diff --git a/.github/workflows/cd.yml b/.github/workflows/cd.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3aac200
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/cd.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+name: CD
+
+on:
+  push:
+    tags: [ "v*.*.*" ]
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+env:
+  CGO_ENABLED: 0 
+  APP: ${{ github.event.repository.name }}
+  VERSION: ${{ github.ref_name }}
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    name: Build and package
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+    - name: Setup go
+      uses: actions/setup-go@v3.5.0
+      with:
+        go-version: 1.24 
+    - name: Clone repo
+      uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - name: Build and package (linux/amd64)
+      run: |
+        GOOS=linux GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags="-X 'main.commit=${{ github.sha }}' -X 'main.tag=${{ env.VERSION }}'" -o build/linux-amd64/${{ env.APP }}
+        tar -czvf build/${{ env.APP }}-${{ env.VERSION }}-linux-amd64.tar.gz -C build/linux-amd64 ${{ env.APP }}
+    - name: Build and package (darwin/amd64)
+      run: |
+        GOOS=darwin GOARCH=amd64 go build -ldflags="-X 'main.commit=${{ github.sha }}' -X 'main.tag=${{ env.VERSION }}'" -o build/darwin-amd64/${{ env.APP }}
+        tar -czvf build/${{ env.APP }}-${{ env.VERSION }}-darwin-amd64.tar.gz -C build/darwin-amd64 ${{ env.APP }}
+    - name: Build and package (darwin/arm64)
+      run: |
+        GOOS=darwin GOARCH=arm64 go build -ldflags="-X 'main.commit=${{ github.sha }}' -X 'main.tag=${{ env.VERSION }}'" -o build/darwin-arm64/${{ env.APP }} 
+        tar -czvf build/${{ env.APP }}-${{ env.VERSION }}-darwin-arm64.tar.gz -C build/darwin-arm64 ${{ env.APP }}
+    - name: Upload build artifacts
+      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4 
+      with:
+        name: build-artifacts
+        if-no-files-found: error
+        path: build/*.tar.gz
+        retention-days: 1
+        overwrite: true
+  release:
+    name: Release
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: build
+    steps:
+    - name: Download build artifacts
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v4 
+      with:
+        name: build-artifacts
+        path: build
+    - name: Create release
+      id: create_release
+      if: github.ref_type == 'tag'
+      uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2 
+      with:
+        files: | 
+          build/${{ env.APP }}-${{ env.VERSION }}-linux-amd64.tar.gz
+          build/${{ env.APP }}-${{ env.VERSION }}-darwin-amd64.tar.gz
+          build/${{ env.APP }}-${{ env.VERSION }}-darwin-arm64.tar.gz
+    - name: Report
+      run: | 
+        echo "release url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.url }}"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 6f0a6d0..a93dd0c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -11,9 +11,21 @@ jobs:
     - name: Setup go
       uses: actions/setup-go@v3.5.0
       with:
-        go-version: 1.23
+        go-version: 1.24
     - name: Clone repo
       uses: actions/checkout@v3
     - name: Build
-      run: make build
+      run: CGO_ENABLED=0;go build -o /dev/null
+  test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+    - name: Setup go
+      uses: actions/setup-go@v3.5.0
+      with:
+        go-version: 1.24
+    - name: Clone repo
+      uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - name: Integration Test
+      run: tests/integration-tests.sh
+        
     
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/INSTALL.md b/INSTALL.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a243118
--- /dev/null
+++ b/INSTALL.md
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# Installing Klient
+
+If `go` is available on the machine, `klient` can be installed quickly by running the below.
+
+```bash
+go install github.com/comradequinn/klient
+```
+
+Alternatively, you can install `klient` by downloading the appropriate tarball for your `os` from the [releases](https://github.com/comradequinn/klient/releases) page. Extract the binary and place it somewhere accessible to your `$PATH` variable.
+
+Optionally, `linux` users can have the below script quickly do this for them.
+
+```bash
+export VERSION="v1.2.0"; export OS="linux-amd64"; wget "https://github.com/comradequinn/klient/releases/download/${VERSION}/klient-${VERSION}-${OS}.tar.gz" && tar -xf "klient-${VERSION}-${OS}.tar.gz" && rm -f "klient-${VERSION}-${OS}.tar.gz" && chmod +x klient && sudo mv klient /usr/local/bin/
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c1c7038..f10387f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ build :
 	@CGO_ENABLED=0;go build -o bin/klient
 
 stop-kafka:
-	-@docker rm -f kafka-broker 2> /dev/null
+	-@podman container rm -f kafka-broker
 
-local-kafka: stop-kafka
-	@docker run -d -p 9092:9092 --rm --name kafka-broker apache/kafka:latest
+start-kafka: stop-kafka
+	@podman container run -d -p 9092:9092 --rm --name kafka-broker docker.io/apache/kafka:latest
 
 BOOTSTRAPPERS="localhost:9092"
 info : build
@@ -29,4 +29,4 @@ create-topic : build
 	@bin/klient -c ${TOPIC} -p ${PARTITIONS} -n ${REPLICAS} -b ${BOOTSTRAPPERS}
 
 delete-topic : build
-	-@bin/klient -d ${TOPIC} -b ${BOOTSTRAPPERS}
+	-@bin/klient -d ${TOPIC} -b ${BOOTSTRAPPERS}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ccffb68..970e158 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,20 +10,14 @@ The `klient` utility exposes simplifed kafka cluster administration operations f
 
 ## Installation
 
-If `go` is available on the machine, `klient` can be installed quickly by running the below.
-
-```bash
-go install github.com/comradequinn/klient
-```
-
-Alternatively, there is a `amd64/linux` binary in this repo's `/bin` directory. Copy this repo to a location in your `$PATH` variable and grant it execute permissions.
+Installation instructions are available [here](./INSTALL.md)
 
 ### Local Kafka Broker
 
 The `Makefile` contains a convenience target to spin up a local `kafka broker` which will be available at `localhost:9092`, as shown below.
 
 ```bash
-make local-kafka
+make start-kafka
 ```
 
 The broker can be stopped by running the below
@@ -95,7 +89,7 @@ Alternatively, specify these attributes as required:
 
 ```bash
 # specify a partition count of 3 and a replication factor of 1
-klient -c "my-topic" -p 3 -r 1 -b "localhost:9092"
+klient -c "my-topic" -p 3 -n 1 -b "localhost:9092"
 ``` 
 
 ##  Topic Deletion
diff --git a/bin/klient b/bin/klient
index 59b4f16..5906f9c 100755
Binary files a/bin/klient and b/bin/klient differ
diff --git a/cli/cli.go b/cli/cli.go
index bb91131..ee4eb63 100644
--- a/cli/cli.go
+++ b/cli/cli.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ var (
 	writerFunc WriterFunc
 )
 
-// generate me a unit test for this 
+// generate me a unit test for this
 func Init(k KafkaReaderWriter, wf WriterFunc) {
 	kafka = k
 	writerFunc = wf
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index b847563..d973a27 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 module github.com/comradequinn/klient
 
-require github.com/segmentio/kafka-go v0.4.32
+require github.com/segmentio/kafka-go v0.4.48
 
 require (
-	github.com/klauspost/compress v1.15.9 // indirect
-	github.com/pierrec/lz4/v4 v4.1.15 // indirect
+	github.com/klauspost/compress v1.18.0 // indirect
+	github.com/pierrec/lz4/v4 v4.1.22 // indirect
 )
 
-go 1.23
+go 1.24
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 53e5d02..c027cea 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -5,31 +5,84 @@ github.com/klauspost/compress v1.14.2 h1:S0OHlFk/Gbon/yauFJ4FfJJF5V0fc5HbBTJazi2
 github.com/klauspost/compress v1.14.2/go.mod h1:/3/Vjq9QcHkK5uEr5lBEmyoZ1iFhe47etQ6QUkpK6sk=
 github.com/klauspost/compress v1.15.9 h1:wKRjX6JRtDdrE9qwa4b/Cip7ACOshUI4smpCQanqjSY=
 github.com/klauspost/compress v1.15.9/go.mod h1:PhcZ0MbTNciWF3rruxRgKxI5NkcHHrHUDtV4Yw2GlzU=
+github.com/klauspost/compress v1.18.0 h1:c/Cqfb0r+Yi+JtIEq73FWXVkRonBlf0CRNYc8Zttxdo=
+github.com/klauspost/compress v1.18.0/go.mod h1:2Pp+KzxcywXVXMr50+X0Q/Lsb43OQHYWRCY2AiWywWQ=
 github.com/pierrec/lz4/v4 v4.1.14 h1:+fL8AQEZtz/ijeNnpduH0bROTu0O3NZAlPjQxGn8LwE=
 github.com/pierrec/lz4/v4 v4.1.14/go.mod h1:gZWDp/Ze/IJXGXf23ltt2EXimqmTUXEy0GFuRQyBid4=
 github.com/pierrec/lz4/v4 v4.1.15 h1:MO0/ucJhngq7299dKLwIMtgTfbkoSPF6AoMYDd8Q4q0=
 github.com/pierrec/lz4/v4 v4.1.15/go.mod h1:gZWDp/Ze/IJXGXf23ltt2EXimqmTUXEy0GFuRQyBid4=
+github.com/pierrec/lz4/v4 v4.1.22 h1:cKFw6uJDK+/gfw5BcDL0JL5aBsAFdsIT18eRtLj7VIU=
+github.com/pierrec/lz4/v4 v4.1.22/go.mod h1:gZWDp/Ze/IJXGXf23ltt2EXimqmTUXEy0GFuRQyBid4=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0 h1:4DBwDE0NGyQoBHbLQYPwSUPoCMWR5BEzIk/f1lZbAQM=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0/go.mod h1:iKH77koFhYxTK1pcRnkKkqfTogsbg7gZNVY4sRDYZ/4=
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 gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.0-20220512140231-539c8e751b99/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=
+gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=
diff --git a/kafio/kafio.go b/kafio/kafio.go
index 28f5736..add3201 100644
--- a/kafio/kafio.go
+++ b/kafio/kafio.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import (
 
 type (
 	Connection struct {
-		controller    *kafka.Conn
+		driver        *kafka.Conn
 		bootstrappers []string
 	}
 	Message struct {
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func Connect(bootstrappers []string) (*Connection, error) {
 	)
 
 	for _, bs := range bootstrappers {
-		if connection.controller, err = kafka.Dial("tcp", bs); err != nil {
+		if connection.driver, err = kafka.Dial("tcp", bs); err != nil {
 			log.Printf("error connecting to bootstrapper [%v]: %v", bs, err)
 			continue
 		}
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@ func Connect(bootstrappers []string) (*Connection, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to connect to any of the specified bootstrappers [%+v]: %v", bootstrappers, err)
 	}
 
-	if controllerBroker, err = connection.controller.Controller(); err != nil {
+	if controllerBroker, err = connection.driver.Controller(); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to ascertain the cluster controller: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	if connection.controller, err = kafka.Dial("tcp", net.JoinHostPort(controllerBroker.Host, strconv.Itoa(controllerBroker.Port))); err != nil {
+	if connection.driver, err = kafka.Dial("tcp", net.JoinHostPort(controllerBroker.Host, strconv.Itoa(controllerBroker.Port))); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to connect to the cluster controller: %v", err)
 	}
 
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func Connect(bootstrappers []string) (*Connection, error) {
 // Topics returns a map keyed on the cluster's topics with
 // the value being the partition count
 func (conn *Connection) Topics() (map[string]int, error) {
-	partitions, err := conn.controller.ReadPartitions()
+	partitions, err := conn.driver.ReadPartitions()
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error reading cluster info. %v", err)
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ func (conn *Connection) NewTopic(name string, partitions, replicas int) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	err := conn.controller.CreateTopics(kafka.TopicConfig{
+	err := conn.driver.CreateTopics(kafka.TopicConfig{
 		Topic:             name,
 		NumPartitions:     partitions,
 		ReplicationFactor: replicas})
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ func (conn *Connection) DeleteTopic(name string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot delete topic. topic does not exist")
 	}
 
-	if err := conn.controller.DeleteTopics(name); err != nil {
+	if err := conn.driver.DeleteTopics(name); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to delete topic. %v", name)
 	}
 
diff --git a/klient.go b/klient.go
index a58751e..8025333 100644
--- a/klient.go
+++ b/klient.go
@@ -10,11 +10,17 @@ import (
 	"github.com/comradequinn/klient/kafio"
 )
 
+var (
+	commit = "dev-build"
+	tag    = "v0.0.0-dev.0"
+)
+
 func main() {
 	log.SetFlags(0)
 	log.SetOutput(os.Stdout)
 
 	var (
+		versionArg                 = flag.Bool("version", false, "print klient version")
 		bootstrappersArg           = flag.String("b", "localhost:9092", "the comma separated list of kafka bootstrappers to use to connect")
 		writeTopicArg              = flag.String("w", "", "the topic to write to")
 		writeTopicHeadersArg       = flag.String("h", "", "the comma separated set of 'key=value' formatted headers to use when writing to a topic. eg \"k1=v1,k2=v2\"")
@@ -33,6 +39,11 @@ func main() {
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
+	if *versionArg {
+		log.Printf("klient version %v (commit %v)\n", tag, commit)
+		os.Exit(0)
+	}
+
 	bootstrappers := strings.Split(*bootstrappersArg, ",")
 
 	if len(bootstrappers) == 0 {
diff --git a/tests/bin/klient b/tests/bin/klient
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..fcf84f9
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/bin/klient differ
diff --git a/tests/integration-tests.sh b/tests/integration-tests.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..d30f422
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration-tests.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+#! /bin/bash
+
+export TEST_BROKER_NAME=kafka-broker
+export TEST_TOPIC="klient-test"
+export TEST_TOPIC_REPLICAS="4"
+export BOOTSTRAPPERS="localhost:9092"
+export KLIENT=tests/bin/klient
+export TEST_KEY="test-key"
+export TEST_VALUE="test-data"
+export TEST_HEADER_1="test-header1"
+export TEST_HEADER_VALUE_1="test-value1"
+export TEST_HEADER_2="test-header2"
+export TEST_HEADER_VALUE_2="test-value2"
+
+function assert_contains() {
+    term="$1"
+    string="$2"
+
+    if ! printf "%s" "$string" | grep -q "$term"; then
+        echo "- test assertion failed: expected '$string' to contain '$term'"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+function assert_line_count() {
+    expected_lines="$1"
+    string="$2"
+    actual_lines="$(printf "%s\n" "$string" | wc -l)"
+
+    if [[ "$actual_lines" != "$expected_lines" ]]; then
+        echo "- test assertion failed: expected '$string' to contain $expected_lines lines. got $actual_lines"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+function assert_no_error() {
+    exit_code="$?"
+    output="$1"
+    
+    if [[ "$exit_code" != "0" ]]; then
+        echo "- test assertion failed: expected exit code of 0. got $exit_code. command output was '$output'"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+function assert_exit_code() {
+    actual_exit_code="$?"
+    expected_exit_code="$1"
+    output="$2"
+    
+    if [[ "$actual_exit_code" != "$expected_exit_code" ]]; then
+        echo "- test assertion failed: expected exit code of $expected_exit_code. got $actual_exit_code. command output was '$output'"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+printf "%s" "building klient... "
+CGO_ENABLED=0;go build -o $KLIENT
+printf "%s\n" "klient built to $KLIENT"
+
+echo "preparing kafka broker for integration tests named '$TEST_BROKER_NAME'..."
+printf "%s" "- removing any orphaned brokers from previous tests..."
+podman container rm -f $TEST_BROKER_NAME
+printf "\n%s" "- creating kafka test broker... "
+podman container run -d -p 9092:9092 --rm --name $TEST_BROKER_NAME docker.io/apache/kafka:latest
+printf "%s\n\n" "- waiting to allow '$TEST_BROKER_NAME' to be ready..."
+sleep 5s
+
+echo "test 1: list topics, expect none"
+TEST_RESULT="$($KLIENT -i -b "${BOOTSTRAPPERS}")"
+assert_no_error "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "NAME" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "PARTITIONS" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_line_count "1" "$TEST_RESULT"
+printf "%s\n\n" "- OK"
+
+echo "test 2: create topic named '${TEST_TOPIC}', expect no error"
+TEST_RESULT="$($KLIENT -c "${TEST_TOPIC}" -p 4 -n 1 -b "${BOOTSTRAPPERS}")"
+assert_no_error "$TEST_RESULT"
+printf "%s\n\n" "- OK"
+
+echo "test 3: list topics, expect one named '${TEST_TOPIC}' with ${TEST_TOPIC_REPLICAS} replicas"
+TEST_RESULT="$($KLIENT -i -b "${BOOTSTRAPPERS}")"
+assert_no_error "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "NAME" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "PARTITIONS" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "${TEST_TOPIC}" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "${TEST_TOPIC_REPLICAS}" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_line_count "2" "$TEST_RESULT"
+printf "%s\n\n" "- OK"
+
+echo "test 4: write message to '${TEST_TOPIC}' topic, expect no error"
+TEST_RESULT="$($KLIENT -w "${TEST_TOPIC}" -k "${TEST_KEY}" -v "${TEST_VALUE}" -h "${TEST_HEADER_1}=${TEST_HEADER_VALUE_1},${TEST_HEADER_2}=${TEST_HEADER_VALUE_2}" -b "${BOOTSTRAPPERS}")"
+assert_no_error "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "data written to topic" "$TEST_RESULT"
+printf "%s\n\n" "- OK"
+
+echo "test 5: read from '${TEST_TOPIC}' topic, expect message from test 4"
+TEST_RESULT="$(timeout 10s $KLIENT -r "${TEST_TOPIC}" -a -b "${BOOTSTRAPPERS}")"
+assert_exit_code "124" "$TEST_RESULT" # 124 = timeout
+assert_contains "reading from topic" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "${TEST_HEADER_1}: ${TEST_HEADER_VALUE_1}" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "${TEST_HEADER_2}: ${TEST_HEADER_VALUE_2}" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "${TEST_VALUE}" "$TEST_RESULT"
+printf "%s\n\n" "- OK"
+
+echo "test 6: delete topic named '${TEST_TOPIC}', expect no error"
+TEST_RESULT="$($KLIENT -d "${TEST_TOPIC}" -b "${BOOTSTRAPPERS}")"
+assert_no_error "$TEST_RESULT"
+printf "%s\n\n" "- OK"
+
+echo "test 7: list topics, expect only system topic named '__consumer_offsets'"
+TEST_RESULT="$($KLIENT -i -b "${BOOTSTRAPPERS}")"
+assert_no_error "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "NAME" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "PARTITIONS" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_contains "__consumer_offsets" "$TEST_RESULT"
+assert_line_count "2" "$TEST_RESULT"
+printf "%s\n\n" "- OK"
+
+printf "%s" "removing test broker... "
+podman container rm -f $TEST_BROKER_NAME
+
+printf "\n%s\n"  "integration tests completed successfully"
\ No newline at end of file