diff --git a/buildutils/src/release-bump.ts b/buildutils/src/release-bump.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4cad823b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/buildutils/src/release-bump.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+/* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+| Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
+| Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
+|----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+/**
+ * Inspired by: https://github.com/jupyterlab/jupyterlab/blob/master/buildutils/src/bumpversion.ts
+ */
+
+import * as utils from '@jupyterlab/buildutils';
+
+import commander from 'commander';
+
+import { postbump } from './utils';
+
+// Specify the program signature.
+commander
+  .description('Update the version')
+  .option('--dry-run', 'Dry run')
+  .option('--force', 'Force the upgrade')
+  .arguments('<spec>')
+  .action((spec: any, opts: any) => {
+    // Get the previous version.
+    const prev = utils.getPythonVersion();
+
+    // Make sure we have a valid version spec.
+    const options = ['major', 'minor', 'release', 'build'];
+    if (options.indexOf(spec) === -1) {
+      throw new Error(`Version spec must be one of: ${options}`);
+    }
+    if (
+      prev.indexOf('a') === -1 &&
+      prev.indexOf('b') === -1 &&
+      prev.indexOf('rc') === -1 &&
+      spec === 'release'
+    ) {
+      throw new Error('Use "major" or "minor" to switch back to alpha release');
+    }
+    if (
+      prev.indexOf('a') === -1 &&
+      prev.indexOf('b') === -1 &&
+      prev.indexOf('rc') === -1 &&
+      spec === 'build'
+    ) {
+      throw new Error('Cannot increment a build on a final release');
+    }
+
+    // Run pre-bump script.
+    utils.prebump();
+
+    // Handle dry runs.
+    if (opts.dryRun) {
+      utils.run(`bumpversion --dry-run --verbose ${spec}`);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // If this is a major release during the alpha cycle, bump
+    // just the Python version.
+    if (prev.indexOf('a') !== -1 && spec === 'major') {
+      // Bump the version.
+      utils.run(`bumpversion ${spec}`);
+
+      // Run the post-bump script.
+      utils.postbump();
+
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Determine the version spec to use for lerna.
+    let lernaVersion = 'preminor';
+    if (spec === 'build') {
+      lernaVersion = 'prerelease';
+      // a -> b
+    } else if (spec === 'release' && prev.indexOf('a') !== -1) {
+      lernaVersion = 'prerelease --preid=beta';
+      // b -> rc
+    } else if (spec === 'release' && prev.indexOf('b') !== -1) {
+      lernaVersion = 'prerelease --preid=rc';
+      // rc -> final
+    } else if (spec === 'release' && prev.indexOf('rc') !== -1) {
+      lernaVersion = 'patch';
+    }
+    if (lernaVersion === 'preminor') {
+      lernaVersion += ' --preid=alpha';
+    }
+
+    let cmd = `jlpm run lerna version --force-publish --no-push --no-git-tag-version ${lernaVersion}`;
+    if (opts.force) {
+      cmd += ' --yes';
+    }
+    // For a preminor release, we bump 10 minor versions so that we do
+    // not conflict with versions during minor releases of the top
+    // level package.
+    if (lernaVersion === 'preminor') {
+      for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+        utils.run(cmd);
+      }
+    } else {
+      utils.run(cmd);
+    }
+
+    // Bump the version.
+    utils.run(`bumpversion ${spec} --allow-dirty`);
+
+    // Run the post-bump script.
+    postbump();
+  });
+
+commander.parse(process.argv);
diff --git a/buildutils/src/release-patch.ts b/buildutils/src/release-patch.ts
index a764d1c1c..682d04602 100644
--- a/buildutils/src/release-patch.ts
+++ b/buildutils/src/release-patch.ts
@@ -3,16 +3,15 @@
 | Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
 |----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-import commander from 'commander';
+/**
+ * Inspired by: https://github.com/jupyterlab/jupyterlab/blob/master/buildutils/src/patch-release.ts
+ */
 
 import * as utils from '@jupyterlab/buildutils';
 
-function postbump() {
-  // Commit the changes
-  const newPyVersion = utils.getPythonVersion();
-  // Commit changes.
-  utils.run(`git commit -am "Release ${newPyVersion}"`);
-}
+import commander from 'commander';
+
+import { postbump } from './utils';
 
 // Specify the program signature.
 commander
diff --git a/buildutils/src/utils.ts b/buildutils/src/utils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..40c443deb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/buildutils/src/utils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import { getPythonVersion, run } from '@jupyterlab/buildutils';
+
+export function postbump(): void {
+  // Commit the changes
+  const newPyVersion = getPythonVersion();
+  // Commit changes.
+  run(`git commit -am "Release ${newPyVersion}"`);
+}