diff --git a/.github/workflows/scancode-release.yml b/.github/workflows/scancode-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..88dc3ac0fc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/scancode-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,388 @@
+name: Create ScanCode release archives, then test and publish to GH and PyPI
+
+# This is executed automatically on a tag
+
+# Summary of the steps:
+# - build wheel and sdist for main and same for mini flavor
+#   - then upload all wheels and sdist to PyPI
+# - build release app archives, one for each of linux, windows, macos on Python 3.8
+#   - then create gh-release and upload app archives to release
+# TODO: for each of linux, windows, macos: smoke test wheel, sdist and release archives
+# TODO: add changelog to release text body
+
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - "v*.*.*"
+
+jobs:
+
+  build_scancode_for_pypi:
+    name: Build ScanCode PyPI archives
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+        with:
+          python-version: 3.8
+
+      - name: Install requirements and prepare index
+        run: |
+          ./configure --dev
+          ./scancode --reindex-licenses
+
+
+      - name: Build main wheel
+        run: |
+          venv/bin/python setup.py --quiet bdist_wheel
+          venv/bin/twine check dist/*
+
+      - name: Collect built main wheel
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: main_wheel
+          path: dist/*
+
+      - name: Build main sdist
+        run: |
+          rm -rf dist
+          venv/bin/python setup.py --quiet sdist
+          venv/bin/twine check dist/*
+
+      - name: Collect built main sdist
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: main_sdist
+          path: dist/*
+
+
+  build_scancode_for_pypi_mini:
+    name: Build ScanCode PyPI archives mini
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+        with:
+          python-version: 3.8
+
+      - name: Install requirements and prepare index
+        run: |
+          ./configure --dev
+          ./scancode --reindex-licenses
+
+      - name: Build mini wheel
+        run: |
+          rm -rf build dist
+          rm -rf .eggs src/scancode_toolkit.egg-info src/scancode_toolkit_mini.egg-info
+          cp setup-mini.cfg setup.cfg
+          venv/bin/python setup.py --quiet bdist_wheel
+          venv/bin/twine check dist/*
+
+      - name: Collect built mini wheel
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: mini_wheel
+          path: dist/*
+
+      - name: Build mini sdist
+        run: |
+          rm -rf build dist
+          rm -rf .eggs src/scancode_toolkit.egg-info src/scancode_toolkit_mini.egg-info
+          cp setup-mini.cfg setup.cfg
+          venv/bin/python setup.py --quiet sdist
+          venv/bin/twine check dist/*
+
+      - name: Collect built mini sdist
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: mini_sdist
+          path: dist/*
+
+
+  build_scancode_for_release_linux:
+    name: Build ScanCode Release archives for linux
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+        with:
+          python-version: 3.8
+
+      - name: Install requirements and prepare index
+        run: |
+          ./configure --dev
+          ./scancode --reindex-licenses
+
+      - name: Build linux app archive
+        run: |
+          source venv/bin/activate
+          formats=xztar
+          operating_system=linux
+          python_dot_version=3.8
+          python_version=38
+          echo -n "python$python_dot_version" > PYTHON_EXECUTABLE
+          rm -rf thirdparty build dist
+          rm -rf .eggs src/scancode_toolkit.egg-info src/scancode_toolkit_mini.egg-info
+          mkdir -p thirdparty
+          venv/bin/python etc/scripts/fetch_thirdparty.py \
+            --requirements=requirements.txt \
+            --dest=thirdparty \
+            --python-version=$python_version \
+            --operating-system=$operating_system \
+            --wheels
+          venv/bin/python setup.py --quiet sdist --formats=$formats 
+          venv/bin/python etc/release/scancode_rename_archives.py dist/ _py$python_version-$operating_system
+
+      - name: Collect built linux app
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: linux_app
+          path: dist/*
+
+
+  build_scancode_for_release_mac:
+    name: Build ScanCode Release archives for mac
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+        with:
+          python-version: 3.8
+
+      - name: Install requirements and prepare index
+        run: |
+          ./configure --dev
+          ./scancode --reindex-licenses
+
+
+      - name: Build mac app archive
+        run: |
+          source venv/bin/activate
+          formats=xztar
+          operating_system=macos
+          python_dot_version=3.8
+          python_version=38
+          echo -n "python$python_dot_version" > PYTHON_EXECUTABLE
+          rm -rf thirdparty build dist
+          rm -rf .eggs src/scancode_toolkit.egg-info src/scancode_toolkit_mini.egg-info
+          mkdir -p thirdparty
+          venv/bin/python etc/scripts/fetch_thirdparty.py \
+            --requirements=requirements.txt \
+            --dest=thirdparty \
+            --python-version=$python_version \
+            --operating-system=$operating_system \
+            --wheels
+          venv/bin/python setup.py --quiet sdist --formats=$formats 
+          venv/bin/python etc/release/scancode_rename_archives.py dist/ _py$python_version-$operating_system
+ 
+      - name: Collect built mac app
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: macos_app
+          path: dist/*
+
+
+  build_scancode_for_release_win:
+    name: Build ScanCode Release archives for windows
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+        with:
+          python-version: 3.8
+
+      - name: Install requirements and prepare index
+        run: |
+          ./configure --dev
+          ./scancode --reindex-licenses
+ 
+      - name: Build windows app archive
+        run: |
+          source venv/bin/activate
+          formats=zip
+          operating_system=windows
+          python_dot_version=3.8
+          python_version=38
+          echo -n "py -$python_dot_version" > PYTHON_EXECUTABLE
+          rm -rf thirdparty build dist
+          rm -rf .eggs src/scancode_toolkit.egg-info src/scancode_toolkit_mini.egg-info
+          mkdir -p thirdparty
+          venv/bin/python etc/scripts/fetch_thirdparty.py \
+            --requirements=requirements.txt \
+            --dest=thirdparty \
+            --python-version=$python_version \
+            --operating-system=$operating_system \
+            --wheels
+          venv/bin/python setup.py --quiet sdist --formats=$formats 
+          venv/bin/python etc/release/scancode_rename_archives.py dist/ _py$python_version-$operating_system
+ 
+      - name: Collect built windows app
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: windows_app
+          path: dist/*
+
+  build_scancode_for_release_source:
+    name: Build ScanCode Release archives source
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+        with:
+          python-version: 3.8
+
+      - name: Install requirements and prepare index
+        run: |
+          ./configure --dev
+
+      - name: Build source archive with deps
+        run: |
+          source venv/bin/activate
+          formats=xztar
+          rm -rf thirdparty build dist src/licensedcode/data/cache
+          rm -rf .eggs src/scancode_toolkit.egg-info src/scancode_toolkit_mini.egg-info
+          mkdir -p thirdparty
+          venv/bin/python etc/scripts/fetch_thirdparty.py \
+            --requirements=requirements.txt \
+            --dest=thirdparty \
+            --sdists
+          venv/bin/python setup.py --quiet sdist --formats=$formats 
+          venv/bin/python etc/release/scancode_rename_archives.py dist/  _sources
+ 
+      - name: Collect built source app tarball
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: source_app
+          path: dist/*
+
+
+  publish_to_pypi:
+    name: Publish to PyPI
+    needs: [build_scancode_for_pypi, build_scancode_for_pypi_mini]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        dist_names: [main_wheel, main_sdist, mini_wheel, mini_sdist]
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+        with:
+          python-version: 3.8
+
+      - name: Download a single artifact
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: ${{ matrix.dist_names }}
+          path: dist
+
+      - name: Publish distributions to PyPI
+        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@master
+        with:
+          password: ${{ secrets.PYPI_API_TOKEN }}
+
+
+  publish_to_gh_release:
+    name: Publish to GH Release
+    needs:
+      - build_scancode_for_release_linux
+      - build_scancode_for_release_win
+      - build_scancode_for_release_mac
+      - build_scancode_for_release_source
+    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Download a single artifact source_app
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: source_app
+          path: dist
+
+      - name: Download a single artifact macos_app
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: macos_app
+          path: dist
+
+      - name: Download a single artifact linux_app
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: linux_app
+          path: dist
+
+      - name: Download a single artifact windows_app
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+        with:
+          name: windows_app
+          path: dist
+
+      - name: Create release and publish archives
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v1
+        with:
+          draft: true
+          files: dist/*
diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index 623a8575f6a..9334b861a6b 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 graft src
 
 graft thirdparty
-recursive-include etc configure.py
 graft etc/thirdparty
 recursive-include etc/thirdparty *
 
@@ -14,7 +13,7 @@ include *.rst
 include setup.*
 include configure*
 include requirements*
-include .git*
+include .giti*
 
 include extractcode*
 include scancode*
diff --git a/etc/release/scancode-create-release.sh b/etc/release/scancode-create-release.sh
index e1c6d072e8a..a99f13a7e81 100755
--- a/etc/release/scancode-create-release.sh
+++ b/etc/release/scancode-create-release.sh
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ function build_source_archive {
     # would take a distutils manifest-like input
 
     $BIN_DIR/python setup.py $QUIET sdist --formats=xztar
-    $BIN_DIR/python etc/release/scancode_rename_archives.py dist/ $src _sources
+    $BIN_DIR/python etc/release/scancode_rename_archives.py dist/ _sources
     mkdir -p release/archives
     mv dist/* release/archives/
 }
diff --git a/etc/scripts/utils_thirdparty.py b/etc/scripts/utils_thirdparty.py
index 4c409693911..7a18f230137 100755
--- a/etc/scripts/utils_thirdparty.py
+++ b/etc/scripts/utils_thirdparty.py
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ def download_sdist(
     raise DistributionNotFound(f"Failed to fetch sdist: {name}=={version}: No sources found")
 
 
-@functools.cache
+@functools.lru_cache(maxsize=None)
 def get_package_versions(
     name,
     version=None,
@@ -2364,7 +2364,7 @@ def build_wheels_locally_if_pure_python(
 
 def check_about(dest_dir=THIRDPARTY_DIR):
     try:
-        subprocess.check_output(f"about check {dest_dir}".split())
+        subprocess.check_output(f"venv/bin/about check {dest_dir}".split())
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError as cpe:
         print()
         print("Invalid ABOUT files:")
diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
index c7487662ff8..cc54c189f30 100644
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ b/requirements-dev.txt
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@ pytest==7.0.1
 pytest-forked==1.4.0
 pytest-xdist==2.5.0
 tomli==1.2.3
+twine
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/setup-mini.cfg b/setup-mini.cfg
index 1e6edac91ce..7b8b9b2bad0 100644
--- a/setup-mini.cfg
+++ b/setup-mini.cfg
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ testing =
     pytest >= 6, != 7.0.0
     pytest-xdist >= 2
     aboutcode-toolkit >= 6.0.0
+    twine
 
 docs =
     Sphinx >= 3.3.1
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index cfae4518a6e..ddb9d172a2b 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ testing =
     pytest >= 6, != 7.0.0
     pytest-xdist >= 2
     aboutcode-toolkit >= 6.0.0
+    twine
 
 docs =
     Sphinx >= 3.3.1
diff --git a/src/packagedcode/plugin_package.py b/src/packagedcode/plugin_package.py
index 2d32d3b08e0..931c5468ed6 100644
--- a/src/packagedcode/plugin_package.py
+++ b/src/packagedcode/plugin_package.py
@@ -167,7 +167,6 @@ def create_package_and_deps(codebase, **kwargs):
                 handler = get_package_handler(package_data)
                 if TRACE:
                     logger_debug('  create_package_and_deps: handler:', handler)
-                click.echo(f'  create_package_and_deps: handler: {handler}')
  
                 items = handler.assemble(
                     package_data=package_data,
diff --git a/src/scancode_config.py b/src/scancode_config.py
index 753dd9c85d2..e09947d2400 100644
--- a/src/scancode_config.py
+++ b/src/scancode_config.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def _create_dir(location):
 
 # in case package is not installed or we do not have setutools/pkg_resources
 # on hand fall back to this version
-__version__ = '31.0.0b3'
+__version__ = '31.0.0b4'
 
 # used to warn user when the version is out of date
 __release_date__ = datetime.datetime(2022, 4, 30)