diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6b3f1b1..254cda8 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,4 +8,5 @@ node_modules
 # VSCode
 .vscode
 
+# Other
 TODO.md
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/esbuild.config.mjs b/esbuild.config.mjs
index afc74df..71fe536 100644
--- a/esbuild.config.mjs
+++ b/esbuild.config.mjs
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import esbuild from "esbuild";
 import process from "process";
-import { readFileSync } from "fs";
+import { readFileSync, writeFileSync } from "fs";
 const pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync("./package.json", "utf8"));
 
 const banner = `/*! ${pkg.name} v${pkg.version} | (c) ${pkg.author.name} | ${pkg.author.url} */`;
+const outdir = "dist";
 
 /**
  * @type {import('esbuild').Plugin}
@@ -27,6 +28,26 @@ const esbuildProblemMatcherPlugin = {
     },
 };
 
+/**
+ * Copy `manifest.json` to outdir, updating its version to match what's in `package.json`.
+ * @type {import('esbuild').Plugin}
+ */
+const updateManifestPlugin = {
+    name: "update-manifest",
+
+    setup(build) {
+        build.onEnd(() => {
+            const manifest = JSON.parse(readFileSync("manifest.json", "utf8"));
+            manifest.version = pkg.version;
+            writeFileSync(
+                outdir + "/manifest.json",
+                JSON.stringify(manifest, null, 2)
+            );
+            console.log("✅ manifest.json updated");
+        });
+    },
+};
+
 const production = process.argv.includes("--production");
 const watch = process.argv.includes("--watch");
 
@@ -43,9 +64,10 @@ const ctx = await esbuild.context({
     bundle: true,
     sourcemap: production ? false : "inline",
     treeShaking: true,
-    outdir: "dist",
+    outdir: outdir,
     minify: production,
     plugins: [
+        updateManifestPlugin,
         /* add to the end of plugins array */
         esbuildProblemMatcherPlugin,
     ],
diff --git a/manifest.json b/manifest.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6265cea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manifest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+    "id": "manuscripten",
+    "name": "Manuscripten",
+    "version": "x.x.x",
+    "minAppVersion": "1.5.7",
+    "description": "Obsidian plugin to create .docx files that contain story and novel manuscripts for submission to magazines or agents.",
+    "author": "Stephen Granade",
+    "authorUrl": "https://github.com/sgranade",
+    "isDesktopOnly": true
+}