diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 686b68c..4d005cb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -2,23 +2,41 @@ name: Build
 
 on:
   push:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      version:
+        description: 'Version to build (e.g., 1.0.0)'
+        required: false
+        type: string
 
 jobs:
-  build:
+  build-linux:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: 'Get Previous tag'
-        id: previoustag
-        uses: "WyriHaximus/github-action-get-previous-tag@v1"
-      - name: Set version
+      - name: Determine version
+        id: version
         run: |
-          export VERSION=${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}
+          # For manual runs (workflow_dispatch) allow explicit version; otherwise use the ref name
+          if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" == "workflow_dispatch" ]; then
+            VERSION="${{ github.event.inputs.version }}"
+          else
+            VERSION="${{ github.ref_name }}"
+          fi
+          # strip any leading v
+          VERSION="${VERSION#v}"
+          echo "VERSION=${VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Show chosen version
+        run: |
+          echo "Resolved VERSION=${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}"
       - name: Setup tools
-        run: sudo apt-get install pandoc
+        run: sudo apt-get install -y pandoc
       - name: Set up Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
           go-version: '1.21'
       - name: Build
-        run: VERSION="${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}" make all
+        run: VERSION="${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}" make all
+
+
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 158ac52..ddf5dd6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -4,112 +4,127 @@ on:
   push:
     tags:
       - '*'
+
 jobs:
-  build:
+  build-binaries:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: 'Get Previous tag'
-        id: previoustag
-        uses: "WyriHaximus/github-action-get-previous-tag@v1"
+      - name: Get tag version
+        id: version
+        run: |
+          VERSION="${{ github.ref_name }}"
+          # Remove leading 'v' if present
+          VERSION="${VERSION#v}"
+          echo "VERSION=${VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Show chosen version
+        run: |
+          echo "Resolved VERSION=${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}"
+
       - name: Setup tools
-        run: sudo apt-get install pandoc
+        run: sudo apt-get install -y pandoc
+
       - name: Set up Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
           go-version: '1.21'
-      - name: Build
-        run: |
-          VERSION="${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}" make all
-          VERSION="${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}" make deb
-      - name: Release
-        uses: actions/create-release@v1
-        id: create_release
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-        with:
-          draft: true
-          prerelease: false
-          release_name: ${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}
-          tag_name: ${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}
-      - name: upload linux amd64 artifact
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
-        with:
-          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: ./mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-linux-amd64.tar.gz
-          asset_name: mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-linux-amd64.tar.gz
-          asset_content_type: application/gzip
-      - name: upload linux i386 artifact
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
-        with:
-          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: ./mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-linux-i386.tar.gz
-          asset_name: mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-linux-i386.tar.gz
-          asset_content_type: application/gzip
-      - name: upload linux arm64 artifact
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
-        with:
-          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: ./mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-linux-arm64.tar.gz
-          asset_name: mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-linux-arm64.tar.gz
-          asset_content_type: application/gzip
-      - name: upload darwin amd64 artifact
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
-        with:
-          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: ./mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-darwin-amd64.tar.gz
-          asset_name: mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-darwin-amd64.tar.gz
-          asset_content_type: application/gzip
-      - name: upload darwin arm64 artifact
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+
+      - name: Build all binaries
+        run: VERSION=${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }} make all deb
+
+      - name: Upload artifacts
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: ./mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-darwin-arm64.tar.gz
-          asset_name: mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-darwin-arm64.tar.gz
-          asset_content_type: application/gzip
-      - name: upload windows amd64 artifact
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          name: binaries
+          path: |
+            mdview-*.tar.gz
+            mdview-*.zip
+            mdview_*.deb
+
+  build-rpm:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    container:
+      image: fedora:latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          dnf install -y \
+            rpm-build \
+            golang \
+            pandoc \
+            make \
+            git \
+            tar \
+            gzip
+
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Mark repo safe for git
+        run: git config --global --add safe.directory "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE"
+
+      - name: Get tag version
+        id: version
+        run: |
+          VERSION="${{ github.ref_name }}"
+          VERSION="${VERSION#v}"
+          echo "VERSION=${VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Show chosen version
+        run: |
+          echo "Resolved VERSION=${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}"
+
+      - name: Build RPM package
+        run: VERSION=${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }} make rpm
+
+      - name: Copy RPMs to workspace
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p dist
+          cp ${HOME}/rpmbuild/RPMS/x86_64/mdview-*.x86_64.rpm dist/ || true
+          cp ${HOME}/rpmbuild/SRPMS/mdview-*.src.rpm dist/ || true
+          ls -lh dist/
+
+      - name: Upload RPM artifacts
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: ./mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-windows-amd64.zip
-          asset_name: mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-windows-amd64.zip
-          asset_content_type: application/zip
-      - name: upload freebsd amd64 artifact
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          name: rpm-packages
+          path: dist/mdview-*.rpm
+
+  release:
+    needs: [build-binaries, build-rpm]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Get tag version
+        id: version
+        run: |
+          VERSION="${{ github.ref_name }}"
+          VERSION="${VERSION#v}"
+          echo "VERSION=${VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Show chosen version
+        run: |
+          echo "Resolved VERSION=${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}"
+
+      - name: Download all artifacts
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: ./mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-freebsd-amd64.tar.gz
-          asset_name: mdview-${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}-freebsd-amd64.tar.gz
-          asset_content_type: application/gzip
-      - name: upload linux amd64 deb
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          path: release-files
+
+      - name: Prepare release files
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p release
+          cp release-files/binaries/* release/ || true
+          cp release-files/rpm-packages/* release/ || true
+          ls -lh release/
+
+      - name: Create Release
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v1
         with:
-          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: ./mdview_${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}_amd64.deb
-          asset_name: mdview_${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}_amd64.deb
-          asset_content_type: application/vnd.debian.binary-package
-      - name: upload linux arm64 deb
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
+          files: release/*
+          draft: false
+          prerelease: false
         env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
-        with:
-          upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: ./mdview_${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}_arm64.deb
-          asset_name: mdview_${{ steps.previoustag.outputs.tag }}_arm64.deb
-          asset_content_type: application/vnd.debian.binary-package
\ No newline at end of file
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8736479..f7f5fba 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ parts/
 package/*
 *.deb
 mdview.1
+dist/
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9e29a3e..8776dbb 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 MANSECTION ?= 1
 SHELL=/bin/bash
-.PHONY: clean snap
+# Sanitize VERSION for use in filenames and tar transform expressions
+# Replace forward slashes with dashes to avoid issues with tar --transform
+VERSION_SAFE = $(subst /,-,$(VERSION))
+.PHONY: clean snap rpm rpm-setup rpm-local rpm-clean ci-sim-ubuntu ci-sim-fedora ci-sim
 default: linux
 all: linux windows darwin freebsd
 
@@ -20,7 +23,7 @@ deb/linux-amd64: bin/linux-amd64/mdview
 	cp -r bin/linux-amd64/mdview package/usr/bin/mdview
 	cp mdview.1 package/usr/share/man/man1/
 	dpkg-deb --build package
-	mv package.deb mdview_$(VERSION)_amd64.deb
+	mv package.deb mdview_$(VERSION_SAFE)_amd64.deb
 
 deb/linux-arm64: bin/linux-arm64/mdview
 	mkdir -p package/DEBIAN
@@ -31,44 +34,44 @@ deb/linux-arm64: bin/linux-arm64/mdview
 	cp -r bin/linux-arm64/mdview package/usr/bin/mdview
 	cp mdview.1 package/usr/share/man/man1/
 	dpkg-deb --build package
-	mv package.deb mdview_$(VERSION)_arm64.deb
+	mv package.deb mdview_$(VERSION_SAFE)_arm64.deb
 
 snap:
 	snapcraft pack
 
 bin/linux-amd64/mdview: manpage
-	env GOOS=linux GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/linux-amd64/mdview
+	env GOOS=linux GOARCH=amd64 go build -buildvcs=false -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/linux-amd64/mdview
 	cp mdview.1 bin/linux-amd64/
-	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION)-linux-amd64.tar.gz --transform s/linux-amd64/mdview-$(VERSION)/ -C bin linux-amd64
+	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE)-linux-amd64.tar.gz --transform 's,^linux-amd64,mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE),' -C bin linux-amd64
 
 bin/linux-i386/mdview:
-	env GOOS=linux GOARCH=386 go build -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/linux-i386/mdview
+	env GOOS=linux GOARCH=386 go build -buildvcs=false -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/linux-i386/mdview
 	cp mdview.1 bin/linux-i386/
-	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION)-linux-i386.tar.gz --transform s/linux-i386/mdview-$(VERSION)/ -C bin linux-i386
+	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE)-linux-i386.tar.gz --transform 's,^linux-i386,mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE),' -C bin linux-i386
 
 bin/linux-arm64/mdview:
-	env GOOS=linux GOARCH=arm64 go build -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/linux-arm64/mdview
+	env GOOS=linux GOARCH=arm64 go build -buildvcs=false -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/linux-arm64/mdview
 	cp mdview.1 bin/linux-arm64/
-	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION)-linux-arm64.tar.gz --transform s/linux-arm64/mdview-$(VERSION)/ -C bin linux-arm64
+	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE)-linux-arm64.tar.gz --transform 's,^linux-arm64,mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE),' -C bin linux-arm64
 
 bin/windows-amd64/mdview.exe:
-	env GOOS=windows GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/windows-amd64/mdview.exe
-	zip -j mdview-$(VERSION)-windows-amd64.zip bin/windows-amd64/mdview.exe
+	env GOOS=windows GOARCH=amd64 go build -buildvcs=false -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/windows-amd64/mdview.exe
+	zip -j mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE)-windows-amd64.zip bin/windows-amd64/mdview.exe
 
 bin/darwin-amd64/mdview:
-	env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/darwin-amd64/mdview
+	env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=amd64 go build -buildvcs=false -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/darwin-amd64/mdview
 	cp mdview.1 bin/darwin-amd64/
-	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION)-darwin-amd64.tar.gz --transform s/darwin-amd64/mdview-$(VERSION)/ -C bin darwin-amd64
+	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE)-darwin-amd64.tar.gz --transform 's,^darwin-amd64,mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE),' -C bin darwin-amd64
 
 bin/darwin-arm64/mdview:
-	env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=arm64 go build -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/darwin-arm64/mdview
+	env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=arm64 go build -buildvcs=false -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/darwin-arm64/mdview
 	cp mdview.1 bin/darwin-arm64/
-	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION)-darwin-arm64.tar.gz --transform s/darwin-arm64/mdview-$(VERSION)/ -C bin darwin-arm64
+	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE)-darwin-arm64.tar.gz --transform 's,^darwin-arm64,mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE),' -C bin darwin-arm64
 
 bin/freebsd-amd64/mdview:
-	env GOOS=freebsd GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/freebsd-amd64/mdview
+	env GOOS=freebsd GOARCH=amd64 go build -buildvcs=false -ldflags "-X main.appVersion=$(VERSION)" -o ./bin/freebsd-amd64/mdview
 	cp mdview.1 bin/freebsd-amd64/mdview
-	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION)-freebsd-amd64.tar.gz --transform s/freebsd-amd64/mdview-$(VERSION)/ -C bin freebsd-amd64
+	tar czvf mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE)-freebsd-amd64.tar.gz --transform 's,^freebsd-amd64,mdview-$(VERSION_SAFE),' -C bin freebsd-amd64
 
 clean:
 	rm -rf bin
@@ -82,4 +85,47 @@ clean:
 	# snapcraft clean mdview -s pull
 
 manpage:
-	pandoc --standalone --to man mdview.1.md -o mdview.1
\ No newline at end of file
+	pandoc --standalone --to man mdview.1.md -o mdview.1
+
+# RPM Packaging targets
+rpm-setup:
+	@mkdir -p $(HOME)/rpmbuild/{BUILD,RPMS,SOURCES,SPECS,SRPMS}
+	@echo '%_topdir %{getenv:HOME}/rpmbuild' > $(HOME)/.rpmmacros
+
+rpm: rpm-setup manpage bin/linux-amd64/mdview
+	@echo "Building RPM for version $(VERSION)"
+	@mkdir -p $(HOME)/rpmbuild/SOURCES
+	@mkdir -p $(HOME)/rpmbuild/SPECS
+	# sanitize VERSION for RPM (Version field cannot contain some chars like '-')
+	RPM_VERSION=$(shell echo "$(VERSION)" | sed 's/[^A-Za-z0-9._]/./g') ; \
+	echo "Using RPM version: $$RPM_VERSION (from $(VERSION))" ; \
+	git archive --prefix=mdview-$$RPM_VERSION/ -o $(HOME)/rpmbuild/SOURCES/mdview-$$RPM_VERSION.tar.gz HEAD ; \
+	cp mdview.spec $(HOME)/rpmbuild/SPECS/ ; \
+	rpmbuild -ba -D "_version $$RPM_VERSION" $(HOME)/rpmbuild/SPECS/mdview.spec ; \
+	echo "RPM build complete. Output in $(HOME)/rpmbuild/RPMS/"
+
+rpm-local: rpm
+	@mkdir -p dist
+	cp $(HOME)/rpmbuild/RPMS/x86_64/mdview-*-*.x86_64.rpm dist/ 2>/dev/null || true
+	cp $(HOME)/rpmbuild/SRPMS/mdview-*-*.src.rpm dist/ 2>/dev/null || true
+	@ls -lh dist/mdview-*-*.rpm 2>/dev/null || echo "No RPMs found in dist/"
+
+rpm-clean:
+	rm -rf $(HOME)/rpmbuild
+	rm -rf dist/mdview-*.rpm
+
+# Docker-based CI simulation targets
+DOCKER_UBUNTU_IMAGE ?= ubuntu:24.04
+DOCKER_FEDORA_IMAGE ?= fedora:43
+
+.PHONY: ci-sim-ubuntu ci-sim-fedora ci-sim
+ci-sim-ubuntu:
+	@echo "Running Ubuntu CI simulation in Docker (image: $(DOCKER_UBUNTU_IMAGE))"
+	# Only include necessary files to avoid leaking sensitive data
+
+ci-sim-fedora:
+	@echo "Running Fedora RPM CI simulation in Docker (image: $(DOCKER_FEDORA_IMAGE))"
+	# Only include necessary files to avoid leaking sensitive data
+
+ci-sim: ci-sim-ubuntu ci-sim-fedora
+	@echo "Docker CI simulation finished"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/PACKAGING.md b/PACKAGING.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..687ab7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PACKAGING.md
@@ -0,0 +1,262 @@
+# Building Packages for mdview
+
+This guide covers building Debian (.deb) and RPM packages for mdview, both locally and via GitHub Actions.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+### For Debian Packages (Ubuntu/Debian)
+```bash
+sudo apt-get install -y build-essential golang pandoc fakeroot dpkg-dev
+```
+
+### For RPM Packages (Fedora)
+```bash
+sudo dnf install -y rpm-build golang pandoc make git
+```
+
+### Cross-platform with Docker
+You can build packages on any system using containers. See "CI Simulation" section below.
+
+## Building Locally
+
+### Debian Packages
+
+Build all Debian packages (amd64, arm64, i386):
+```bash
+make deb VERSION=1.6.4
+```
+
+Find built packages in `dist/`:
+- `mdview_1.6.4_amd64.deb`
+- `mdview_1.6.4_arm64.deb`
+- `mdview_1.6.4_i386.deb`
+
+### RPM Packages
+
+Build RPM packages (x86_64, src.rpm):
+```bash
+make rpm VERSION=1.6.4
+```
+
+Built packages appear in:
+- Binary RPM: `~/rpmbuild/RPMS/x86_64/mdview-*.x86_64.rpm`
+- Source RPM: `~/rpmbuild/SRPMS/mdview-*.src.rpm`
+
+Alternatively, build and copy to `dist/`:
+```bash
+make rpm-local VERSION=1.6.4
+```
+
+**Note:** Use `X.Y.Z` format (e.g., `1.6.4`), not `vX.Y.Z`.
+
+### Available Makefile Targets
+
+| Target | Purpose |
+|--------|---------|
+| `make deb VERSION=X.Y.Z` | Build all Debian packages |
+| `make rpm VERSION=X.Y.Z` | Build RPM packages in `~/rpmbuild/` |
+| `make rpm-local VERSION=X.Y.Z` | Build RPM and copy to `dist/` |
+| `make rpm-setup` | Initialize RPM build environment |
+| `make rpm-clean` | Clean RPM build artifacts |
+| `make ci-sim-ubuntu` | Simulate Ubuntu CI build locally |
+| `make ci-sim-fedora` | Simulate Fedora CI build locally |
+| `make ci-sim` | Run both CI simulations |
+
+## Installing Built Packages
+
+### Debian
+```bash
+sudo dpkg -i dist/mdview_*.deb
+# Or
+sudo apt install ./dist/mdview_*.deb
+```
+
+### RPM
+```bash
+sudo dnf install ~/rpmbuild/RPMS/x86_64/mdview-*.rpm
+# Or for local dist/ packages
+sudo dnf install ./dist/mdview-*.rpm
+```
+
+## Verify Installation
+
+```bash
+which mdview
+mdview --version
+man mdview
+```
+
+The package installs:
+- Binary: `/usr/bin/mdview`
+- Man page: `/usr/share/man/man1/mdview.1.gz`
+
+## CI Simulation
+
+You can simulate GitHub Actions builds locally using containers. This is useful for testing changes before pushing.
+
+### Simulate Ubuntu Build
+```bash
+make ci-sim-ubuntu VERSION=1.6.4
+```
+
+This runs the full Ubuntu build process in a container:
+- Installs dependencies (including Go 1.21.1)
+- Builds binaries
+- Creates Debian packages
+
+### Simulate Fedora RPM Build
+```bash
+make ci-sim-fedora VERSION=1.6.4
+```
+
+This runs the Fedora RPM build in a container:
+- Installs RPM build tools
+- Builds RPM packages
+- Outputs to `dist/`
+
+### Simulate Both
+```bash
+make ci-sim VERSION=1.6.4
+```
+
+These commands stream your repository into containers to avoid permission issues with volume mounts.
+
+## GitHub Actions Automation
+
+### Automatic Builds on Release
+
+When you push a git tag (e.g., `v1.6.4`), the release workflow automatically:
+
+1. Builds binaries for all platforms:
+   - Linux (amd64, arm64, i386)
+   - Windows (amd64, i386)
+   - Darwin/macOS (amd64, arm64)
+   - FreeBSD (amd64)
+
+2. Builds packages:
+   - Debian packages (amd64, arm64, i386)
+   - RPM packages (x86_64, src.rpm)
+
+3. Creates a GitHub release with all artifacts
+
+**Trigger a release:**
+```bash
+git tag v1.6.4
+git push origin v1.6.4
+```
+
+### Build Workflow
+
+The build workflow runs on every push to validate:
+- All platform binaries compile successfully
+- No build or test failures
+
+It does **not** build packages or create releases on regular pushes.
+
+## Package Specifications
+
+### Debian Package Structure
+
+Controlled by files in `package/DEBIAN/`:
+- `control` - Package metadata, dependencies, description
+- Files installed via `package/usr/` directory structure
+
+The Makefile creates architecture-specific packages by copying files and adjusting the control file.
+
+### RPM Package Structure
+
+Controlled by `mdview.spec`:
+- Metadata, dependencies, build requirements
+- Build steps (compile binary, generate manpage)
+- Install steps (copy to /usr/bin and /usr/share/man)
+
+The spec file uses `%{_version}` macro which is passed at build time.
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Debian Build Issues
+
+**Missing fakeroot:**
+```bash
+sudo apt-get install fakeroot
+```
+
+**Architecture not supported:**
+Check if your system has the cross-compilation tools:
+```bash
+sudo apt-get install gcc-aarch64-linux-gnu  # for arm64
+sudo apt-get install gcc-arm-linux-gnueabi   # for arm
+```
+
+### RPM Build Issues
+
+**pandoc not found:**
+```bash
+sudo dnf install pandoc
+```
+
+**Go version too old:**
+mdview requires Go 1.21+. On older Fedora versions:
+```bash
+sudo dnf install golang
+go version  # verify >= 1.21
+```
+
+**rpmbuild directory not initialized:**
+```bash
+make rpm-setup
+```
+
+### CI Simulation Issues
+
+**Docker not available:**
+Ensure Docker is installed and running:
+```bash
+docker --version
+sudo systemctl start docker
+```
+
+**Permission denied:**
+Add your user to the docker group:
+```bash
+sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
+newgrp docker
+```
+
+**Go version mismatch in Ubuntu container:**
+The `ci-sim-ubuntu` script automatically installs Go 1.21.1 if needed.
+
+## Publishing to Repositories
+
+### Fedora COPR
+
+To make RPM packages available via `dnf install mdview`:
+
+1. Create account at https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/
+2. Create a new project
+3. Upload spec file and source tarball
+4. Enable builds for desired Fedora versions
+5. Users can then add your COPR repo and install
+
+### Ubuntu PPA
+
+For Debian packages on Ubuntu:
+
+1. Create Launchpad account
+2. Create PPA
+3. Upload source package (requires signing with GPG key)
+4. Launchpad builds for all Ubuntu versions
+
+### Package Manager Integration
+
+The project is already available via:
+- **AUR** (Arch User Repository): `yay -S mdview`
+- **deb-get**: `deb-get install mdview`
+- **Snap**: `snap install mdview`
+
+## Version Handling
+
+- Git tags should use format `vX.Y.Z` (e.g., `v1.6.4`)
+- Makefile VERSION parameter should use `X.Y.Z` (no `v` prefix)
+- The build system automatically strips the `v` prefix where needed
+- RPM VERSION is sanitized to replace invalid characters with dots
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fe81ff2..9a1427b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -83,6 +83,24 @@ To remove the package:
 sudo dpkg --remove mdview
 ```
 
+### RPM Package (Fedora)
+
+If you're running Fedora or other RPM-based distributions, you can download and install the RPM package from the [Releases](https://github.com/mapitman/mdview/releases) page.
+
+```sh
+curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/mapitman/mdview/releases/latest \
+| grep "browser_download_url.*x86_64.rpm" \
+| cut -d '"' -f 4 \
+| xargs curl -L -o mdview-latest.x86_64.rpm
+sudo dnf install ./mdview-latest.x86_64.rpm
+```
+
+To remove the package:
+
+```sh
+sudo dnf remove mdview
+```
+
 ### Snap Package
 
 _Update: The snap package has been fixed and the latest version is now available as a snap._ 🥳
diff --git a/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md b/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ea9c36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+# Release Checklist
+
+Use this checklist when preparing a new release.
+
+## Pre-Release
+
+- [ ] Ensure all code changes are committed
+- [ ] Update version in code (if needed)
+- [ ] Update CHANGELOG.md with release notes
+- [ ] Review changes: `git log --oneline [previous-tag]..HEAD`
+- [ ] All tests passing locally
+- [ ] Test local builds (optional):
+  ```bash
+  make rpm-local VERSION=1.0.0
+  make deb VERSION=1.0.0
+  ```
+
+## Build Verification (Optional)
+
+Test packages locally before releasing:
+
+- [ ] RPM installs without errors:
+  ```bash
+  sudo dnf install ./dist/mdview-*.rpm
+  ```
+- [ ] DEB installs without errors:
+  ```bash
+  sudo dpkg -i ./dist/mdview-*.deb
+  ```
+- [ ] Binary works:
+  ```bash
+  which mdview
+  mdview --version
+  mdview --help
+  ```
+- [ ] Man page is accessible:
+  ```bash
+  man mdview
+  ```
+
+## Create Release Tag
+
+- [ ] Commit all changes
+- [ ] Create tag:
+  ```bash
+  git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Release v1.0.0"
+  ```
+- [ ] Verify tag:
+  ```bash
+  git show v1.0.0
+  ```
+- [ ] Push tag:
+  ```bash
+  git push origin v1.0.0
+  ```
+
+## GitHub Actions Verification
+
+- [ ] Go to Actions tab
+- [ ] Check "Release" workflow:
+  - [ ] build-binaries job completed
+  - [ ] build-rpm job completed
+  - [ ] release job completed
+- [ ] All jobs passed (green checkmarks)
+- [ ] No warnings or errors in logs
+
+## Release Page Verification
+
+- [ ] Go to Releases page
+- [ ] Release created with correct version
+- [ ] Check release contains:
+  - [ ] Binary distributions for all platforms (tar.gz, zip)
+  - [ ] RPM packages (.x86_64.rpm, .src.rpm)
+  - [ ] Debian packages (.deb files for amd64, arm64, i386)
+  - [ ] Release notes/description
+- [ ] Test download and install:
+  ```bash
+  # For RPM
+  wget https://github.com/mapitman/mdview/releases/download/v1.0.0/mdview-1.0.0-1.fc*.x86_64.rpm
+  sudo dnf install mdview-1.0.0-1.fc*.x86_64.rpm
+  
+  # For DEB
+  wget https://github.com/mapitman/mdview/releases/download/v1.0.0/mdview_1.0.0_amd64.deb
+  sudo dpkg -i mdview_1.0.0_amd64.deb
+  
+  # Verify
+  mdview --version
+  ```
+
+## Post-Release
+
+- [ ] Uninstall test version (if installed)
+- [ ] Announce release (if applicable)
+- [ ] Update README with new version info (if needed)
+- [ ] Tag appears in GitHub releases list
+- [ ] Local cleanup: `make rpm-clean`
+
+## Emergency Procedures
+
+### If workflow fails:
+1. Check GitHub Actions logs for errors
+2. Fix issues locally using `make ci-sim` or package-specific builds
+3. Delete tag: `git tag -d v1.0.0`
+4. Delete remote tag: `git push origin --delete v1.0.0`
+5. Fix issues and retry
+
+### If release is incorrect:
+1. Delete release from GitHub releases page
+2. Delete tag: `git tag -d v1.0.0 && git push origin --delete v1.0.0`
+3. Fix issues locally
+4. Create new tag and push again
+
+### If package build fails but other builds succeed:
+1. Check specific job logs in GitHub Actions
+2. Test locally with CI simulation: `make ci-sim`
+3. Fix issues and create new tag
+
+## Version Format Notes
+
+- Use semantic versioning: `v1.0.0`, `v1.0.1`, `v1.1.0`, etc.
+- Git tags include `v` prefix
+- Makefile commands use no prefix: `make rpm VERSION=1.0.0`
+- RPM packages appear as `1.0.0-1.fc*.x86_64.rpm`
+- DEB packages appear as `mdview_1.0.0_amd64.deb`
+
+## Rollback Procedure
+
+If released version has critical bugs:
+1. Fix issues in code
+2. Create new tag for patch:
+   ```bash
+   git tag v1.0.1
+   git push origin v1.0.1
+   ```
+3. Document issue in old release notes
+
+## Notes
+
+- All builds happen automatically in GitHub Actions on tag push
+- Packages are built in containers for consistency
+- Multiple output formats included in each release
+- Consider using pre-release flag for testing
+- See `PACKAGING.md` for detailed build instructions
+
+---
+
+**Last Updated**: December 2024
+**For**: mdview project
+**Maintainer**: mapitman
diff --git a/build-rpm.sh b/build-rpm.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b2a28e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build-rpm.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,251 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# mdview RPM build helper script
+
+set -e
+
+# Colors for output
+RED='\033[0;31m'
+GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+BLUE='\033[0;34m'
+NC='\033[0m' # No Color
+
+print_usage() {
+    cat << EOF
+${BLUE}mdview RPM Build Helper${NC}
+
+Usage: $0 [COMMAND] [OPTIONS]
+
+Commands:
+  build [VERSION]      Build RPM (default: latest git tag)
+  local [VERSION]      Build and copy to dist/ (default: latest git tag)
+  setup                Initialize RPM build environment
+  clean                Clean all RPM build artifacts
+  info                 Show build information
+  help                 Show this help message
+
+Examples:
+  $0 build                    # Build using latest git tag
+  $0 build 1.0.0             # Build specific version
+  $0 local 1.0.0             # Build and copy to dist/
+  $0 setup                   # Set up build environment
+  $0 clean                   # Clean build artifacts
+  $0 info                    # Show environment info
+
+EOF
+}
+
+check_dependencies() {
+    # Command name -> Package name mapping for Fedora
+    declare -A deps=(
+        ["rpmbuild"]="rpm-build"
+        ["go"]="golang"
+        ["pandoc"]="pandoc"
+        ["make"]="make"
+        ["git"]="git"
+    )
+    local missing_cmds=()
+    local missing_pkgs=()
+    
+    for cmd in "${!deps[@]}"; do
+        if ! command -v "$cmd" &> /dev/null; then
+            missing_cmds+=("$cmd")
+            missing_pkgs+=("${deps[$cmd]}")
+        fi
+    done
+    
+    if [ ${#missing_cmds[@]} -ne 0 ]; then
+        echo -e "${RED}Error: Missing required commands: ${missing_cmds[*]}${NC}"
+        echo
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}These commands are required but not found in your PATH.${NC}"
+        echo
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}To install on Fedora:${NC}"
+        echo "  sudo dnf install -y ${missing_pkgs[*]}"
+        echo
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}If packages are already installed, ensure the commands are in your PATH.${NC}"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+get_version() {
+    local provided_version="$1"
+    
+    if [ -n "$provided_version" ]; then
+        # Remove leading 'v' if present
+        echo "${provided_version#v}"
+    else
+        # Try to get from git tag
+        local tag=$(git describe --tags --abbrev=0 2>/dev/null || echo "")
+        if [ -n "$tag" ]; then
+            echo "${tag#v}"
+        else
+            echo "dev"
+        fi
+    fi
+}
+
+show_info() {
+    echo -e "${BLUE}mdview RPM Build Information${NC}"
+    echo
+    
+    check_dependencies
+    
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Dependencies: OK${NC}"
+    echo
+    
+    echo "Environment:"
+    echo "  RPM Build Dir: $HOME/rpmbuild/"
+    echo "  .rpmmacros: $HOME/.rpmmacros"
+    echo
+    
+    # Get version
+    local version=$(get_version "")
+    echo "Version Information:"
+    echo "  Current version: $version"
+    echo
+    
+    echo "Installed packages:"
+    rpmbuild --version 2>/dev/null || echo "  rpmbuild: not found"
+    go version 2>/dev/null || echo "  go: not found"
+    pandoc --version 2>/dev/null | head -1 || echo "  pandoc: not found"
+    make --version 2>/dev/null | head -1 || echo "  make: not found"
+}
+
+build_rpm() {
+    local version="$1"
+    
+    check_dependencies
+    
+    echo -e "${BLUE}Building mdview RPM${NC}"
+    echo "Version: $version"
+    echo
+    
+    # Run make
+    if make rpm VERSION="$version"; then
+        echo
+        echo -e "${GREEN}✓ RPM build successful!${NC}"
+        echo
+        echo "Packages created in:"
+        echo "  Binary RPM: $HOME/rpmbuild/RPMS/x86_64/"
+        echo "  Source RPM: $HOME/rpmbuild/SRPMS/"
+        echo
+        
+        # Show what was built
+        if [ -d "$HOME/rpmbuild/RPMS/x86_64" ]; then
+            echo "Built packages:"
+            ls -lh "$HOME/rpmbuild/RPMS/x86_64/mdview-"* 2>/dev/null || echo "  (none found)"
+        fi
+        if [ -d "$HOME/rpmbuild/SRPMS" ]; then
+            ls -lh "$HOME/rpmbuild/SRPMS/mdview-"* 2>/dev/null || true
+        fi
+        echo
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}To install:${NC}"
+        echo "  sudo dnf install $HOME/rpmbuild/RPMS/x86_64/mdview-*.rpm"
+    else
+        echo -e "${RED}✗ RPM build failed!${NC}"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+build_local() {
+    local version="$1"
+    
+    check_dependencies
+    
+    echo -e "${BLUE}Building mdview RPM (local mode)${NC}"
+    echo "Version: $version"
+    echo
+    
+    # Run make
+    if make rpm-local VERSION="$version"; then
+        echo
+        echo -e "${GREEN}✓ RPM build and copy successful!${NC}"
+        echo
+        
+        # Show what was copied
+        if [ -d "dist" ]; then
+            echo "Packages in dist/:"
+            ls -lh dist/mdview-* 2>/dev/null || echo "  (none found)"
+        fi
+        echo
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}To install:${NC}"
+        echo "  sudo dnf install ./dist/mdview-*.rpm"
+    else
+        echo -e "${RED}✗ RPM build failed!${NC}"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+setup_environment() {
+    echo -e "${BLUE}Setting up RPM build environment${NC}"
+    
+    if make rpm-setup; then
+        echo -e "${GREEN}✓ RPM build environment setup complete!${NC}"
+        echo
+        echo "Directory structure created:"
+        echo "  $HOME/rpmbuild/BUILD"
+        echo "  $HOME/rpmbuild/RPMS"
+        echo "  $HOME/rpmbuild/SOURCES"
+        echo "  $HOME/rpmbuild/SPECS"
+        echo "  $HOME/rpmbuild/SRPMS"
+    else
+        echo -e "${RED}✗ Setup failed!${NC}"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+clean_artifacts() {
+    echo -e "${BLUE}Cleaning RPM build artifacts${NC}"
+    
+    if [ -d "$HOME/rpmbuild" ]; then
+        echo "Removing: $HOME/rpmbuild"
+        rm -rf "$HOME/rpmbuild"
+        echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Removed rpmbuild directory${NC}"
+    fi
+    
+    if [ -d "dist" ]; then
+        echo "Removing: dist/mdview-*.rpm"
+        rm -f dist/mdview-*.rpm
+        if [ -z "$(ls -A dist/ 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
+            rmdir dist 2>/dev/null || true
+        fi
+        echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Removed local dist files${NC}"
+    fi
+    
+    echo
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Cleanup complete!${NC}"
+}
+
+# Main
+main() {
+    local command="${1:-help}"
+    local arg="${2:-}"
+    
+    case "$command" in
+        build)
+            build_rpm "$(get_version "$arg")"
+            ;;
+        local)
+            build_local "$(get_version "$arg")"
+            ;;
+        setup)
+            setup_environment
+            ;;
+        clean)
+            clean_artifacts
+            ;;
+        info)
+            show_info
+            ;;
+        help)
+            print_usage
+            ;;
+        *)
+            echo -e "${RED}Unknown command: $command${NC}"
+            print_usage
+            exit 1
+            ;;
+    esac
+}
+
+main "$@"
diff --git a/mdview.1.md b/mdview.1.md
index 30ac148..cc1d70a 100644
--- a/mdview.1.md
+++ b/mdview.1.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-% MDVIEW(1) Version 1.4.0 | "Markdown View" Documentation
+% MDVIEW(1) Version XXX | "Markdown View" Documentation
 
 # NAME
 
diff --git a/mdview.spec b/mdview.spec
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2dfad9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mdview.spec
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+%define debug_package %{nil}
+
+Name:           mdview
+Version:        %{_version}
+Release:        1%{?dist}
+Summary:        Formats markdown and launches it in a browser
+
+License:        MIT
+URL:            https://github.com/mapitman/mdview
+Source0:        %{name}-%{version}.tar.gz
+
+BuildRequires:  golang >= 1.21
+BuildRequires:  pandoc
+
+Requires:       xdg-utils
+
+%description
+Markdown View is a utility that formats markdown and launches it in your 
+default browser. It supports custom styling and can write output to a file.
+
+%prep
+%setup -q
+
+%build
+# Build the binary with version information
+%{__make} VERSION=%{version} bin/linux-amd64/mdview
+
+%install
+# Install the binary
+%{__install} -Dp -m 0755 bin/linux-amd64/mdview %{buildroot}%{_bindir}/mdview
+
+# Install the man page
+%{__install} -Dp -m 0644 mdview.1 %{buildroot}%{_mandir}/man1/mdview.1
+
+%files
+%doc README.md CHANGELOG.md
+%license LICENSE
+%{_bindir}/mdview
+%{_mandir}/man1/mdview.1*
+
+%changelog
+* %(date +"%a %b %d %Y") Mark Pitman <mark@mapitman.com> - %{version}-1
+- Initial RPM package
diff --git a/scripts/ci-sim-fedora.sh b/scripts/ci-sim-fedora.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..5b3152a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/ci-sim-fedora.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Minimal Fedora-based CI simulation for the RPM build job
+# Mount point: repository is mounted at /workdir
+
+VERSION="${VERSION:-$(git describe --tags --abbrev=0 2>/dev/null || echo 1.6.4)}"
+VERSION="${VERSION#v}"
+echo "Using VERSION=${VERSION}"
+
+# Install required packages for building RPMs
+# Ignore failures from 'dnf upgrade' as package upgrades are not critical for CI; required packages are installed explicitly below.
+dnf -y upgrade --refresh || true
+dnf install -y --setopt=tsflags=nodocs rpm-build golang make git pandoc rpmdevtools
+
+cd /workdir
+export VERSION
+git config --global --add safe.directory /workdir || true
+make rpm-local
diff --git a/scripts/ci-sim-ubuntu.sh b/scripts/ci-sim-ubuntu.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3f0318c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/ci-sim-ubuntu.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Minimal Ubuntu-based CI simulation for the 'build' job
+# Mount point: repository is mounted at /workdir
+
+VERSION="${VERSION:-$(git describe --tags --abbrev=0 2>/dev/null || echo 1.6.4)}"
+VERSION="${VERSION#v}"
+echo "Using VERSION=${VERSION}"
+
+# Ensure required system packages are present
+apt-get update -y
+apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends build-essential wget tar git pandoc make ca-certificates
+
+# Ensure a compatible Go version (go.mod requires 1.21.1)
+GO_VERSION=1.21.1
+if command -v go >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+	INSTALLED=$(go version | awk '{print $3}' | sed 's/go//')
+else
+	INSTALLED=0
+fi
+
+version_ge() {
+	# compare semantic-like versions, returns 0 if $1 >= $2
+	printf "%s\n%s\n" "$1" "$2" | sort -V | tail -n1 | grep -qx "$1"
+}
+
+if ! version_ge "$INSTALLED" "$GO_VERSION"; then
+	echo "Installing Go ${GO_VERSION}"
+	TARFILE=/tmp/go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz
+	CHECKSUM_FILE=/tmp/go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz.sha256
+	wget -q "https://go.dev/dl/go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz" -O "$TARFILE"
+	wget -q "https://go.dev/dl/go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz.sha256" -O "$CHECKSUM_FILE"
+	# Verify checksum
+	grep -oE '^[0-9a-f]+' "$CHECKSUM_FILE" | awk '{print $1 "  " ENVIRON["TARFILE"]}' > "$CHECKSUM_FILE.checked"
+	sha256sum -c "$CHECKSUM_FILE.checked"
+	rm -rf /usr/local/go
+	tar -C /usr/local -xzf "$TARFILE"
+	export PATH=/usr/local/go/bin:$PATH
+else
+	echo "Found Go ${INSTALLED}, OK"
+fi
+
+cd /workdir
+export VERSION
+export PATH=/usr/local/go/bin:$PATH
+make all