diff --git a/.github/workflows/hexabot-npm.yml b/.github/workflows/hexabot-npm.yml
index 7860372a..e7d16237 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/hexabot-npm.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/hexabot-npm.yml
@@ -55,9 +55,4 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Publish to npm
         if: env.release != 'none'
-        run: |
-          if [[ "$release" == "patch" ]]; then
-            npm run release:patch
-          elif [[ "$release" == "minor" ]]; then
-            npm run release:minor
-          fi
+        run: npm publish
diff --git a/bump-version.sh b/bump-version.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..194a0085
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bump-version.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Ensure script exits on any command failure
+set -e
+
+# Check if a release type argument is provided
+if [ -z "$1" ]; then
+  echo "Usage: $0 <release-type>"
+  echo "release-type: patch | minor"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+RELEASE_TYPE=$1
+ROOT_DIR=$(pwd)
+
+if [[ "$RELEASE_TYPE" != "patch" && "$RELEASE_TYPE" != "minor" ]]; then
+  echo "Invalid release type. Use 'patch' or 'minor'."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Executing release: $RELEASE_TYPE"
+
+# Execute the appropriate npm release command
+if [[ "$RELEASE_TYPE" == "patch" ]]; then
+  npm run release:patch
+elif [[ "$RELEASE_TYPE" == "minor" ]]; then
+  npm run release:minor
+fi
+
+# Retrieve the new version from package.json
+NEW_VERSION=$(jq -r '.version' "$ROOT_DIR/package.json")
+
+if [ -z "$NEW_VERSION" ]; then
+  echo "Failed to retrieve the version from package.json."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+
+# Commit and push changes
+echo "Committing and pushing changes..."
+git add .
+git commit -m "build: v$NEW_VERSION"
+
+# Add git tag
+echo "Tagging version v$NEW_VERSION"
+git tag "v$NEW_VERSION"
+git push origin main --tags
+
+echo "Release ($RELEASE_TYPE) completed successfully."
diff --git a/frontend/.dockerignore b/frontend/.dockerignore
index b6b7a04f..6b9e549c 100644
--- a/frontend/.dockerignore
+++ b/frontend/.dockerignore
@@ -11,3 +11,4 @@ LICENSE
 .next
 *.swp
 /scripts
+*.sh
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index b4d808c9..fd9dbbdb 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "hexabot",
-  "version": "2.0.0",
+  "version": "2.0.17",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "hexabot",
-      "version": "2.0.0",
+      "version": "2.0.17",
       "license": "AGPL-3.0-only",
       "workspaces": [
         "frontend",
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
     },
     "frontend": {
       "name": "hexabot-ui",
-      "version": "2.0.0",
+      "version": "2.0.18",
       "license": "AGPL-3.0-only",
       "dependencies": {
         "@chatscope/chat-ui-kit-react": "^2.0.3",
@@ -9771,7 +9771,7 @@
     },
     "widget": {
       "name": "hexabot-chat-widget",
-      "version": "2.0.3",
+      "version": "2.0.18",
       "license": "AGPL-3.0-only",
       "dependencies": {
         "@types/emoji-js": "^3.5.2",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8ecdaefb..46cefdfa 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
     "dev:widget": "npm run dev --workspace=widget",
     "release:api:patch": "cd api/ && npm version --git-tag-version false --commit-hooks false patch",
     "release:api:minor": "cd api/ && npm version --git-tag-version false --commit-hooks false minor",
-    "release:patch": "npm run release:api:patch && npm version patch --workspaces && git push origin main --tags",
-    "release:minor": "npm run release:api:minor && npm version minor --workspaces && git push origin main --tags"
+    "release:patch": "npm run release:api:patch && npm version --git-tag-version false --commit-hooks false --workspaces patch",
+    "release:minor": "npm run release:api:minor && npm version --git-tag-version false --commit-hooks false --workspaces minor"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@commitlint/cli": "^19.3.0",