diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 6e2a49ed..6c41c331 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 name: Java CI
-on: [push]
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - master
+
 env:
   MAVEN_OPTS: -Dmaven.artifact.threads=256 -Dorg.slf4j.simpleLogger.log.org.apache.maven.cli.transfer.Slf4jMavenTransferListener=warn
 jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, '[ci skip]')"
+
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Setup Java JDK
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-validation.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-validation.yml
index 7988e7a0..67167059 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-validation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-validation.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 name: Pull Request
-on: [pull_request]
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+    - master
+
 env:
   MAVEN_OPTS: -Dmaven.artifact.threads=256 -Dorg.slf4j.simpleLogger.log.org.apache.maven.cli.transfer.Slf4jMavenTransferListener=warn
 jobs:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/sonatype-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/sonatype-publish.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1b8397fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/sonatype-publish.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+name: Maven Release
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  publish:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: 'Cache Maven packages'
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ~/.m2
+          key: 'cache'
+          restore-keys: 'cache'
+
+      - name: Setup Java JDK
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+        with:
+          distribution: 'zulu'
+          java-version: 11
+
+      - name: 'Build with Maven'
+        run: mvn -B install --file pom.xml
+
+      - name: Release
+        uses: qcastel/github-actions-maven-release@master
+        env:
+          JAVA_HOME: /usr/lib/jvm/java-11-openjdk/
+        with:
+          git-release-bot-name: "angeliski"
+          git-release-bot-email: "angeliski@hotmail.com"
+
+          maven-args: "-DskipTests -PsonatypeDeploy"
+          maven-servers: ${{ secrets.MVN_REPO_SERVERS }}
+          ssh-private-key: ${{ secrets.SSH_PRIVATE_KEY }}
+
+          gpg-enabled: true
+          gpg-key-id: ${{ secrets.GPG_KEY_ID }}
+          gpg-key: ${{ secrets.GPG_KEY }}
+          gpg-passphrase: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }} 
+
+      - name: 'Remove Snapshots Before Caching'
+        run: find ~/.m2 -name '*SNAPSHOT' | xargs rm -Rf
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index a2c84251..96d0f0f2 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -202,6 +202,14 @@
             </execution>
           </executions>
         </plugin>
+        <plugin>
+          <artifactId>maven-release-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>3.1.1</version>
+          <configuration>
+            <scmCommentPrefix>[ci skip]</scmCommentPrefix>
+            <tagNameFormat>@{project.version}</tagNameFormat>
+          </configuration>
+        </plugin>
       </plugins>
     </pluginManagement>
 
@@ -435,6 +443,64 @@
         </pluginManagement>
       </build>
     </profile>
+    <profile>
+      <!-- required, used in .github/workflows/sonatype-publish.yml -->
+      <id>sonatypeDeploy</id>
+      <properties>
+        <gpg.passphrase>${env.GPG_PASSPHRASE}</gpg.passphrase>
+        <gpg.keyname>${env.GPG_KEY_ID}</gpg.keyname>
+        <passphrase>${env.GPG_PASSPHRASE}</passphrase>
+      </properties>
+      <build>
+        <plugins>
+          <plugin>
+            <groupId>org.sonatype.plugins</groupId>
+            <artifactId>nexus-staging-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+            <version>1.6.7</version>
+            <extensions>true</extensions>
+            <configuration>
+              <serverId>ossrh</serverId>
+              <nexusUrl>https://oss.sonatype.org/</nexusUrl>
+              <!-- we need to release from staging to avoid errors and ensure double check -->
+              <autoReleaseAfterClose>false</autoReleaseAfterClose>
+            </configuration>
+          </plugin>
+          <plugin>
+            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+            <artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId>
+            <version>3.6.3</version>
+            <executions>
+              <execution>
+                <id>attach-javadocs</id>
+                <goals>
+                  <goal>jar</goal>
+                </goals>
+              </execution>
+            </executions>
+          </plugin>
+          <plugin>
+            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+            <artifactId>maven-gpg-plugin</artifactId>
+            <version>3.1.0</version>
+            <executions>
+              <execution>
+                <id>sign-artifacts</id>
+                <phase>verify</phase>
+                <goals>
+                  <goal>sign</goal>
+                </goals>
+                <configuration>
+                  <gpgArguments>
+                    <arg>--pinentry-mode</arg>
+                    <arg>loopback</arg>
+                  </gpgArguments>
+                </configuration>
+              </execution>
+            </executions>
+          </plugin>
+        </plugins>
+      </build>
+    </profile>
   </profiles>
 
   <scm>