diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 618a8b22..a927b539 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -85,11 +85,6 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         ./gradlew jpackage --info --warning-mode=summary -PjavaVersion=${{ matrix.java }}
 
-    - name: Stop Gradle Daemon
-      run: |
-        ./gradlew -status
-        ./gradlew -stop
-
     - name: Archive native package for ${{ runner.os }}
       uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
       if: ${{ env.DEFAULT_JAVA == matrix.java }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/github_release.sh b/.github/workflows/github_release.sh
index 6e355691..5cafb4e9 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/github_release.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/github_release.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ echo "Read project version '$project_version' from Gradle project"
 release_artifacts=$(find build/release-artifacts -type f)
 readonly release_artifacts
 readonly title="Release $project_version"
-readonly tag="$project_version"
+readonly tag="v$project_version"
 echo "Creating release:"
 echo "Git tag  : $tag"
 echo "Title    : $title"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 5aabf702..bbb4c0cf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout the repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Fail if not running on main branch
+        if: ${{ github.ref != 'refs/heads/main' }}
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            core.setFailed('Not running on main branch, github.ref is ${{ github.ref }}. Please start this workflow only on main')
+
       - name: Set up Java
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
@@ -68,7 +76,6 @@ jobs:
       cancel-in-progress: false
     permissions:
       contents: write # Required for creating GitHub release
-      actions: read # Required for checking build status
     steps:
       - name: Checkout the repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -81,21 +88,21 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@v4
 
-#      - name: Fail if not running on main branch
-#        if: ${{ github.ref != 'refs/heads/main' }}
-#        uses: actions/github-script@v7
-#        with:
-#          script: |
-#            core.setFailed('Not running on main branch, github.ref is ${{ github.ref }}. Please start this workflow only on main')
+      - name: Fail if not running on main branch
+        if: ${{ github.ref != 'refs/heads/main' }}
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            core.setFailed('Not running on main branch, github.ref is ${{ github.ref }}. Please start this workflow only on main')
 
-#      - name: Publish to Central Repository
-#        if: ${{ ! inputs.skip-maven-central }}
-#        run: ./gradlew publish closeAndReleaseRepository --info --warning-mode all
-#        env:
-#            ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_sonatypeUsername: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
-#            ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_sonatypePassword: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
-#            ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_signingKey: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_GPG_SECRET_KEY }}
-#            ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_signingPassword: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_GPG_SECRET_KEY_PASSWORD }}
+      - name: Publish to Central Repository
+        if: ${{ ! inputs.skip-maven-central }}
+        run: ./gradlew publishToSonatype closeAndReleaseSonatypeStagingRepository --info --warning-mode all
+        env:
+            ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_sonatypeUsername: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
+            ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_sonatypePassword: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
+            ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_signingKey: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_GPG_SECRET_KEY }}
+            ORG_GRADLE_PROJECT_signingPassword: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_GPG_SECRET_KEY_PASSWORD }}
 
       - name: Download artifacts
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c706be1c..0259a360 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 See [Release](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/releases/tag/v1.10.0) / [Milestone](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/milestone/12?closed=1)
 
-## [1.9.0] - 2024-??-??
+## [1.9.0] - 2024-09-08
 
 See [Release](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/releases/tag/v1.9.0) / [Milestone](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/milestone/11?closed=1)
 
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@ This release requires Java 21.
 * [#132](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/issues/132): Fix display of negative zero duration
 * [#272](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/pull/272): Fix startup under Linux
 
+### Refactoring
+
+* [#280](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/pull/280) & [#281](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/pull/281): Upgrade dependencies and enable automatic release
+* [#278](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/pull/278): Code cleanup
+
 ## [1.8.0] - 2022-01-22
 
 See [Release](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/releases/tag/v1.8.0) / [Milestone](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/milestone/10?closed=1)
diff --git a/api/build.gradle b/api/build.gradle
index 591eb969..8bcebd45 100644
--- a/api/build.gradle
+++ b/api/build.gradle
@@ -17,14 +17,6 @@ dependencies {
     testImplementation libs.bundles.testUtils
 }
 
-def getOptionalProperty(String name) {
-    if(project.hasProperty(name)) {
-        return project.property(name)
-    }
-    logger.info("Project property '${name}' not available. Please add it to ~/.gradle/gradle.properties")
-    return null
-}
-
 publishing {
     publications {
         mavenJava(MavenPublication) {
@@ -56,21 +48,11 @@ publishing {
             }
         }
     }
-
-    repositories {
-        maven {
-            def releasesRepoUrl = "https://oss.sonatype.org/service/local/staging/deploy/maven2/"
-            def snapshotsRepoUrl = "https://oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/snapshots/"
-            url = version.endsWith('SNAPSHOT') ? snapshotsRepoUrl : releasesRepoUrl
-            allowInsecureProtocol = false
-            credentials(PasswordCredentials) {
-                username = getOptionalProperty("ossrhUsername")
-                password = getOptionalProperty("ossrhPassword")
-            }
-        }
-    }
 }
 
 signing {
-    sign publishing.publications.mavenJava
+    def signingKey = findProperty("signingKey")
+    def signingPassword = findProperty("signingPassword")
+    useInMemoryPgpKeys(signingKey, signingPassword)
+    sign(publishing.publications["mavenJava"])
 }
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index f94a2d1b..b0a49506 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ plugins {
     id "com.github.ben-manes.versions" version "0.51.0"
     id "org.panteleyev.jpackageplugin" version "1.6.0" apply false
     id "org.gradle.crypto.checksum" version "1.4.0" apply false
+    id "io.github.gradle-nexus.publish-plugin" version "2.0.0"
 }
 
 version = "1.9.0"
@@ -103,3 +104,12 @@ tasks.named("dependencyUpdates").configure {
     isNonStable(it.candidate.version) && !isNonStable(it.currentVersion)
   }
 }
+
+nexusPublishing {
+    packageGroup = project.group
+    repositories {
+        sonatype {
+            stagingProfileId = "546ea6ce74787e"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/docs/developer_guide.md b/docs/developer_guide.md
index f757863a..825f808b 100644
--- a/docs/developer_guide.md
+++ b/docs/developer_guide.md
@@ -66,35 +66,21 @@ Precondition for Windows: Install the [WiX Toolset](https://wixtoolset.org) and
 ```sh
 ./gradlew jpackage --info
 ```
+### Creating a Release
 
-## Deployment
+#### Preparations
 
-This will build WhiteRabbit and publish the plugin api to Maven Central.
+1. Checkout the `main` branch, create a new branch.
+2. Update version number in `build.gradle` and `README.md`.
+3. Add changes in new version to `CHANGELOG.md`.
+4. Commit and push changes.
+5. Create a new pull request, have it reviewed and merged to `main`.
 
-### Initial setup
+#### Perform the Release
 
-Add the following to your `~/.gradle/gradle.properties`:
-
-    ```properties
-    ossrhUsername=<your maven central username>
-    ossrhPassword=<your maven central passwort>
-
-    signing.keyId=<gpg key id (last 8 chars)>
-    signing.password=<gpg key password>
-    signing.secretKeyRingFile=<path to secret keyring file>
-    ```
-
-### <a name="build_and_deploy"></a>Build and deploy
-
-1. Make sure the [Changelog](../CHANGELOG.md) is updated
-2. Run the following command:
-
-    ```sh
-    ./gradlew clean build publish closeAndReleaseRepository --info
-    ```
-
-    The release will be written to `jfxui/build/libs/white-rabbit-fx-<version>.jar`. Snapshots will be available at [oss.sonatype.org](https://oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/snapshots/org/itsallcode/whiterabbit/).
-
-3. Create a new [release](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/releases) in GitHub and attach the built jar.
-4. Close the [milestone](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/milestones) in GitHub.
-5. After some time the release will be available at [Maven Central](https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/itsallcode/whiterabbit/).
+1. Start the release workflow
+  * Run command `gh workflow run release.yml --repo itsallcode/white-rabbit --ref main`
+  * or go to [GitHub Actions](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/actions/workflows/release.yml) and start the `release.yml` workflow on branch `main`.
+2. Update title and description of the newly created [GitHub release](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/releases).
+3. Close the [milestone](https://github.com/itsallcode/white-rabbit/milestones) in GitHub.
+4. After some time the release will be available at [Maven Central](https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/itsallcode/whiterabbit/).