diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..08be10a4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+## Releasing a new version of PHARE
+
+- [ ] Review file: res/cmake/release.cmake
+- [ ] Update to use latest (if safe) versions
+- [ ] PR updates to master
+- [ ] Cut branch from master as $MAJ.$MIN.x if required
+- [ ] Tag branch as $MAJ.$MIN.$PATCH
diff --git a/res/cmake/def.cmake b/res/cmake/def.cmake
index 684425235..bc9e1a7d2 100644
--- a/res/cmake/def.cmake
+++ b/res/cmake/def.cmake
@@ -87,6 +87,13 @@ if(devMode) # -DdevMode=ON
       set(PHARE_WITH_CCACHE TRUE)
     endif()
   endif()
+
+else()
+
+  if (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Release")
+    include("${PHARE_PROJECT_DIR}/res/cmake/release.cmake")
+  endif()
+
 endif(devMode)
 
 function(phare_sanitize_ san cflags )
diff --git a/res/cmake/dep.cmake b/res/cmake/dep.cmake
index 803634af3..0e51537df 100644
--- a/res/cmake/dep.cmake
+++ b/res/cmake/dep.cmake
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 function(phare_git_get_or_update name dir url branch)
   if (NOT EXISTS ${dir})
+    message("cloning ${url} ${branch}" )
     execute_process(
       COMMAND ${Git} clone ${url} ${dir} -b ${branch} --recursive --depth 1 --shallow-submodules
     )
diff --git a/res/cmake/dep/cppdict.cmake b/res/cmake/dep/cppdict.cmake
index 44b5fdedc..0f888a9e6 100644
--- a/res/cmake/dep/cppdict.cmake
+++ b/res/cmake/dep/cppdict.cmake
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 
 
-set(CPPDICT_SRCDIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/subprojects/cppdict)
-set(CPPDICT_VERSION master)
-phare_github_get_or_update(cppdict ${CPPDICT_SRCDIR} LaboratoryOfPlasmaPhysics/cppdict ${CPPDICT_VERSION})
+if(NOT DEFINED PHARE_CPPDICT_VERION)
+  SET(PHARE_CPPDICT_VERION "master")
+endif()
 
+set(CPPDICT_SRCDIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/subprojects/cppdict)
+phare_github_get_or_update(cppdict ${CPPDICT_SRCDIR} LaboratoryOfPlasmaPhysics/cppdict ${PHARE_CPPDICT_VERION})
diff --git a/res/cmake/dep/highfive.cmake b/res/cmake/dep/highfive.cmake
index b74081c68..0cd23378a 100644
--- a/res/cmake/dep/highfive.cmake
+++ b/res/cmake/dep/highfive.cmake
@@ -3,15 +3,14 @@
 set (PHARE_HAS_HIGHFIVE "0")
 if(HighFive)
 
+  if(NOT DEFINED PHARE_HIGHFIVE_VERSION)
+    SET(PHARE_HIGHFIVE_VERSION "master")
+  endif()
+
   set (HIGHFIVE_SRC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/subprojects/highfive)
-  set (HIGHFIVE_VERSION master)
 
-  phare_github_get_or_update(HighFive ${HIGHFIVE_SRC} BlueBrain/HighFive ${HIGHFIVE_VERSION})
+  phare_github_get_or_update(HighFive ${HIGHFIVE_SRC} BlueBrain/HighFive ${PHARE_HIGHFIVE_VERSION})
 
-  include_directories(
-    ${HIGHFIVE_SRC}/include
-    ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/subprojects/highfive/include # configured include for version info
-  )
   set(HIGHFIVE_UNIT_TESTS OFF) # silence warning
   set(HIGHFIVE_USE_BOOST OFF)
   set(HIGHFIVE_BUILD_DOCS OFF) # conflicts with phare doc target
diff --git a/res/cmake/dep/pybind.cmake b/res/cmake/dep/pybind.cmake
index fb2e90135..b712eaf9a 100644
--- a/res/cmake/dep/pybind.cmake
+++ b/res/cmake/dep/pybind.cmake
@@ -9,11 +9,13 @@ function(get_pybind)
     set (PHARE_FLAGS ${PHARE_FLAGS} -fsized-deallocation)
   endif()
 
-  message("downloading subproject pybind11")
+  if(NOT DEFINED PHARE_PYBIND11_VERSION)
+    SET(PHARE_PYBIND11_VERSION "master")
+  endif()
+
   set(PYBIND11_SRCDIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/subprojects/pybind11)
-  set(PYBIND11_VERSION master)
 
-  phare_github_get_or_update(pybind11 ${PYBIND11_SRCDIR} pybind/pybind11 ${PYBIND11_VERSION})
+  phare_github_get_or_update(pybind11 ${PYBIND11_SRCDIR} pybind/pybind11 ${PHARE_PYBIND11_VERSION})
 
   add_subdirectory(${PYBIND11_SRCDIR})
 
diff --git a/res/cmake/dep/samrai.cmake b/res/cmake/dep/samrai.cmake
index d4cc3354f..d90f2a86b 100644
--- a/res/cmake/dep/samrai.cmake
+++ b/res/cmake/dep/samrai.cmake
@@ -10,11 +10,15 @@ if (NOT SAMRAI_FOUND)
   if(DEFINED SAMRAI_ROOT)
     find_package(SAMRAI PATHS ${SAMRAI_ROOT} REQUIRED)
   else()
-    set(SAMRAI_VERSION develop)
+
+    if(NOT DEFINED PHARE_SAMRAI_VERSION)
+      SET(PHARE_SAMRAI_VERSION "develop")
+    endif()
+
     set(SAMRAI_SRCDIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/subprojects/samrai)
     set(SAMRAI_BIN ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/subprojects/samrai)
 
-    phare_github_get_or_update(SAMRAI ${SAMRAI_SRCDIR} LLNL/SAMRAI ${SAMRAI_VERSION})
+    phare_github_get_or_update(SAMRAI ${SAMRAI_SRCDIR} LLNL/SAMRAI ${PHARE_SAMRAI_VERSION})
 
     if (NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Release")
       # enable samrai assertions if not in release mode
diff --git a/res/cmake/release.cmake b/res/cmake/release.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..75ce852e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/res/cmake/release.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+##
+# Release info
+#  KEEP SIMPLE!
+#
+
+# https://github.com/LLNL/SAMRAI/releases/tag/v-4-3-0
+SET(PHARE_SAMRAI_VERSION "v-4-3-0")
+
+# https://github.com/pybind/pybind11/releases/tag/v2.13.6
+SET(PHARE_PYBIND11_VERSION "v2.13.6")
+
+# https://github.com/BlueBrain/HighFive/releases/tag/v2.10.0
+SET(PHARE_HIGHFIVE_VERSION "master") # v2.10.0 is too old
+
+# https://github.com/LaboratoryOfPlasmaPhysics/cppdict/releases/tag/v1.0.0
+SET(PHARE_CPPDICT_VERION "v1.0.0")
diff --git a/src/diagnostic/CMakeLists.txt b/src/diagnostic/CMakeLists.txt
index 8759c822c..a06937646 100644
--- a/src/diagnostic/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/diagnostic/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@ if (HighFive)
 endif()
 
 add_library(${PROJECT_NAME} INTERFACE)
-target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} INTERFACE phare_amr)
+target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} INTERFACE phare_amr HighFive)