diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 009ae82..c3557f2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 > Recommended to install as a dev dependency
 
 ```bash
-npm install --save-dev fist-bump
+npm install --save-dev fistbump
 ```
 
 ## usage
@@ -31,11 +31,21 @@ npx fistbump
 # the updated commit message => '[1.1.0] feature: added new feature'
 ```
 
-*good to know:* `fist-bump` will skip any commits that have '[skip]' and '[wip]' or an existing version tag in the commit message.
+You can also run `fistbump` automatically after every commit by installing it as a git hook:
+
+```bash
+# install fistbump as a git hook (recommended)
+npx fistbump --hook
+
+# uninstall fistbump as a git hook
+npx fistbump --unhook
+```
+
+> **good to know**: `fistbump` will skip any commits that have '[skip]' and '[wip]' or an existing version tag in the commit message.
 
 ## configuration
 
-To customize this `fist-bump`, all you have to do is add a `fistbump` property to your `package.json` file.
+To customize this `fistbump`, all you have to do is add a `fistbump` property to your `package.json` file.
 
 ```json
 {
diff --git a/scripts/bump.sh b/scripts/bump.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index b32b283..0000000
--- a/scripts/bump.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,69 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-# get latest commit message
-commit_msg=$(git log -1 --pretty=%B)
-echo "[fist-bump] commit message: $commit_msg"
-
-# exit with success if the commit message is empty
-if [ -z "$commit_msg" ]; then
-  echo "[fist-bump] no commit message found."
-  exit 0
-fi
-
-# exit with success if the commit message is a merge
-if echo "$commit_msg" | grep -qE '^Merge'; then
-  echo "[fist-bump] bump not needed (merge commit)"
-  exit 0
-fi
-
-# exit with success if the commit message has already been bumped
-# by checking for the presence of a version number in square brackets
-if echo "$commit_msg" | grep -qE '\[[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\]'; then
-  echo "[fist-bump] bump not needed (already bumped)"
-  exit 0
-fi
-
-# determine the version type
-if echo "$commit_msg" | grep -qE '(\[)?\s*(feature|config)\s*(\])?\s*:'; then
-  version_type="minor"
-elif echo "$commit_msg" | grep -qE '(\[)?\s*(patch|fix)\s*(\])?\s*:'; then
-  version_type="patch"
-else
-  echo "[fist-bump] bump not needed (no bump type)"
-  exit 0
-fi
-
-# update version with npm or pnpm depending on which is installed
-if command -v pnpm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-  pnpm version $version_type --no-git-tag-version
-elif command -v npm >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-  npm version $version_type --no-git-tag-version
-else
-  echo "[fist-bump] no package manager found."
-  exit 1
-fi
-
-# get the new version number
-version=$(node -p "require('./package.json').version")
-
-# stage package.json
-git add package.json
-
-# stage pnpm-lock.yaml or package-lock.json if they exist
-if [ -f pnpm-lock.yaml ]; then
-  git add pnpm-lock.yaml
-elif [ -f package-lock.json ]; then
-  git add package-lock.json
-fi
-
-# add [$version] to the beginning of the commit message
-new_commit_msg="[$version] $commit_msg"
-
-# ammend changes to the latest commit
-# note: `--no-verify` is used to skip the pre-commit hook which lints and tests the code
-# note: `-q` is used to suppress the output of the command
-git commit --amend --no-edit --no-verify -q -m "$new_commit_msg"
-
-# exit with success status
-echo "[fist-bump] version bump to $version_type [$version]"
-exit 0
diff --git a/scripts/hooks/post-commit.sh b/scripts/hooks/post-commit.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c6e322
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/hooks/post-commit.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# post-commit.sh
+#
+# The purpose of this script is to add `fist-bump` to git hooks. This ensures that
+# the version number is bumped before every commit automatically instead of having
+# to (remember) to do it manually every time.
+#
+# how does it work?
+# 
+# The script adds `fist-bump` to the `post-commit` git hook. However, in order to 
+# avoid an infinite loop, the script sets checks for an env var called `FIST_BUMP`
+# (which is set after the first `post-commit` hook call) prior to running
+# `fist-bump`. If the env var is set, `fist-bump` will not run.
+
+# get root directory of project
+root_dir=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
+
+# function to remove the flag environment variable
+cleanup() {
+    unset FIST_BUMP
+}
+
+# set a trap to always cleanup on exit
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+# Only run if the environment variable is not set
+if [ "$FIST_BUMP" != "1" ]; then
+    
+    # run fist-bump
+    ./lib/index.js
+
+    # set environment variable
+    export FIST_BUMP=1
+
+    # amend the commit with the changes made by your script
+    git commit --amend --no-edit
+fi
diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..11e5884
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# install.sh
+#
+# The purpose of this script is to add `post-commit.sh` to the end of the 
+# post-commit git hook (.git/hooks/post-commit). This ensures that the 
+# version it can run after every commit. This ensures that the version
+# number is bumped before every commit automatically instead of having
+# to (remember) to do it manually every time.
+
+DELIMITER_START="# BEGIN FISTBUMP"
+DELIMITER_END="# END FISTBUMP"
+
+# get root directory of project
+root_dir=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
+
+# create .git/hooks/post-commit if it doesn't exist
+if [ ! -f "$root_dir/.git/hooks/post-commit" ]; then
+  touch "$root_dir/.git/hooks/post-commit"
+  echo "[fist-bump] .git/hooks/post-commit created"
+fi
+
+# get contents of post-commit.sh (minus the shebang)
+post_commit=$(tail -n +2 "$root_dir/scripts/hooks/post-commit.sh")
+
+# wrap contents in a delimiter comment (BEGIN/END FISTBUMP)
+content="$DELIMITER_START\n$post_commit\n$DELIMITER_END"
+
+# exit with success if hook has a delimiter comment
+if grep -q "$DELIMITER_START" "$root_dir/.git/hooks/post-commit"; then
+  echo "[fist-bump] fist-bump already installed to .git/hooks/post-commit"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# add contents of post-commit.sh to the end of .git/hooks/post-commit
+# overwrite .git/hooks/post-commit with extracted content
+if echo "$content" >> "$root_dir/.git/hooks/post-commit"; then
+    echo "[fist-bump] fist-bump added to .git/hooks/post-commit"
+else
+    echo "[fist-bump] Error: Failed to write to .git/hooks/post-commit (use sudo)"
+    exit 1
+fi
diff --git a/scripts/uninstall.sh b/scripts/uninstall.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..158a49e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/uninstall.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# uninstall.sh
+#
+# The purpose of this script is to remove the `post-commit.sh` 
+# script from the `post-commit` git hook.
+
+DELIMITER_START="# BEGIN FISTBUMP"
+DELIMITER_END="# END FISTBUMP"
+
+# get root directory of project
+root_dir=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
+
+# get contents of .git/hooks/post-commit
+hook=$(cat "$root_dir/.git/hooks/post-commit")
+
+# get post-commit.sh content
+post_commit=$(tail -n +2 "$root_dir/scripts/hooks/post-commit.sh")
+
+# exit with success if hook doesn't have a delimiter comment
+if ! grep -q "$DELIMITER_START" "$root_dir/.git/hooks/post-commit"; then
+  echo "[fist-bump] fist-bump not installed to .git/hooks/post-commit"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# get contents of .git/hooks/post-commit excluding fist-bump content
+content=$(echo "$hook" | sed "/$DELIMITER_START/,/$DELIMITER_END/d")
+
+# overwrite .git/hooks/post-commit with extracted content
+if echo "$content" > "$root_dir/.git/hooks/post-commit"; then
+    echo "[fist-bump] fist-bump removed from .git/hooks/post-commit"
+else
+    echo "[fist-bump] Error: Failed to write to .git/hooks/post-commit (use sudo)"
+    exit 1
+fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 94ffbcf..fd1e652 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,111 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 
+import { execute, getProjectRoot, logMessage } from "./utils";
 import { bump } from "./bump";
 
-bump();
\ No newline at end of file
+const FLAG = {
+  INSTALL: [ "-I", "--install" ],
+  UNINSTALL: [ "-U", "--uninstall" ]
+}
+
+const MAXIMUM_ARGS = 3;
+
+/**
+ * Returns true if a string is in the args
+ * 
+ * @param string - sample arg
+ * @returns boolean
+ */
+function _inArgs(string: string): boolean {
+  return process.argv.includes(string)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns true if the install flag has been passed
+ * 
+ * Valid flags:
+ * - `-I`
+ * - `--install`
+ */
+function _isInstall(): boolean {
+  let set = false;
+
+  for(const flag of FLAG.INSTALL){
+    if(_inArgs(flag)){
+      set = true;
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  
+  return set;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns true if the uninstall flag has been passed.
+ * 
+ * Valid flags:
+ * - `-U`
+ * - `--uninstall`
+ */
+function _isUninstall(): boolean {
+  let set = false;
+
+  for(const flag of FLAG.UNINSTALL){
+    if(_inArgs(flag)){
+      set = true;
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  
+  return set;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns true if invalid argument is passed.
+ * 
+ * Valid arguments: 
+ * - `./lib/cli.js`, 
+ * - `./lib/cli.js -H`
+ * - `./lib/cli.js --hook`,
+ */
+function _isInvalidArg(): boolean {
+  if (process.argv.length > MAXIMUM_ARGS) {
+    return true;
+  } else if (process.argv.length === MAXIMUM_ARGS && !(_isInstall() || _isUninstall())) {
+    return true;
+  } else {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Runs a script to install/uninstall a command that executes the
+ * fist-bump command when the post-commit git hook is triggered.
+ * 
+ * @param type - `install` or `uninstall`
+ * @param silent - if true, the script will not log any messages (default: false)
+ */
+function _executeHookScript(type: "install" | "uninstall"): void {
+  const rootDir = getProjectRoot() || process.cwd();
+  const scriptPath = `${rootDir}/scripts/${type}.sh`;
+  
+  try {
+    execute(`chmod +x ${scriptPath}`);
+    execute(`${scriptPath}`);
+  } catch (error) {
+    logMessage(`Failed to ${type} git hook. ${error}`, "error");
+  }
+}
+
+if(_isInvalidArg()) {
+  logMessage("Invalid argument passed. Only `--hook` or `-H` is allowed.", "error")
+  process.exit(1);
+} else if(_isInstall()) {
+  _executeHookScript("install");
+  logMessage("Git hook installed successfully.");
+} else if(_isUninstall()) {
+  _executeHookScript("uninstall");
+  logMessage("Git hook uninstalled successfully.");
+} else {
+  bump();
+}
diff --git a/src/utils/shell.ts b/src/utils/shell.ts
index defa823..5bd06fb 100644
--- a/src/utils/shell.ts
+++ b/src/utils/shell.ts
@@ -19,14 +19,32 @@ interface ExecuteOptions {
    * If true, the command will not be logged to the console
    */
   silent?: boolean;
+
+  /**
+   * Exit the process if the command fails
+   */
+  fatal?: boolean;
 }
 /**
  * Executes a shell command and returns the result
  */
 export function execute(command: string, options?: ExecuteOptions): string {
 
-  // default to silent
-  return shell.exec(command, { silent: options?.silent ?? true }).stdout;
+  let output: string;
+
+  try {
+    // default to silent
+    output = shell.exec(command, { silent: options?.silent ?? true, fatal: options?.fatal ?? false }).stdout;
+  } catch (error) {
+    if((error as Error).message.includes("Permission denied")){
+      throw new Error("Permission denied. Try running the command with sudo.");
+    }
+
+    throw error;
+  }
+
+  return output;
+
 }
 
 /**