diff --git a/packages/cli/package.json b/packages/cli/package.json
index 3edcf695b..71f8780da 100644
--- a/packages/cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/cli/package.json
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
     "@auto-it/core": "link:../core",
     "@auto-it/npm": "link:../../plugins/npm",
     "@auto-it/released": "link:../../plugins/released",
+    "@auto-it/version-file": "link:../../plugins/version-file",
     "await-to-js": "^3.0.0",
     "chalk": "^4.0.0",
     "command-line-application": "^0.10.1",
diff --git a/packages/cli/tsconfig.json b/packages/cli/tsconfig.json
index 0f4f9be91..c87d50c51 100644
--- a/packages/cli/tsconfig.json
+++ b/packages/cli/tsconfig.json
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
     },
     {
       "path": "../../plugins/released"
+    },
+    {
+      "path": "../../plugins/version-file"
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/plugins/version-file/README.md b/plugins/version-file/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2043ad867
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/version-file/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Version File Plugin
+
+For managing versions in a repository that maintains the version primarily in a flat file.
+Agnostic to the primary language of the repository. 
+Optional input for a release script to call during the publish/canary/next hooks.
+
+## Installation
+
+This plugin is included with the `auto` CLI so you do not have to install it. To install if you are using the `auto` API directly:
+
+```bash
+npm i --save-dev @auto-it/version-file
+# or
+yarn add -D @auto-it/version-file
+```
+
+## Options
+
+- versionFile (optional, default="VERSION"): Path to where the version is stored in the repository. It should be a file containing just the semver. 
+- releaseScript: (optional, default=None): Path to script that runs the publish actions in your repository. If not supplied nothing will be called. If supplied will be called during the `publish`,`canary` and `next` hooks. For the `publish` hook the first parameter passed to the script will be `release` to indicate that a regular release is being called. For `canary` and `next` hooks the first parameter will be `snapshot` to indicate a prerelease version. 
+
+## Usage
+
+### With default options
+```json
+{
+  "plugins": [
+    "version-file"
+    // other plugins
+  ]
+}
+```
+### With optional arguments
+```json
+{
+  "plugins": [
+    "version-file", {"versionFile": "./tools/Version.txt", "releaseScript":"./tools/publish.sh"}
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/version-file/__tests__/version-file.test.ts b/plugins/version-file/__tests__/version-file.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..003bf83a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/version-file/__tests__/version-file.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,305 @@
+import Auto, { SEMVER } from '@auto-it/core';
+import mockFs from "mock-fs";
+import fs from "fs";
+import BazelPlugin from '../src';
+import { makeHooks } from '@auto-it/core/dist/utils/make-hooks';
+import { dummyLog } from "@auto-it/core/dist/utils/logger";
+
+// Mocks
+const execPromise = jest.fn();
+jest.mock(
+  "../../../packages/core/dist/utils/exec-promise",
+  () => (...args: any[]) => execPromise(...args)
+);
+jest.mock("../../../packages/core/dist/utils/get-current-branch", () => ({
+  getCurrentBranch: () => "main",
+}));
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  execPromise.mockClear();
+});
+afterEach(() => {
+  mockFs.restore();
+})
+
+describe('Version File Read Operations', () => {
+  test("It should return the value in the default file", async () => {
+    mockFs({
+      "VERSION": `1.0.0`,
+    });
+    const plugin = new BazelPlugin({});
+    const hooks = makeHooks();
+
+    plugin.apply({
+      hooks,
+      remote: "origin",
+      baseBranch: "main",
+      logger: dummyLog(),
+    } as Auto);
+
+    expect(await hooks.getPreviousVersion.promise()).toBe("1.0.0");
+  });
+
+  test("It should return the value in the specified file", async () => {
+    mockFs({
+      "VERSIONFILE": `1.0.0`,
+    });
+    const plugin = new BazelPlugin({versionFile: "VERSIONFILE"});
+    const hooks = makeHooks();
+
+    plugin.apply({
+      hooks,
+      remote: "origin",
+      baseBranch: "main",
+      logger: dummyLog(),
+    } as Auto);
+
+    expect(await hooks.getPreviousVersion.promise()).toBe("1.0.0");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("Version File Write Operations", () => {
+  test("It should version the file properly for major releases", async () => {
+    mockFs({
+      "VERSION": `1.0.0`,
+    });
+    const plugin = new BazelPlugin({});
+    const hooks = makeHooks();
+
+    plugin.apply({
+      hooks,
+      remote: "origin",
+      baseBranch: "main",
+      logger: dummyLog(),
+    } as Auto);
+
+    await hooks.version.promise({bump: SEMVER.major})
+    expect(fs.readFileSync("VERSION", "utf-8")).toStrictEqual("2.0.0")
+    // check that the proper git operations were performed
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, "git", ["commit", "-am", "\"Bump version to: v2.0.0 [skip ci]\""]);
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, "git", ["tag", "v2.0.0"]);
+  });
+
+  test("It should version the file properly for minor releases", async () => {
+    mockFs({
+      "VERSION": `1.0.0`,
+    });
+    const plugin = new BazelPlugin({});
+    const hooks = makeHooks();
+
+    plugin.apply({
+      hooks,
+      remote: "origin",
+      baseBranch: "main",
+      logger: dummyLog(),
+    } as Auto);
+
+    await hooks.version.promise({bump: SEMVER.minor})
+    expect(fs.readFileSync("VERSION", "utf-8")).toStrictEqual("1.1.0");
+    // check that the proper git operations were performed
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, "git", ["commit", "-am", "\"Bump version to: v1.1.0 [skip ci]\""]);
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, "git", ["tag", "v1.1.0"]);
+  });
+
+  test("It should version the file properly for patch releases", async () => {
+    mockFs({
+      "VERSION": `1.0.0`,
+    });
+    const plugin = new BazelPlugin({});
+    const hooks = makeHooks();
+
+    plugin.apply({
+      hooks,
+      remote: "origin",
+      baseBranch: "main",
+      logger: dummyLog(),
+    } as Auto);
+
+    await hooks.version.promise({bump: SEMVER.patch})
+    expect(fs.readFileSync("VERSION", "utf-8")).toStrictEqual("1.0.1");
+    // check that the proper git operations were performed
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, "git", ["commit", "-am", "\"Bump version to: v1.0.1 [skip ci]\""]);
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, "git", ["tag", "v1.0.1"]);
+  });
+})
+
+describe("Test Release Types", () => {
+  test("Full release with no release script", async () => {
+    mockFs({
+      "VERSION": `1.0.0`,
+    });
+    const plugin = new BazelPlugin({});
+    const hooks = makeHooks();
+
+    plugin.apply({
+      hooks,
+      remote: "origin",
+      baseBranch: "main",
+      logger: dummyLog(),
+    } as Auto);
+
+    await hooks.publish.promise({bump: SEMVER.major})
+
+    // check release script was not called but check changes would be pushed
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, "git", ["push", "origin", "main", "--tags"]);
+  });
+
+  test("Full release with release script", async () => {
+    mockFs({
+      "VERSION": `1.0.0`,
+    });
+    const plugin = new BazelPlugin({publishScript:"./tools/release.sh"});
+    const hooks = makeHooks();
+
+    plugin.apply({
+      hooks,
+      remote: "origin",
+      baseBranch: "main",
+      logger: dummyLog(),
+    } as Auto);
+
+    await hooks.publish.promise({bump: SEMVER.major})
+
+    // check release script was called
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, "./tools/release.sh", ["release"]);
+
+    // check changes would be pushed
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, "git", ["push", "origin", "main", "--tags"]);
+  });
+
+  test("Canary release with no release script", async () => {
+    mockFs({
+      "VERSION": `1.0.0`,
+    });
+    const plugin = new BazelPlugin({});
+    const hooks = makeHooks();
+
+    plugin.apply(({
+      hooks,
+      remote: "origin",
+      baseBranch: "main",
+      logger: dummyLog(),
+      getCurrentVersion: () => "1.0.0",
+      git: {
+        getLatestRelease: () => "1.0.0",
+        getLatestTagInBranch: () => Promise.resolve("1.0.0"),
+      },
+    } as unknown) as Auto);
+
+    await hooks.canary.promise({bump: SEMVER.minor, canaryIdentifier: "canary.368.1"})
+
+    // check release script was not called and local changes were reverted
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, "git", ["reset", "--hard", "HEAD"]);
+
+    // Check the right version was written
+    expect(fs.readFileSync("VERSION", "utf-8")).toStrictEqual("1.1.0-canary.368.1")
+  });
+
+  test("Canary release with release script", async () => {
+    mockFs({
+      "VERSION": `1.0.0`,
+    });
+    const plugin = new BazelPlugin({publishScript:"./tools/release.sh"});
+    const hooks = makeHooks();
+
+    plugin.apply(({
+      hooks,
+      remote: "origin",
+      baseBranch: "main",
+      logger: dummyLog(),
+      getCurrentVersion: () => "1.0.0",
+      git: {
+        getLatestRelease: () => "1.0.0",
+        getLatestTagInBranch: () => Promise.resolve("1.0.0"),
+      },
+    } as unknown) as Auto);
+
+    await hooks.canary.promise({bump: SEMVER.minor, canaryIdentifier: "canary.368.1"})
+
+    // check release script was called
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, "./tools/release.sh", ["snapshot"]);
+
+    // check local changes were reverted
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, "git", ["reset", "--hard", "HEAD"]);
+
+    // Check the right version was written
+    expect(fs.readFileSync("VERSION", "utf-8")).toStrictEqual("1.1.0-canary.368.1")
+  });
+
+  test("Next release with no release script", async () => {
+
+    const prefixRelease: (a: string) => string = (version: string) => {
+      return `v${version}`;
+    };
+
+    mockFs({
+      "VERSION": `1.0.0`,
+    });
+    const plugin = new BazelPlugin({});
+    const hooks = makeHooks();
+
+    plugin.apply(({
+      hooks,
+      config: { prereleaseBranches: ["next"] },
+      remote: "origin",
+      baseBranch: "main",
+      logger: dummyLog(),
+      prefixRelease,
+      getCurrentVersion: () => "1.0.0",
+      git: {
+        getLastTagNotInBaseBranch: async () => undefined,
+        getLatestRelease: () => "1.0.0",
+        getLatestTagInBranch: () => Promise.resolve("1.0.0"),
+      },
+    } as unknown) as Auto);
+
+    await hooks.next.promise(["1.0.0"], {bump: SEMVER.major, fullReleaseNotes:"", releaseNotes:"", commits:[]})
+
+    // check release script was not called but git ops were performed
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, "git", ["tag", "v2.0.0-next.0"]);
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, "git", ["push", "origin", "main", "--tags"]);
+
+    // Check the right version was written
+    expect(fs.readFileSync("VERSION", "utf-8")).toStrictEqual("v2.0.0-next.0")
+  });
+
+  test("Next release with release script", async () => {
+
+    const prefixRelease: (a: string) => string = (version: string) => {
+      return `v${version}`;
+    };
+
+    mockFs({
+      "VERSION": `1.0.0`,
+    });
+    const plugin = new BazelPlugin({publishScript:"./tools/release.sh"});
+    const hooks = makeHooks();
+
+    plugin.apply(({
+      hooks,
+      config: { prereleaseBranches: ["next"] },
+      remote: "origin",
+      baseBranch: "main",
+      logger: dummyLog(),
+      prefixRelease,
+      getCurrentVersion: () => "1.0.0",
+      git: {
+        getLastTagNotInBaseBranch: async () => undefined,
+        getLatestRelease: () => "1.0.0",
+        getLatestTagInBranch: () => Promise.resolve("1.0.0"),
+      },
+    } as unknown) as Auto);
+
+    await hooks.next.promise(["1.0.0"], {bump: SEMVER.major, fullReleaseNotes:"", releaseNotes:"", commits:[]})
+
+    // check release script was called
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, "./tools/release.sh", ["snapshot"]);
+
+    // Check git ops
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, "git", ["tag", "v2.0.0-next.0"]);
+    expect(execPromise).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(3, "git", ["push", "origin", "main", "--tags"]);
+
+    // Check the right version was written
+    expect(fs.readFileSync("VERSION", "utf-8")).toStrictEqual("v2.0.0-next.0")
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/version-file/package.json b/plugins/version-file/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5849757df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/version-file/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+{
+  "name": "@auto-it/version-file",
+  "version": "10.32.2",
+  "main": "dist/index.js",
+  "description": "",
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "author": {
+    "name": "Ketan Reddy",
+    "email": "ketan@ketanreddy.com"
+  },
+  "publishConfig": {
+    "registry": "https://registry.npmjs.org/",
+    "access": "public"
+  },
+  "repository": {
+    "type": "git",
+    "url": "https://github.com/intuit/auto"
+  },
+  "files": [
+    "dist"
+  ],
+  "keywords": [
+    "automation",
+    "semantic",
+    "release",
+    "github",
+    "labels",
+    "automated",
+    "continuos integration",
+    "changelog"
+  ],
+  "scripts": {
+    "build": "tsc -b",
+    "start": "npm run build -- -w",
+    "lint": "eslint src --ext .ts",
+    "test": "jest --maxWorkers=2 --config ../../package.json"
+  },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "@auto-it/core": "link:../../packages/core",
+    "fp-ts": "^2.5.3",
+    "io-ts": "^2.1.2",
+    "tslib": "1.10.0",
+    "semver":"^7.0.0"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/plugins/version-file/src/index.ts b/plugins/version-file/src/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..87a16c74e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/version-file/src/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+import { Auto, IPlugin, execPromise, validatePluginConfiguration, getCurrentBranch, determineNextVersion, DEFAULT_PRERELEASE_BRANCHES } from '@auto-it/core';
+import { promisify } from "util";
+import * as t from "io-ts";
+import * as fs from "fs";
+import { inc, ReleaseType } from "semver";
+
+const readFile = promisify(fs.readFile);
+const writeFile = promisify(fs.writeFile);
+
+
+const pluginOptions = t.partial({
+  /** Path to file (from where auto is executed) where the version is stored */
+  versionFile: t.string,
+
+  /** Optional script that executes release pipeline stages */
+  publishScript: t.string
+});
+
+export type IVersionFilePluginOptions = t.TypeOf<typeof pluginOptions>;
+
+/**
+ * Reads version file from location specified in config
+ */
+async function getPreviousVersion(auto: Auto, versionFile: string) {
+  auto.logger.veryVerbose.info(`Reading version from file `, versionFile)
+  return readFile(versionFile, "utf-8")
+}
+
+/** Writes new version to version file at specified location */
+async function writeNewVersion(auto: Auto, version: string, versionFile: string) {
+  auto.logger.veryVerbose.info(`Writing version to file `, versionFile)
+  return writeFile(versionFile, version)
+}
+
+/** Reset the scope changes of all the packages  */
+async function gitReset(auto: Auto) {
+  auto.logger.veryVerbose.info("Hard resetting local changes")
+  await execPromise("git", ["reset", "--hard", "HEAD"]);
+}
+
+/** Generates canary release notes */
+function makeCanaryNotes(canaryVersion: string){
+  return `Try this version out locally by upgrading relevant packages to ${canaryVersion}`
+}
+
+
+/**  Plugin to orchestrate releases in a repo where version is maintained in a flat file */
+export default class VersionFilePlugin implements IPlugin {
+  /** The name of the plugin */
+  name = 'version-file';
+
+  /** Version file location */
+  readonly versionFile: string;
+
+  /** Release script location */
+  readonly publishScript: string | undefined
+
+  /** Initialize the plugin with it's options */
+  constructor(options: IVersionFilePluginOptions) {
+    this.versionFile = options.versionFile ?? "VERSION";
+    this.publishScript = options.publishScript
+  }
+
+
+  /** Tap into auto plugin points. */
+  apply(auto: Auto) {
+
+    const prereleaseBranches =
+      auto.config?.prereleaseBranches || DEFAULT_PRERELEASE_BRANCHES;
+
+    const branch = getCurrentBranch();
+    // if ran from baseBranch we publish the prerelease to the first
+    // configured prerelease branch
+    const prereleaseBranch =
+      branch && prereleaseBranches.includes(branch)
+        ? branch
+        : prereleaseBranches[0];
+
+    auto.hooks.validateConfig.tapPromise(this.name, async (name, options) => {
+      // If it's a string thats valid config
+      if (name === this.name && typeof options !== "string") {
+        return validatePluginConfiguration(this.name, pluginOptions, options);
+      }
+    });
+
+    auto.hooks.getPreviousVersion.tapPromise(this.name, () =>{
+      return getPreviousVersion(auto, this.versionFile)
+    });
+
+    auto.hooks.version.tapPromise( this.name, async ({ bump }) => {
+      const lastVersion = await getPreviousVersion(auto, this.versionFile)
+      const newVersion = inc(lastVersion, bump as ReleaseType);
+
+      auto.logger.log.info(`Calculated new version as: ${newVersion}`)
+
+      if (newVersion){
+        // Seal versions via commit and tag
+        await writeNewVersion(auto, newVersion, this.versionFile)
+        await execPromise("git", ["commit", "-am", `"Bump version to: v${newVersion} [skip ci]"`]);
+        await execPromise("git", [
+          "tag",
+          `v${newVersion}`
+        ]);
+        auto.logger.verbose.info("Successfully versioned repo");
+      } else {
+        auto.logger.log.error(`Error: Unable to calculate new version based off of ${lastVersion} being bumped with a ${bump} release`)
+        throw new Error ("Version bump failed")
+      }
+    });
+
+    auto.hooks.publish.tapPromise(this.name, async () => {
+
+      // Call release script if provided
+      if(this.publishScript){
+        auto.logger.log.info(`Calling release script in repo at ${this.publishScript}`);
+        await execPromise(this.publishScript, ["release"])
+      } else {
+        auto.logger.log.info("Skipping calling release script in repo since none was provided");
+      }
+      
+      // push tag and version change commit up
+      await execPromise("git", ["push", auto.remote, branch || auto.baseBranch, "--tags"]);
+    });
+
+    auto.hooks.canary.tapPromise(this.name, async ({ bump, canaryIdentifier}) => {
+
+      // Figure out canary version
+      const lastRelease =
+        (await auto.git!.getLatestRelease()) ||
+        (await auto.git?.getLastTagNotInBaseBranch(prereleaseBranch)) ||
+        (await getPreviousVersion(auto, this.versionFile));
+      const current = await auto.getCurrentVersion(lastRelease);
+      const nextVersion = inc(current, bump as ReleaseType);
+      const canaryVersion = `${nextVersion}-${canaryIdentifier}`;
+
+      auto.logger.log.info(`Marking version as ${canaryVersion}`);
+
+      // Write Canary version
+      await writeNewVersion(auto, canaryVersion, this.versionFile)
+
+      // Ship canary release if release script is provided
+      if(this.publishScript){
+        auto.logger.log.info(`Calling release script in repo at ${this.publishScript}`);
+        await execPromise(this.publishScript, ["snapshot"]);
+      } else {
+        auto.logger.log.info("Skipping calling release script in repo since none was provided");
+      }
+
+
+      // Reset temporary canary versioning
+      await gitReset(auto);
+
+      return {
+        newVersion: canaryVersion,
+        details: makeCanaryNotes(canaryVersion),
+      };
+    });
+
+    auto.hooks.next.tapPromise(this.name, async (preReleaseVersions, { bump }) => {
+
+      // Figure out next version
+      const lastRelease = await auto.git!.getLatestRelease();
+      const latestTag =
+        (await auto.git?.getLastTagNotInBaseBranch(prereleaseBranch)) ||
+        (await getPreviousVersion(auto, this.versionFile));
+      const nextVersion = determineNextVersion(
+        lastRelease,
+        latestTag,
+        bump,
+        prereleaseBranch
+      );
+      const prefixedVersion = auto.prefixRelease(nextVersion);
+      preReleaseVersions.push(prefixedVersion);
+
+      auto.logger.log.info(`Marking version as ${prefixedVersion}`);
+
+      // Write version to file
+      await writeNewVersion(auto, prefixedVersion, this.versionFile)
+
+      // ship next release if release script is provided
+      if(this.publishScript){
+        auto.logger.log.info(`Calling release script in repo at ${this.publishScript}`);
+        await execPromise(this.publishScript, ["snapshot"]);
+      } else {
+        auto.logger.log.info("Skipping calling release script in repo since none was provided");
+      }
+
+      // Push next tag
+      await execPromise("git", [
+        "tag",
+        prefixedVersion
+      ]);
+      await execPromise("git", ["push", auto.remote, branch, "--tags"]);
+
+      return preReleaseVersions
+    });
+
+  }
+}
diff --git a/plugins/version-file/tsconfig.json b/plugins/version-file/tsconfig.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bfbef6fc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/version-file/tsconfig.json
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{
+  "extends": "../../tsconfig.json",
+  "include": ["src/**/*", "../../typings/**/*"],
+
+  "compilerOptions": {
+    "outDir": "./dist",
+    "rootDir": "./src",
+    "composite": true
+  },
+
+  "references": [
+    {
+      "path": "../../packages/core"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/tsconfig.dev.json b/tsconfig.dev.json
index 827e03a84..027fb450a 100644
--- a/tsconfig.dev.json
+++ b/tsconfig.dev.json
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@
     },
     {
       "path": "plugins/sbt"
+    },
+    {
+      "path": "plugins/version-file"
     }
   ]
 }
\ No newline at end of file