diff --git a/.github/workflows/automerge.yml b/.github/workflows/automerge.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..71134e47b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/automerge.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+name: Auto Merge
+
+on:
+  pull_request_target:
+    types:
+      - labeled
+      - opened
+      - synchronize
+      - reopened
+
+jobs:
+  automerge:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'automerge')
+    steps:
+      - name: Auto-approve
+        uses: hmarr/auto-approve-action@d7bc15c388690c0334b233f552dcf10b043501d2 # v4
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Auto-merge
+        run: gh pr merge --auto --squash --delete-branch "$PR_URL"
+        env:
+          PR_URL: ${{ github.event.pull_request.html_url }}
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 8a7f1319c..bbe5b9c44 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout project
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        uses: actions/checkout@a5ac7e51b41094c92402da3b24376905380afc29 # v6
       - name: Setup Java
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-java@8617b2cce998314393c155b2c6db4d2b722b15be # v5
         with:
           distribution: 'microsoft'
           java-version: '21'
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ jobs:
     needs: [ sonar ]
     steps:
       - name: Checkout project
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        uses: actions/checkout@a5ac7e51b41094c92402da3b24376905380afc29 # v6
 
       - name: Setup Java
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-java@8617b2cce998314393c155b2c6db4d2b722b15be # v5
         with:
           distribution: 'microsoft'
           java-version: '21'
@@ -90,36 +90,42 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: [ publish ]
     steps:
-
       - name: Checkout Branch
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        uses: actions/checkout@b4ffde65f46336ab11d5ea33ade984223922a344 # v4.1.1
+
       - name: Setup Java
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v5
+        uses: actions/setup-java@8617b2cce998314393c155b2c6db4d2b722b15be # v5
         with:
           distribution: 'microsoft'
           java-version: '21'
           cache: 'maven'
+
       - name: Configure Git user
         run: |
           git config user.email "actions@github.com"
           git config user.name "GitHub Actions"
+
       - name: Get version from POM without SNAPSHOT
         run: |
           VERSION_PARTS=($(mvn help:evaluate -Dexpression=project.version -q -DforceStdout |  cut -d- -f1 |  tr "." "\n"))
           echo "MAJOR=${VERSION_PARTS[0]}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "MINOR=${VERSION_PARTS[1]}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "PATCH=${VERSION_PARTS[2]}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
       - name: Bump And Update POM Version to new Development version
+        id: bump_version
         run: |
           NEW_VERSION="$((MAJOR)).$((MINOR)).$((PATCH+1))-SNAPSHOT"
           echo "New development version is: $NEW_VERSION"
           mvn versions:set -DnewVersion=${NEW_VERSION} -DgenerateBackupPoms=false
-      - name: Commit files
-        run: |
-          git commit -m "[version bump] new dev version" -a
+          echo "new_version=$NEW_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
-      - name: Push Development Version to Branch
-        uses: ad-m/github-push-action@77c5b412c50b723d2a4fbc6d71fb5723bcd439aa
+      - name: Create Pull Request
+        uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@6d6857d36972954561a903c4f05b07ce2ea451b3 # v6
         with:
-          github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          branch: ${{github.event.release.target_commitish || 'main'}}
+          commit-message: "chore: bump version to ${{ steps.bump_version.outputs.new_version }}"
+          title: "chore: bump version to ${{ steps.bump_version.outputs.new_version }}"
+          body: "Bumps the version to the next development version."
+          branch: "chore/bump-version-${{ steps.bump_version.outputs.new_version }}"
+          base: ${{ github.event.release.target_commitish || 'main' }}
+          labels: automerge