diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker.yml b/.github/workflows/docker.yml
index f5e0b02a..f4a62fc6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     permissions:
-      contents: read
+      contents: write # 'write' required for semantic-release-action
       packages: write
       attestations: write
       id-token: write
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ jobs:
           username: ${{ github.actor }}
           password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
+      # will generate a git tag => then, used by docker/metadata-action
+      - name: Semantic Release
+        id: semantic_release
+        uses: cycjimmy/semantic-release-action@v4
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
       - name: Extract metadata (tags, labels) for Docker
         id: meta
         uses: docker/metadata-action@v5
diff --git a/.releaserc.yml b/.releaserc.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c9f61d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.releaserc.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# default
+branches:
+  - '+([0-9])?(.{+([0-9]),x}).x'
+  - master
+  - main
+  - next
+  - next-major
+  - name: beta
+    prerelease: true
+  - name: alpha
+    prerelease: true
+  # ADDed
+  - name: app-router
+    prerelease: true
+branch: main
+
+plugins:
+  - '@semantic-release/github':
+      successComment: false
+      failTitle: false