diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 8642b97..88eba04 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -80,9 +80,13 @@ jobs:
           python3 -m build
 
       # Install the newly built .whl file to verify the package is installable.
+      # Install with the 'visualize' extra so matplotlib is available for the
+      # plotting tests (tests/test_visualize.py). This also validates that the
+      # optional 'visualize' extra resolves correctly.
       - name: Install PyGAD from Wheel
         run: |
-          pip install dist/*.whl
+          WHEEL=$(ls dist/*.whl)
+          pip install "${WHEEL}[visualize]"
 
       - name: Install PyTest
         run: pip install pytest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d9d3b05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+name: release
+
+# On a version tag this builds the package once, publishes it to PyPI via
+# trusted publishing (no API token stored in the repo), and attaches the built
+# wheel and sdist to a GitHub Release for the tag. The PyPI project must list
+# this repo and workflow as a trusted publisher first.
+
+on:
+  push:
+    # PyGAD tags releases as the bare version number, e.g. 3.6.0 (no "v").
+    tags:
+      - '[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+'
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.12"
+      - name: Build distributions
+        run: |
+          pip install build
+          python -m build
+      - name: Check distributions
+        run: |
+          pip install twine
+          python -m twine check dist/*
+      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: dist
+          path: dist/
+
+  publish:
+    needs: build
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment: pypi
+    permissions:
+      id-token: write
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: dist
+          path: dist/
+      - name: Publish to PyPI
+        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@release/v1
+
+  github-release:
+    needs: build
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: dist
+          path: dist/
+      - name: Attach the built files to the GitHub release
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        run: |
+          gh release create "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" dist/* \
+            --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
+            --title "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" \
+            --generate-notes \
+          || gh release upload "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" dist/* \
+            --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" --clobber
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3679e8e..403cac9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,6 +33,16 @@ Install PyGAD with the following command:
 pip install pygad
 ```
 
+PyGAD's core install is intentionally lightweight (only `numpy` and `cloudpickle`). Some features need extra libraries, which are available as optional extras:
+
+```
+# Plotting features (e.g. plot_fitness(), plot_genes()) need matplotlib:
+pip install pygad[visualize]
+
+# Training Keras/PyTorch models (pygad.kerasga, pygad.torchga):
+pip install pygad[deep_learning]
+```
+
 To get started with PyGAD, read the documentation at [Read the Docs](https://pygad.readthedocs.io).
 
 # PyGAD Source Code
diff --git a/RELEASING.md b/RELEASING.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37ed635
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RELEASING.md
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+# Releasing
+
+Releases are automated. Pushing a version tag builds the package, publishes it to
+PyPI, and attaches the built files to a GitHub Release. Nothing is uploaded by
+hand.
+
+## Steps
+
+1. Bump the version in `pygad/_version.py`. This is the only place the version
+   lives.
+2. Update the release notes in the docs if you keep them there.
+3. Commit and push:
+   ```bash
+   git add pygad/_version.py
+   git commit -m "Release 3.6.1"
+   git push
+   ```
+4. Wait for the test workflow (`main.yml`) to pass on that commit.
+5. Tag the release and push the tag:
+   ```bash
+   git tag 3.6.1
+   git push origin 3.6.1
+   ```
+
+The `release` workflow does the rest: it builds the wheel and sdist, publishes
+them to PyPI, and creates a GitHub Release with both files attached. Follow it
+with `gh run watch` or the Actions tab.
+
+## Rules
+
+- The tag must match `pygad/_version.py` and is the bare version number with no
+  `v` prefix, for example `3.6.1`. The tag is what triggers the release.
+- Every release needs a new version number. PyPI does not allow re-uploading or
+  overwriting a version that already exists.
+- Do not run `twine upload` or upload files to the GitHub Release by hand. The
+  tag does both for you.
+
+## Manual fallback
+
+`publish.sh` can build and upload to PyPI from your machine if you ever need it.
+
+## One-time setup (maintainers)
+
+Done once per project. No API token is involved, because PyPI trusted publishing
+is tokenless.
+
+- On the PyPI `pygad` project, open Settings, then Publishing, and add a GitHub
+  publisher: owner `ahmedfgad`, repository `GeneticAlgorithmPython`, workflow
+  `release.yml`, environment `pypi`.
+- In the GitHub repo, open Settings, then Environments, and create an environment
+  named `pypi`.
diff --git a/publish.sh b/publish.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..97f4fe7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/publish.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Publish the `pygad` Python package to PyPI (or TestPyPI).
+#
+# This is the manual release script. Run it from anywhere, it resolves
+# paths relative to its own location and uses whatever Python environment
+# is currently active (installing `build` + `twine` into it if they are
+# missing).
+#
+# Pipeline:
+#   1. Check build tooling
+#   2. Wipe stale dist/ artefacts (confirmation prompt)
+#   3. Build sdist + wheel into dist/
+#   4. `twine check` the artefacts for README/metadata issues
+#   5. Prompt to upload to TestPyPI
+#   6. Pause so you can `pip install -i https://test.pypi.org/simple/ pygad`
+#      in a scratch venv to confirm the release works end-to-end
+#   7. Prompt to upload to production PyPI (the irreversible step)
+#
+# All prompts default to the SAFE answer ('no' for irreversible
+# actions) and require a typed 'y' to proceed.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Colour helpers — silently no-op when stdout isn't a TTY (e.g. piped to
+# `tee` or run from a CI runner).
+if [ -t 1 ]; then
+  CYAN='\033[0;36m'; GREEN='\033[0;32m'; YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+  RED='\033[0;31m'; BOLD='\033[1m'; NC='\033[0m'
+else
+  CYAN=''; GREEN=''; YELLOW=''; RED=''; BOLD=''; NC=''
+fi
+
+heading() { echo -e "\n${CYAN}${BOLD}== $* ==${NC}"; }
+info()    { echo -e "${CYAN}$*${NC}"; }
+warn()    { echo -e "${YELLOW}$*${NC}"; }
+error()   { echo -e "${RED}$*${NC}" >&2; }
+success() { echo -e "${GREEN}$*${NC}"; }
+
+# Default to "no" — caller has to type `y` (case-insensitive) to confirm.
+# Used for every destructive / irreversible step.
+confirm() {
+  local prompt="$1"
+  local answer
+  read -r -p "$(echo -e "${YELLOW}${prompt} [y/N]:${NC} ")" answer
+  case "${answer:-}" in
+    y|Y|yes|YES) return 0 ;;
+    *)           return 1 ;;
+  esac
+}
+
+# Resolve the script's own directory so it works from any cwd.
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+
+# ---- 1. Check build tooling ----
+heading "Checking build tooling"
+if ! command -v python >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  error "No 'python' on PATH. Activate a virtual environment and rerun."
+  exit 1
+fi
+info "Active python: $(command -v python)"
+info "Active pip:    $(command -v pip)"
+
+# Confirm `build` and `twine` are present — install if missing so a
+# fresh checkout works without a separate setup step.
+if ! python -c "import build" >/dev/null 2>&1 || \
+   ! python -c "import twine" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  warn "Installing missing build tooling (build, twine)..."
+  pip install --quiet build twine
+fi
+
+cd "$SCRIPT_DIR"
+
+# ---- 2. Wipe stale dist/ ----
+heading "Cleaning previous artefacts"
+if [ -d "dist" ] && [ -n "$(ls -A dist 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
+  echo "Existing dist/ contents:"
+  ls -1 dist
+  if confirm "Delete dist/ before building?"; then
+    rm -rf dist
+    success "Removed stale dist/"
+  else
+    warn "Keeping existing dist/. Note: twine will refuse to upload duplicates."
+  fi
+else
+  info "No stale artefacts found."
+fi
+
+# ---- 3. Build ----
+heading "Building sdist + wheel"
+python -m build
+ls -1 dist
+
+# ---- 4. twine check ----
+heading "Running twine check"
+python -m twine check dist/*
+
+# ---- 5. Upload to TestPyPI ----
+heading "Upload to TestPyPI"
+warn "TestPyPI lives at https://test.pypi.org/ and is the safe place to"
+warn "verify the upload before touching production."
+if confirm "Upload to TestPyPI now?"; then
+  python -m twine upload --repository testpypi dist/*
+  success "Uploaded to TestPyPI."
+  echo
+  info "Verify with (in a fresh scratch venv):"
+  info "  pip install --index-url https://test.pypi.org/simple/ \\"
+  info "      --extra-index-url https://pypi.org/simple/ pygad"
+  echo
+  read -r -p "Press Enter once the TestPyPI install looks good..."
+else
+  warn "Skipped TestPyPI upload."
+fi
+
+# ---- 6. Upload to production PyPI ----
+heading "Upload to PRODUCTION PyPI"
+warn "This step is IRREVERSIBLE. Once a version is published you cannot"
+warn "re-upload the same filename — you'd have to bump the version"
+warn "(pyproject.toml, setup.py, and pygad/__init__.py) and rebuild."
+warn "Make sure the TestPyPI smoke test passed."
+if confirm "Upload to production PyPI now?"; then
+  python -m twine upload dist/*
+  success "Uploaded to PyPI: https://pypi.org/project/pygad/"
+else
+  warn "Skipped production upload. Run this script again when ready."
+fi
+
+heading "Done"
diff --git a/pygad/__init__.py b/pygad/__init__.py
index d7dca9d..2f5215a 100644
--- a/pygad/__init__.py
+++ b/pygad/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 from .pygad import * # Relative import.
 
-__version__ = "3.6.0"
+from ._version import __version__
diff --git a/pygad/_version.py b/pygad/_version.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85197cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pygad/_version.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+__version__ = "3.6.0"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 2f7c604..059b331 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "pygad"
-version = "3.6.0"
+dynamic = ["version"]
 description = "PyGAD: A Python Library for Building the Genetic Algorithm and Training Machine Learning Algoithms (Keras & PyTorch)."
 readme = {file = "README.md", content-type = "text/markdown"}
 requires-python = ">=3"
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ classifiers = [
 keywords = ["genetic algorithm", "GA", "optimization", "evolutionary algorithm", "natural evolution", "pygad", "machine learning", "deep learning", "neural networks", "tensorflow", "keras", "pytorch"]
 dependencies = [
   "numpy",
-  "matplotlib",
   "cloudpickle",
 ]
 
@@ -58,7 +57,11 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 deep_learning = ["keras", "tensorflow", "torch"]
+visualize = ["matplotlib"]
 
 # PyTest Configuration. Later, PyTest will support the [tool.pytest] table.
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
-testpaths = ["tests"]
\ No newline at end of file
+testpaths = ["tests"]
+
+[tool.setuptools.dynamic]
+version = { attr = "pygad._version.__version__" }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index a344de1..24e3762 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 numpy
-matplotlib
 cloudpickle
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 9626c37..d875fae 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@
 
 setuptools.setup(  
     name="pygad",  
-    version="3.6.0",
     author="Ahmed Fawzy Gad",
-    install_requires=["numpy", "matplotlib", "cloudpickle",],
+    install_requires=["numpy", "cloudpickle",],
     extras_require={
         "deep_learning": ["keras", "tensorflow", "torch"],
+        "visualize": ["matplotlib"],
     },
     author_email="ahmed.f.gad@gmail.com",