diff --git a/template/Makefile b/template/Makefile
index 382c8b8..adc04b7 100644
--- a/template/Makefile
+++ b/template/Makefile
@@ -13,6 +13,21 @@ check: ## Run code quality tools.
 	@echo "🚀 Static type checking: Running ty"
 	@uv run ty check
 
+.PHONY: release-dry
+release-dry: ## Simulate the release process and show the next version
+	@echo "🚀 Simulating release process..."
+	@uv run semantic-release --noop version --print
+
+.PHONY: release-stable
+release-stable: ## Prepare project for stable 1.0.0 release (disables 0.x.x versions)
+	@echo "🚀 Preparing for stable release..."
+	@sed -i 's/allow_zero_version = true/allow_zero_version = false/' pyproject.toml
+	@echo "Updated pyproject.toml: allow_zero_version = false"
+	@echo "Next steps:"
+	@echo "   1. git add pyproject.toml"
+	@echo "   2. git commit -m 'chore: prepare for stable 1.0.0 release'"
+	@echo "   3. Push to main - the next feat/fix commit will trigger 1.0.0"
+
 .PHONY: test
 test: ## Test the code with pytest
 	@echo "🚀 Testing code: Running pytest"
diff --git a/template/pyproject.toml.jinja b/template/pyproject.toml.jinja
index 8ffb2cf..1b66214 100644
--- a/template/pyproject.toml.jinja
+++ b/template/pyproject.toml.jinja
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "{{ project_name }}"
-version = "0.0.1"
+version = "0.0.0"
 description = "{{ project_description }}"
 authors = [{name = "{{ author_username }}", email = "{{ author_email }}"}]
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ dev = [
     "ty>=0.0.1a16",
     "ruff>=0.11.5",
     "pytest>=7.2.0",
+    "python-semantic-release>=10.5.3",
 ]
 
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
@@ -55,6 +56,18 @@ build_command = """
   uv build
 """
 
+# Commit parser - this should be at the top level
+commit_parser = "conventional"
+
+# Allow 0.x.x versions (prevents jumping straight to 1.0.0)
+allow_zero_version = true
+
+# Don't do major version bumps when in 0.x.x
+major_on_zero = false
+
+# Tag format
+tag_format = "v{version}"
+
 [tool.semantic_release.changelog]
 exclude_commit_patterns = [
     '''chore(?:\([^)]*?\))?: .+''',