diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index db299d1..39615e7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@
 
 All notable changes to this project are documented here.
 
-## [Unreleased]
+## [0.1.0-rc.1] - 2026-10-08
+
+### Distribution
+- Provide the pre-release tarball from the repository release so another
+  machine can install it without cloning or building the source checkout.
 
 ### Documentation
 - Document release-candidate tarball verification and record the pre-release
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e3d53eb..d578ae8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ A small, OpenCode V2-native package containing a curated set of engineering
 workflows adapted from ECC, plus a read-only project-status tool and a
 conservative project installer.
 
-This is an early development release. It currently targets OpenCode **2.0.24**
-and Node.js **20 or newer**. It is not yet published to npm.
+This is a pre-release (`0.1.0-rc.1`) targeting OpenCode **2.0.24** and Node.js
+**20 or newer**. It is not published to npm; install the package tarball attached
+to the repository release.
 
 ## Included
 
@@ -19,22 +20,23 @@ and Node.js **20 or newer**. It is not yet published to npm.
 Provider/model selection remains the user's OpenCode configuration. The package
 does not enable hooks through a global install or configure credentials.
 
-## Install from a local checkout
+## Install the pre-release
 
-Until a release is published, install the package from its checkout in the
-project where it will be used:
+From the project where you want to use the toolkit, run:
 
 ```sh
-npm install --save-dev /path/to/opencode-toolkit
+npm install --save-dev "https://git.sargatxet.cloud/sargatxet/opencode-toolkit/releases/download/v0.1.0-rc.1/sargatxet-opencode-toolkit-0.1.0-rc.1.tgz"
 npx opencode-toolkit install .
 ```
 
-Replace `/path/to/opencode-toolkit` with the checkout path on your machine.
+This installs the prebuilt package and dependencies directly from the release;
+you do not need to clone the repository or build it. Node.js 20+ and npm must be
+installed. OpenCode itself should be version 2.0.24 for the validated setup.
 
 The installer copies the selected skills and agents into `.opencode/`, registers
 the local package directory from `node_modules` in the applicable project
 config, and writes an ownership manifest. This avoids asking OpenCode to fetch
-the provisional, unpublished package name from npm. It does not overwrite
+the package from npm. It does not overwrite
 unmanaged files. If a managed file has been edited since installation, updates
 stop rather than replacing it.
 If both `opencode.json` and `.opencode/opencode.json` exist, installation stops
@@ -67,12 +69,12 @@ For a release candidate, build the package and create a tarball from the checkou
 npm pack
 ```
 
-This creates `sargatxet-opencode-toolkit-0.1.0.tgz` for the current provisional
-package identity and version. In a disposable project, install that tarball
+This creates `sargatxet-opencode-toolkit-0.1.0-rc.1.tgz` for the current
+pre-release. In a disposable project, install that tarball
 rather than linking the checkout:
 
 ```sh
-npm install --save-dev /path/to/sargatxet-opencode-toolkit-0.1.0.tgz
+npm install --save-dev /path/to/sargatxet-opencode-toolkit-0.1.0-rc.1.tgz
 npx opencode-toolkit install .
 npx opencode-toolkit install .
 ```
diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index d54ca96..01e8bb8 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -25,9 +25,12 @@
   credentials, including idempotency and conservative uninstall checks.
 - [x] Perform and record a pre-release manual security review of installer paths,
   file ownership, configuration edits, and failure limitations.
+- [ ] Publish the `0.1.0-rc.1` tarball as a repository pre-release and verify the
+  direct installation URL from a clean project.
 - [ ] Add provider-backed verification after confirming credentials and model
   usage budget with the user.
-- [ ] Confirm repository/package names and decide whether to publish.
+- [ ] Decide whether to publish the package to npm; repository pre-releases do
+  not publish it to the npm registry.
 
 ## Follow-up
 
diff --git a/docs/IMPLEMENTATION-PLAN.md b/docs/IMPLEMENTATION-PLAN.md
index f567372..e2ae7d2 100644
--- a/docs/IMPLEMENTATION-PLAN.md
+++ b/docs/IMPLEMENTATION-PLAN.md
@@ -139,21 +139,21 @@ provider-backed agent delegation and skill behavior remain unverified.
 runtime; config collisions are handled or reported before writes; the V2 plugin
 and its custom tool are confirmed active.
 
-### Phase 5 — Document and release (release candidate prepared; publication pending)
+### Phase 5 — Document and release (repository pre-release in progress)
 
 - Document scope, installation, update/uninstall, compatibility, provenance,
   and known limitations.
 - Run deterministic checks and security review before release.
 - Confirm package/repository names and get explicit approval before publishing.
 
-**Progress:** README now documents checkout installation, tarball verification,
-update/uninstall behavior, compatibility, and credential-free checks. A manual
-pre-release review of installer paths, ownership, JSONC edits, symlinks, and
-failure behavior found no release blocker for trusted project-local use; its
-filesystem and provider-backed limitations are recorded in
-[`SECURITY-REVIEW.md`](SECURITY-REVIEW.md). Typecheck, all 16 tests, coverage
-(87.4% lines), and package dry-run passed. Publication remains blocked on
-explicit confirmation of the package/repository identity and destination.
+**Progress:** README now documents installing directly from the repository's
+pre-release tarball, as well as updating and uninstalling. A manual pre-release
+review of installer paths, ownership, JSONC edits, symlinks, and failure behavior
+found no release blocker for trusted project-local use; filesystem and
+provider-backed limitations are recorded in [`SECURITY-REVIEW.md`](SECURITY-REVIEW.md).
+Typecheck, all 16 tests, coverage (87.4% lines), and package dry-run passed.
+The `0.1.0-rc.1` tarball and repository release still need publication and a
+clean-project install check.
 
 **Acceptance:** another user can install from documented instructions and
 verify the deterministic behavior without credentials.
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 8a14ad1..e1f6d40 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "@sargatxet/opencode-toolkit",
-  "version": "0.1.0",
+  "version": "0.1.0-rc.1",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@sargatxet/opencode-toolkit",
-      "version": "0.1.0",
+      "version": "0.1.0-rc.1",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@opencode/plugin": "2.0.24",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 634a778..4d9971b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@sargatxet/opencode-toolkit",
-  "version": "0.1.0",
+  "version": "0.1.0-rc.1",
   "description": "A small, OpenCode V2-native toolkit with selectively adapted ECC workflows.",
   "type": "module",
   "license": "MIT",