+          git config user.name "GitHub Actions"
+          git config user.email "actions@github.com"
+          # Delete any existing channel tag locally and remotely
+          git tag -d ${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }} || true
+          git push origin :refs/tags/${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }} || true
+          # Create a new tag at the current commit
+          git tag -a ${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }} -m "Latest ${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }} build (v${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }})"
+          git push origin ${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }} --force
+
+      - name: Create Channel Release
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
+        with:
+          name: "${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }} channel"
+          tag_name: ${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }}
+          body: |
+            Latest build in the ${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL }} channel.
+            Version: ${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
+            Commit: ${{ github.sha }}
+          prerelease: ${{ steps.version.outputs.CHANNEL != 'release' }}
+          files: release-artifacts/*.jar
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/build.gradle.kts b/build.gradle.kts
index 945f334..8c328f3 100644
--- a/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,17 +1,14 @@
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.JvmTarget
+
 plugins {
     alias(libs.plugins.kotlin)
     alias(libs.plugins.sonatype.central.portal.publisher)
     `maven-publish`
 }
 
-val baseVersion = "0.0.1"
-val commitHash = System.getenv("COMMIT_HASH")
-val timestamp = System.currentTimeMillis() // Temporary to be able to build and publish directly out of fix branch with same commit hash
-val snapshotVersion = "${baseVersion}-dev.${timestamp}-${commitHash}"
-
 allprojects {
     group = "app.simplecloud.plugin"
-    version = if (commitHash != null) snapshotVersion else baseVersion
+    version = determineVersion()
 
     repositories {
         mavenCentral()
@@ -35,19 +32,32 @@ subprojects {
         compileOnly(rootProject.libs.bundles.adventure)
     }
 
+    java {
+        toolchain.languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(21))
+    }
+
     kotlin {
         jvmToolchain(21)
+
+        compilerOptions {
+            languageVersion.set(org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.KotlinVersion.KOTLIN_2_0)
+            apiVersion.set(org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.KotlinVersion.KOTLIN_2_0)
+            jvmTarget.set(JvmTarget.JVM_21)
+        }
     }
 
     publishing {
         repositories {
             maven {
                 name = "simplecloud"
-                url = uri("https://repo.simplecloud.app/snapshots/")
+                url = uri(determineRepositoryUrl())
                 credentials {
-                    username = System.getenv("SIMPLECLOUD_USERNAME")?: (project.findProperty("simplecloudUsername") as? String)
-                    password = System.getenv("SIMPLECLOUD_PASSWORD")?: (project.findProperty("simplecloudPassword") as? String)
+                    username = System.getenv("SIMPLECLOUD_USERNAME")
+                        ?: (project.findProperty("simplecloudUsername") as? String)
+                    password = System.getenv("SIMPLECLOUD_PASSWORD")
+                        ?: (project.findProperty("simplecloudPassword") as? String)
                 }
+
                 authentication {
                     create<BasicAuthentication>("basic")
                 }
@@ -62,11 +72,41 @@ subprojects {
     }
 
     signing {
-        if (commitHash != null) {
+        val releaseType = project.findProperty("releaseType")?.toString() ?: "snapshot"
+        if (releaseType != "release") {
             return@signing
         }
 
+        if (hasProperty("signingPassphrase")) {
+            val signingKey: String? by project
+            val signingPassphrase: String? by project
+            useInMemoryPgpKeys(signingKey, signingPassphrase)
+        } else {
+            useGpgCmd()
+        }
+
         sign(publishing.publications)
-        useGpgCmd()
+    }
+}
+
+fun determineVersion(): String {
+    val baseVersion = project.findProperty("baseVersion")?.toString() ?: "0.0.0"
+    val releaseType = project.findProperty("releaseType")?.toString() ?: "snapshot"
+    val commitHash = System.getenv("COMMIT_HASH") ?: "local"
+
+    return when (releaseType) {
+        "release" -> baseVersion
+        "rc" -> "$baseVersion-rc.$commitHash"
+        "snapshot" -> "$baseVersion-SNAPSHOT.$commitHash"
+        else -> "$baseVersion-SNAPSHOT.local"
+    }
+}
+
+fun determineRepositoryUrl(): String {
+    val baseUrl = "https://repo.simplecloud.app/"
+    return when (project.findProperty("releaseType")?.toString() ?: "snapshot") {
+        "release" -> "$baseUrl/releases"
+        "rc" -> "$baseUrl/rc"
+        else -> "$baseUrl/snapshots"
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0529379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+baseVersion=0.0.1
+org.gradle.parallel=true
+org.gradle.caching=true
+org.gradle.configureondemand=true
+org.gradle.daemon=true
+org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2048m -XX:MaxMetaspaceSize=512m -XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError
+kotlin.incremental=true
+kotlin.incremental.js=true
+kotlin.caching.enabled=true
+kotlin.parallel.tasks.in.project=true
\ No newline at end of file