diff --git a/script/release.py b/script/release.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..07602b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/script/release.py
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+########################################################################
+# Generates a new release.
+########################################################################
+import sys
+import re
+import subprocess
+import io
+import os
+import fileinput
+if sys.version_info < (3, 0):
+    sys.stdout.write("Sorry, requires Python 3.x or better\n")
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+def colored(r, g, b, text):
+    return "\033[38;2;{};{};{}m{} \033[38;2;255;255;255m".format(r, g, b, text)
+
+def extractnumbers(s):
+    return tuple(map(int,re.findall("(\d+)\.(\d+)\.(\d+)",str(s))[0]))
+
+def toversionstring(major, minor, rev):
+    return str(major)+"."+str(minor)+"."+str(rev)
+
+def topaddedversionstring(major, minor, rev):
+    return str(major)+str(minor).zfill(3)+str(rev).zfill(3)
+print("Calling git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD")
+pipe = subprocess.Popen(["git", "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+branchresult = pipe.communicate()[0].decode().strip()
+
+if(branchresult != "main"):
+    print(colored(255, 0, 0, "We recommend that you release on main, you are on '"+branchresult+"'"))
+
+ret = subprocess.call(["git", "remote", "update"])
+
+if(ret != 0):
+    sys.exit(ret)
+print("Calling git log HEAD.. --oneline")
+pipe = subprocess.Popen(["git", "log", "HEAD..", "--oneline"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+uptodateresult = pipe.communicate()[0].decode().strip()
+
+if(len(uptodateresult) != 0):
+    print(uptodateresult)
+    sys.exit(-1)
+
+pipe = subprocess.Popen(["git", "rev-parse", "--show-toplevel"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+maindir = pipe.communicate()[0].decode().strip()
+scriptlocation = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+
+print("repository: "+maindir)
+
+pipe = subprocess.Popen(["git", "describe", "--abbrev=0", "--tags"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+versionresult = pipe.communicate()[0].decode().strip()
+
+print("last version: "+versionresult )
+try:
+  currentv = extractnumbers(versionresult)
+except:
+  currentv = [0,0,0]
+if(len(sys.argv) != 2):
+    nextv = (currentv[0],currentv[1], currentv[2]+1)
+    print ("please specify version number, e.g. "+toversionstring(*nextv))
+    sys.exit(-1)
+try:
+    newversion = extractnumbers(sys.argv[1])
+    print(newversion)
+except:
+    print("can't parse version number "+sys.argv[1])
+    sys.exit(-1)
+
+print("checking that new version is valid")
+if(newversion[0] !=  currentv[0]):
+    assert newversion[0] ==  currentv[0] + 1
+    assert newversion[1] == 0
+    assert newversion[2] == 0
+elif (newversion[1] !=  currentv[1]):
+    assert newversion[1] ==  currentv[1] + 1
+    assert newversion[2] == 0
+else :
+    assert newversion[2] ==  currentv[2] + 1
+
+atleastminor= (currentv[0] != newversion[0]) or (currentv[1] != newversion[1])
+
+
+
+newmajorversionstring = str(newversion[0])
+mewminorversionstring = str(newversion[1])
+newrevversionstring = str(newversion[2])
+newversionstring = str(newversion[0]) + "." + str(newversion[1]) + "." + str(newversion[2])
+cmakefile = maindir + os.sep + "CMakeLists.txt"
+
+
+for line in fileinput.input(cmakefile, inplace=1, backup='.bak'):
+    line = re.sub('project\(fast_float VERSION \d+\.\d+\.\d+ LANGUAGES CXX\)','project(fast_float VERSION '+newmajorversionstring+'.'+mewminorversionstring+'.'+newrevversionstring+" LANGUAGES CXX)", line.rstrip())
+    print(line)
+
+print("modified "+cmakefile+", a backup was made")
+
+
+readmefile = maindir + os.sep + "README.md"
+
+
+for line in fileinput.input(readmefile, inplace=1, backup='.bak'):
+    line = re.sub('https://github.com/fastfloat/fast_float/releases/download/v(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)/fast_float.h','https://github.com/fastfloat/fast_float/releases/download/v'+newmajorversionstring+'.'+mewminorversionstring+'.'+newrevversionstring+'/fast_float.h', line.rstrip())
+    print(line)
+
+print("modified "+readmefile+", a backup was made")
+print("Please run the tests before issuing a release. \n")
+print("to issue release, enter \n git commit -a && git push  &&  git tag -a v"+toversionstring(*newversion)+" -m \"version "+toversionstring(*newversion)+"\" &&  git push --tags \n")
+
+
+