diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ea8c4bf..de358ff 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 /target
+.vscode/
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index d81318d..debb5a4 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1762,7 +1762,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "drift-gateway"
-version = "1.2.2"
+version = "1.2.3"
 dependencies = [
  "actix-web",
  "argh",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index d916c1e..740b8ea 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "drift-gateway"
-version = "1.2.2"
+version = "1.2.3"
 edition = "2021"
 
 [dependencies]
diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..ea4df74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+echo "Preparing gateway release.."
+
+# Check if working directory is clean
+if [ -n "$(git status --porcelain)" ]; then
+    echo "Error: git working directory is not clean. Commit or stash changes first."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Run checks
+cargo check
+cargo fmt --all -- --check
+
+# Get version from Cargo.toml
+CARGO_VERSION=$(sed -n 's/^version = "\([0-9]*\.[0-9]*\.[0-9]*\)"/\1/p' Cargo.toml)
+echo "Making release: v$CARGO_VERSION"
+
+# Check if tag already exists
+if git rev-parse "v$CARGO_VERSION" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "Error: Tag v$CARGO_VERSION already exists"
+    echo "Please update the version in Cargo.toml first"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Create and push tag
+git tag "v$CARGO_VERSION"
+git push origin "v$CARGO_VERSION"
+
+echo "Release tag v$CARGO_VERSION pushed. GitHub Actions will handle the release."