diff --git a/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.txt b/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.txt
index 939ca30..ac886f3 100644
--- a/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.txt
+++ b/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.txt
@@ -4,19 +4,37 @@
 ## Pre-release tasks
 
 * Figure out whether a release is worthwhile to do.
+
+Tiny/patch releases require some manual work:
+
+* Apply changes to the release branch, merge or cherry-pick
+* Append to previous issues_closed_for*md file
+* Add new tiny release section to ChangeLog
+* Manually adjust versions in json_c_version, CMakeLists.txt, meson.build
+
+The rest of these instructions assume you're creating a minor or major release.
+
+* Load release shell functions
+    * `. reltools/reltools.subr`
+    * `set_rel_vars`
 * Analyze the previous release branch to see if anything should have been
   applied to master.
+    * `git log -r "${RELBASE}..${RELBRANCH}" | less`
+    * Look for anything other than generating docs, bumping the release
+      version, or changes cherry-picked from master.
 * Collect changes and assemble tentative release notes.
-    * Identify previous release branch point
+    * Create "Notes for v0.xx release" page at https://github.com/json-c/json-c/wiki
     * Check commit logs between previous branch point and now for
-       notable changes worth mentioning
+       notable changes worth mentioning. 
+        * `git log --reverse -r "${RELBASE}"..master | less`
     * Create a new issues_closed_for_X.Y.md file
+        * `./reltools/gen_issues_closed.md`
         * Include notable entries from here in the release notes.
     * Analyze APIs between previous release branch and master to produce list of
       changes (added/removed/updated funcs, etc...), and detect backwards compat
       issues.
         * https://github.com/lvc/abi-compliance-checker
-        * See also `abi-check.sh`
+        * `./abi-check.sh`
         * If the new release is not backwards compatible, then this is a MAJOR release.
         * Mention removed features in ChangeLog
 		* Consider re-adding backwards compatible support, through symbol
@@ -24,16 +42,14 @@
 		* Be sure any new symbols are listed in json-c.sym as part of
 		  the _new_ release version.
     * Update the AUTHORS file
-
-        PREV=$(git tag | tail -1)
-        ( git log -r ${PREV}..HEAD | grep Author: | sed -e's/Author: //' ; cat AUTHORS ) | sort -u > A1
-        mv A1 AUTHORS
+        * `update_authors`
 
     * Exclude mentioning changes that have already been included in a point 
       release of the previous release branch.
 
-* Update ChangeLog with relevant notes before branching.
+* Update ChangeLog with relevant notes *before* branching.
 
+* Check that GitHub Actions are all working - https://github.com/json-c/json-c/actions
 * Check that the compile works on Linux - automatic through Travis
 * Check that the compile works on NetBSD
 * Check that the compile works on Windows - automatic through AppVeyor
@@ -42,11 +58,9 @@
 
 Start creating the new release:
 
-    PREV=$(git tag | tail -1)
-    PREV=${PREV#json-c-}
-    PREV=${PREV%-*}
-    release=0.$((${PREV#*.} + 1))
-    cd ~
+    . reltools/reltools.subr
+    release=$(get_next_relver)
+    cd ${HOME}
     git clone https://github.com/json-c/json-c json-c-${release}
 
     rm -rf distcheck
@@ -66,6 +80,9 @@ Make any fixes/changes *before* branching.
 ------------
 
 Using ${release}:
+
+    # TODO: write me: ./reltools/bump_version.sh --release
+
 	Update the version in json_c_version.h
 	Update the version in CMakeLists.txt (VERSION in the project(...) line)
 
@@ -75,7 +92,7 @@ library version.  Generally, unless we're doing a major release, change:
 to
 	VERSION x.y+1.z
 
-        Update the version in meson.build (both at the top, and down under
+        Update the version in meson.build (both at the top, and soversion down under
         '# Build library')
 
     git commit -a -m "Bump version to ${release}"
@@ -120,6 +137,9 @@ Tag the branch:
     git push origin json-c-${release}
     git push --tags
 
+    # Double check that API difference match previous run
+    ./abi-check.sh
+
 ------------
 
 Go to Amazon S3 service at:
@@ -136,43 +156,22 @@ Logout of Amazon S3, and verify that the files are visible.
 
 Post-release checklist:
 
+Update master branch version to ${version}.99, in ChangeLog, json_c_version.h, etc...
+
     git checkout master
+    ./reltools/bump_relrease.sh --dev
 
-Add new section to ChangeLog for ${release}+1
-
-Use ${release}.99 to indicate a version "newer" than anything on the branch:
-	Update the version in json_c_version.h
-	Update the version in CMakeLists.txt
-
-Update the set_target_properties() line in CmakeLists.txt to match the release branch.
-
-Add a new empty section to the json-c.sym file, for ${release}+1
-
-    git commit -a -m "Update the master branch to version ${release}.99"
+    # check results, then:
     git push
 
 ------------
 
-Update the gh-pages branch with new docs:
+Update the gh-pages branch with new docs (already generated earlier):
 
-    cd json-c-${release}
-    git checkout json-c-${release}
-    cd ..
-
-    git clone -b gh-pages https://github.com/json-c/json-c json-c-pages
-    cd json-c-pages
-    mkdir json-c-${release}
-    cp -R ../json-c-${release}/doc json-c-${release}/.
-    git add json-c-${release}
-    rm json-c-current-release
-    ln -s json-c-${release} json-c-current-release
-    git commit -a -m "Add the ${release} docs."
-
-    vi index.html
-    # Add/change links to current release.
-
-    git commit -a -m "Update the doc links to point at ${release}"
+    reltag=$(get_most_recent_reltag)
+    ./reltools/publish_docs.sh "${reltag}"
 
+    # check results, then:
     git push
 
 ------------
diff --git a/amiga/package-amiga.sh b/amiga/package-amiga.sh
index ac72155..854577c 100755
--- a/amiga/package-amiga.sh
+++ b/amiga/package-amiga.sh
@@ -34,15 +34,8 @@ rm -rf "$_lha_probe"
 # OS gets staged under its own directory.
 rm -rf "$DIST"; mkdir -p "$STAGE/json-c"
 
-# Extract the version from either a release tag, or the dev version + abbreviated commit hash
-GIT_DESCR=$(git describe --tags --always)
-if [[ "$GIT_DESCR" == json-c-* ]] ; then
-  # e.g. 0.19-20260627
-  JSON_C_VERS=${GIT_DESCR#json-c-}
-else
-  # e.g. 0.19.99-09e45f6
-  JSON_C_VERS=$(sed -ne'/define JSON_C_VERSION / { s/"$//;  s/.*"//; p }' "${ROOT}/json_c_version.h")-${GIT_DESCR}
-fi
+. "${ROOT}/reltools/reltools.subr"
+JSON_C_VERS=$(get_ver_descr)
 sed -e"s/VERSION/${JSON_C_VERS}/" "$AMIGA_DIR/json-c.readme.template" > "$STAGE/json-c/json-c.readme"
 
 built=()
diff --git a/reltools/bump_version.sh b/reltools/bump_version.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..c39651e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/reltools/bump_version.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+
+set -e -o pipefail
+trap 'echo "ERROR: Unexpected exit in $0"' EXIT
+
+RUNDIR=$(dirname "$0")
+RUNDIR=$(realpath "${RUNDIR}")
+. "${RUNDIR}/reltools.subr"
+
+usage()
+{
+	local exitval="$1" ; shift
+	local errmsg="$1"
+	if [ "${exitval}" -ne 0 ] ; then
+		exec 1>&2
+	fi
+	if [ -n "${errmsg}" ] ; then
+		echo "ERROR: ${errmsg}" 1>&2
+	fi
+	cat <<EOF
+Usage: $0 --help|--dev|--release
+
+Bump version in all necessary locations, to either a release or dev version
+
+Run this script from the top-level directory of a json-c clone.
+
+EOF
+	trap - EXIT
+	exit "${exitval}"
+}
+
+
+bump_release_ver()
+{
+	echo "ERROR: bump_release_ver() not yet implemented in $0" 1>&2
+	echo "See RELEASE_CHECKLIST.txt for steps to take" 1>&2
+	trap - EXIT
+	exit 1
+}
+
+bump_dev_ver()
+{
+	if [ -n "$(git status --porcelain | grep -v reltools/bump_version.sh)" ] ; then
+		usage 1 "local changes in working directory, aborting"
+	fi
+
+	RELVER=$(get_most_recent_relver)
+	DEVVER=${RELVER}.99
+	NEXTVER=$(get_next_relver)
+
+	if ! grep -q "^${NEXTVER}" ChangeLog ; then
+		# Add new section to ChangeLog for ${release}+1
+		cat <<EOF > ChangeLog.new
+${NEXTVER} (future release)
+========================================
+Deprecated and removed features:
+--------------------------------
+* none yet
+
+New features
+------------
+* none yet
+
+Significant changes and bug fixes
+---------------------------------
+* none yet
+
+EOF
+		cat ChangeLog >> ChangeLog.new
+		mv ChangeLog.new ChangeLog
+	else
+		echo "Warning: ChangeLog already contains a ${NEXTVER} section" 1>&2
+	fi
+
+
+	# Use ${release}.99 to indicate a version "newer" than anything on the branch:
+	if ! grep -q ${RELVER}.99 json_c_version.h ; then
+		local MAJOR MINOR
+		MAJOR=${RELVER%%.*}
+		MINOR=${RELVER#*.}
+		echo "Updating json_c_version.h to ${RELVER}.99"
+		sed -i \
+			-e "s/#define JSON_C_MAJOR_VERSION .*/#define JSON_C_MAJOR_VERSION ${MAJOR}/" \
+			-e "s/#define JSON_C_MINOR_VERSION .*/#define JSON_C_MINOR_VERSION ${MINOR}/" \
+			-e "s/#define JSON_C_MICRO_VERSION .*/#define JSON_C_MICRO_VERSION 99/"       \
+			-e "s/#define JSON_C_VERSION \".*\"/#define JSON_C_VERSION \"${RELVER}.99\"/" \
+			json_c_version.h
+	else
+		echo "Warning: json_c_version.h already contains ${RELVER}.99" 1>&2
+	fi
+
+	if ! grep -q "${RELVER}.99" CMakeLists.txt ; then
+		echo "Updating CMakeLists.txt to ${RELVER}.99"
+		sed -i \
+			-e "s/project(\(.*\) VERSION .*)/project(\1 VERSION ${RELVER}.99)/" \
+			CMakeLists.txt
+	else
+		echo "Warning: CMakeLists.txt already contains ${RELVER}.99" 1>&2
+	fi
+
+	local RELTAG
+	RELTAG=$(get_most_recent_reltag)
+	echo "Extracting VERSION, SOVERSION from ${RELTAG}:CMakeLists.txt"
+
+	local REL_SOVER REL_SOVERNUM
+	REL_SOVER=$(git show ${RELTAG}:CMakeLists.txt | awk '/set_target_prop.*PROJECT_NAME/,/)/')
+	REL_VERNUM=$(echo "${REL_SOVER}" | grep " VERSION " | sed -e's/  *VERSION  *//' )
+	REL_SOVERNUM=$(echo "${REL_SOVER}" | grep " SOVERSION " | sed -e's/  *SOVERSION  *//' -e's/)//' )
+	echo "  VERSION=${REL_VERNUM}"
+	echo "  SOVERSION=${REL_SOVERNUM}"
+	if ! grep -q " VERSION ${REL_VERNUM}" CMakeLists.txt ; then
+		echo "Updating VERSION=${REL_VERNUM}, SOVERSION=${REL_VERNUM} in CMakeLists.txt to match release branch"
+		# Paste in the whole block from the releaes copy of CMakeLists.txt:
+		awk -v REL_SOVER="${REL_SOVER}"  \
+			'/set_target_prop.*PROJECT_NAME/,/)/ {
+				if (REL_SOVER) print REL_SOVER;
+				REL_SOVER=null;
+				next;
+			}
+			{ print; }' \
+			CMakeLists.txt > CMakeLists.txt.new
+		mv -f CMakeLists.txt.new CMakeLists.txt 
+	else
+		echo "Warning: CMakeLists.txt already contains VERSION ${REL_VERNUM}" 1>&2
+	fi
+
+	if ! grep -q "${RELVER}.99" meson.build ; then
+		echo "Updating project version in meson.build to ${RELVER}.99"
+		sed -i -e"s/project(\(.*\)version:.*/project(\1version: '${RELVER}.99',/" meson.build
+	else
+		echo "Warning: meson.build already contains ${RELVER}.99" 1>&2
+	fi
+
+	if ! grep -q "version: *'${REL_SOVERNUM}'" meson.build ; then
+		echo "Updating soversion in meson.build to ${REL_VERNUM}, ${REL_SOVERNUM}"
+		awk -v version="'${REL_VERNUM}'" -v soversion="'${REL_SOVERNUM}'" \
+			'/library\(.json-c/,/\)/ {
+				if ($1 == "version:") { gsub("'\''.*", version ","); }
+				if ($1 == "soversion:") { gsub("'\''.*", soversion ","); }
+			} 
+			{ print; }' < meson.build > meson.build.new
+		mv -f meson.build.new meson.build
+	else
+		echo "Warning: meson.build already contains soversion ${REL_VERNUM}, ${REL_SOVERNUM}" 1>&2
+	fi
+
+	if ! grep -q "JSONC_${NEXTVER}" json-c.sym; then
+		echo "Add a new empty section to the json-c.sym file, for ${NEXTVER}"
+		cat <<EOF >> json-c.sym
+
+JSONC_${NEXTVER} {
+#  global:
+} JSONC_${RELVER};
+EOF
+	else
+		echo "Warning: json-c-sym already has JSONC_${NEXTVER}" 1>&2
+	fi
+
+	git commit -a -m "Update the master branch to version ${release}.99"
+}
+
+while [ $# -gt 0 ] ; do
+	case "$1" in
+	--dev)
+		bump_dev_ver
+		trap - EXIT
+		exit 0
+	;;
+	--release)
+		bump_release_ver
+		trap - EXIT
+		exit 0
+		;;
+	-h|--help)
+		usage 0
+		;;
+	*)
+		usage 1 "Unknown args: $*"
+		exit 1
+	;;
+	esac
+done
+
+usage 1 "Need at least one argument"
diff --git a/reltools/gen_issues_closed.sh b/reltools/gen_issues_closed.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4b90363
--- /dev/null
+++ b/reltools/gen_issues_closed.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -e -o pipefail
+
+RUNDIR=$(dirname "$0")
+. "${RUNDIR}/reltools.subr"
+
+NEXT_VER=$(get_next_relver)
+
+MOST_RECENT=$(ls ${RUNDIR}/../issues_closed*md | sort -V | tail -1)
+PREV=$(grep 'NOW=' "${MOST_RECENT}" | sed -e's/.*=//')
+NOW=$(date +%Y-%m-%d)
+set -x -v
+curl -v "https://api.github.com/search/issues?q=repo%3Ajson-c%2Fjson-c+closed%3A>${PREV}+created%3A<${NOW}&sort=created&order=asc&per_page=100&page=1" > issues1.out
+
+set -o noclobber
+NEW_FILE=issues_closed_for_${NEXT_VER}.md
+cat <<EOF > "${NEW_FILE}"
+This list was created with:
+\`\`\`
+# PREV=${PREV}
+# NOW=${NOW}
+./reltools/gen_issues_closed.sh
+\`\`\`
+
+EOF
+
+jq -r '.items[] | "[" + .title + "](" + .url + ")" | tostring' issues1.out >> "${NEW_FILE}"
+sed -e's,^\[ *\(.*\)\](https://api.github.com/.*/\([0-9].*\)),* [Issue #\2](https://github.com/json-c/json-c/issues/\2) - \1,' -i "${NEW_FILE}"
+echo "${NEW_FILE}"
+
diff --git a/reltools/publish_docs.sh b/reltools/publish_docs.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..673f1e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/reltools/publish_docs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# Publish release docs on the gh-pages branch in ~/json-c-pages
+# Does NOT push changes
+#
+
+set -e -o pipefail
+trap 'echo "ERROR: Unexpected exit in $0"' EXIT
+
+RUNDIR=$(dirname "$0")
+. "${RUNDIR}/reltools.subr"
+
+reltag="$1"
+if [ -z "${reltag}" ] ; then
+	echo "Usage: $0 <relver>" 1>&2
+	trap - EXIT
+	exit 1
+fi
+release=${reltag%-*}  # Strip off the date suffix
+release=${release#json-c}
+
+cd "${HOME}"
+
+if [ ! -d "json-c-${release}" ] ; then
+	git clone https://github.com/json-c/json-c "json-c-${release}"
+fi
+
+cd json-c-${release}
+git checkout ${reltag}
+if [ ! -e doc/html/index.html ] ; then
+	echo "ERROR: unable to find doc/html/index.html on at version ${reltag} in $(pwd)" 1>&2
+	exit 1
+fi
+cd ..
+
+
+if [ ! -d json-c-pages ] ; then
+	git clone -b gh-pages https://github.com/json-c/json-c json-c-pages
+fi
+cd json-c-pages
+mkdir -p json-c-${release}
+cp -R ../json-c-${release}/doc json-c-${release}/.
+git add json-c-${release}
+rm json-c-current-release
+ln -s json-c-${release} json-c-current-release
+git commit -a -m "Add the ${release} docs."
+
+# TODO: automate changes to index.html
+cat <<EOF
+Steps to do:
+ * Add section with links to new json-c-${release} release.
+ * Update versions in the "Current release" section
+EOF
+read -p "Press <enter> to run vi index.html: "
+vi index.html
+
+git commit -a -m "Update the doc links to point at ${release}"
+
+cat <<EOF
+cd $(pwd)
+git log -n1 --name-status
+git log -n1 -p
+
+
+# If all looks ok:
+git push
+EOF
+
+trap - EXIT
+exit 0
diff --git a/reltools/reltools.subr b/reltools/reltools.subr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..51b7432
--- /dev/null
+++ b/reltools/reltools.subr
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+
+rt_RUNDIR=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")
+rt=RUNDIR=$(realpath "${rt_RUNDIR}")
+JSON_C_TOP=${rt_RUNDIR}/..
+
+get_most_recent_reltag()
+{
+	local RELTAG
+	RELTAG=$(git tag | tail -1)
+	echo "${RELTAG}"
+}
+get_most_recent_relver()
+{
+	local RELVER
+	RELVER=$(get_most_recent_reltag)
+	RELVER=${RELVER#json-c-}
+	RELVER=${RELVER%-*}
+	echo "${RELVER}"
+}
+
+get_most_recent_relbranch()
+{
+	local RELVER
+	RELVER=$(get_most_recent_relver)
+	if [[ "${RELVER}" = *.*.* ]] ; then
+		# Strip off tiny version
+		RELVER="${RELVER%.*}"
+	fi
+	echo "origin/json-c-${RELVER}"
+}
+
+
+get_next_relver()
+{
+	local PREV
+	PREV=$(get_most_recent_relver)
+	echo "0.$((${PREV#*.} + 1))"
+}
+
+get_most_recent_relbase()
+{
+	local RELBRANCH RELBASE
+	RELBRANCH=$(get_most_recent_relbranch)
+	RELBASE=$(git merge-base master "${RELBRANCH}")
+	echo "${RELBASE}"
+}
+
+set_rel_vars()
+{
+	# Set non-local variables for convenience
+	RELTAG=$(get_most_recent_reltag)
+	RELVER=$(get_most_recent_relver)
+	RELBRANCH=$(get_most_recent_relbranch)
+	RELBASE=$(get_most_recent_relbase)
+	NEXT_RELVER=$(get_next_relver)
+}
+
+# Extract the version from either a release tag, or the dev version + abbreviated commit hash
+get_ver_descr()
+{
+	local GITDESCR JSON_C_VERS
+
+	GIT_DESCR=$(git describe --tags --always)
+	if [[ "$GIT_DESCR" == json-c-* ]] ; then
+	  # e.g. 0.19-20260627
+	  JSON_C_VERS=${GIT_DESCR#json-c-}
+	else
+	  # e.g. 0.19.99-09e45f6
+	  JSON_C_VERS=$(sed -ne'/define JSON_C_VERSION / { s/"$//;  s/.*"//; p }' "${JSON_C_TOP}/json_c_version.h")-${GIT_DESCR}
+	fi
+	echo "${JSON_C_VERS}"
+}
+
+update_authors()
+{
+	PREV=$(get_most_recent_reltag)
+	NEW_AUTHORS=$( git log -r ${PREV}..HEAD | grep Author: | sed -e's/Author: //' ; cat "${JSON_C_TOP}/AUTHORS" )
+	echo "${NEW_AUTHORS}" | sort -u > "${JSON_C_TOP}/AUTHORS"
+}
+
diff --git a/reltools/update_authors.sh b/reltools/update_authors.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b3cbe09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/reltools/update_authors.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -e -o pipefail
+
+RUNDIR=$(dirname "$0")
+TOP=${RUNDIR}/..
+. "${RUNDIR}/reltools.subr"
+
+update_authors()
+{
+	PREV=$(get_most_recent_reltag)
+	NEW_AUTHORS=$( git log -r ${PREV}..HEAD | grep Author: | sed -e's/Author: //' ; cat "${TOP}/AUTHORS" )
+	echo "${NEW_AUTHORS}" | sort -u > "${TOP}/AUTHORS"
+}