diff --git a/.release-it.cjs b/.release-it.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a8f89560
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.release-it.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/**
+ * release-it configuration.
+ *
+ * Converted from `.release-it.json` to `.cjs` so we can supply a custom
+ * `whatBump` function that caps the recommended bump at `minor`. Reason:
+ *
+ *   `@release-it/conventional-changelog` forwards the default bump logic to
+ *   `conventional-recommended-bump`, whose `conventionalcommits` preset always
+ *   returns `major` when any commit's body contains a "BREAKING CHANGE" footer
+ *   (case-insensitive) or a `!:` marker. That would silently jump this CLI
+ *   from 0.x → 1.0.0 on a single stray commit, which is never what we want.
+ *
+ * This override forces the recommended bump to stop at `minor`. A genuine
+ * major release still requires an operator to pass `release-it major`
+ * explicitly, which is how most mature TS libraries handle it.
+ *
+ * `.release-it.json` takes precedence over `.release-it.cjs` in release-it's
+ * config resolution order, so the JSON file must not exist.
+ */
+
+module.exports = {
+  git: {
+    commitMessage: "Release v${version} [skip ci]",
+    tagName: "v${version}",
+    requireCleanWorkingDir: false,
+    requireUpstream: false,
+    requireCommits: false,
+    push: true,
+  },
+  github: {
+    release: true,
+    tokenRef: "GITHUB_TOKEN",
+  },
+  npm: {
+    publish: true,
+    publishArgs: ["--provenance --access public"],
+    skipChecks: true,
+  },
+  plugins: {
+    "@release-it/conventional-changelog": {
+      preset: "conventionalcommits",
+      infile: "CHANGELOG.md",
+      /**
+       * Cap automatic bumps at minor. Levels: 0 = major, 1 = minor, 2 = patch.
+       *   BREAKING CHANGE footer or `!:` marker → minor (was: major)
+       *   feat:                                  → minor (unchanged)
+       *   fix: / chore: / etc.                   → patch (unchanged)
+       * Run `release-it major` manually for a genuine major release.
+       */
+      whatBump: (commits) => {
+        const hasBreaking = commits.some((c) => {
+          const bangMarker = typeof c.header === "string" && /^[^:!\s]+!:/.test(c.header);
+          const breakingFooter =
+            Array.isArray(c.notes) && c.notes.some((n) => /BREAKING[ -]CHANGE/i.test(n.title ?? ""));
+          return bangMarker || breakingFooter;
+        });
+        const hasFeat = commits.some((c) => c.type === "feat");
+
+        if (hasBreaking) {
+          return {
+            level: 1,
+            reason:
+              "BREAKING CHANGE detected; auto-bump capped at minor. Run `release-it major` to force a major release.",
+          };
+        }
+        if (hasFeat) {
+          return { level: 1, reason: "feat commits present → minor" };
+        }
+        return { level: 2, reason: "no feat/breaking commits → patch" };
+      },
+      types: [
+        { type: "feat", section: "Features" },
+        { type: "fix", section: "Bug Fixes" },
+        { type: "chore", section: "Improvement Tasks" },
+        { type: "ci", section: "Continuous Integration" },
+        { type: "docs", section: "Documentation" },
+        { type: "style", section: "Styles" },
+        { type: "refactor", section: "Refactor Tasks" },
+        { type: "perf", section: "Performance Improvements" },
+        { type: "test", section: "Testing" },
+      ],
+    },
+  },
+  hooks: {
+    "after:bump": "npm run build",
+  },
+};
diff --git a/.release-it.json b/.release-it.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 5ba0b6f0..00000000
--- a/.release-it.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,66 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "git": {
-    "commitMessage": "Release v${version} [skip ci]",
-    "tagName": "v${version}",
-    "requireCleanWorkingDir": false,
-    "requireUpstream": false,
-    "requireCommits": false,
-    "push": true
-  },
-  "github": {
-    "release": true,
-    "tokenRef": "GITHUB_TOKEN"
-  },
-  "npm": {
-    "publish": true,
-    "publishArgs": ["--provenance --access public"],
-    "skipChecks": true
-  },
-  "plugins": {
-    "@release-it/conventional-changelog": {
-      "preset": "conventionalcommits",
-      "infile": "CHANGELOG.md",
-      "types": [
-        {
-          "type": "feat",
-          "section": "Features"
-        },
-        {
-          "type": "fix",
-          "section": "Bug Fixes"
-        },
-        {
-          "type": "chore",
-          "section": "Improvement Tasks"
-        },
-        {
-          "type": "ci",
-          "section": "Continuous Integration"
-        },
-        {
-          "type": "docs",
-          "section": "Documentation"
-        },
-        {
-          "type": "style",
-          "section": "Styles"
-        },
-        {
-          "type": "refactor",
-          "section": "Refactor Tasks"
-        },
-        {
-          "type": "perf",
-          "section": "Performance Improvements"
-        },
-        {
-          "type": "test",
-          "section": "Testing"
-        }
-      ]
-    }
-  },
-  "hooks": {
-    "after:bump": "npm run build"
-  }
-}