diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4cec105ad..a8217b2a9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,2 +1,58 @@
 # sketches-core
 Core Sketch Library
+
+## Building
+Use Apache Maven 3.0 to build this project
+
+### Basic Build
+    mvn clean install
+
+### Build including source and javadoc jars
+    mvn -P release-profile clean install
+
+### Release build, incrementing the version number and publising to maven central repository
+
+#### Prepare a release
+First, "prepare" a release. Preparing a release ensures you have no checked out file and no SNAPSHOT dependencies.
+It changes the version in all pom.xml files to the release version. It then runs all the tests. If everything passes,
+the release version is committed to the SCM system and tagged. The version number is then updated in all the pom.xml 
+files again, this time to the next development version. Finally, the changes are commited again to the SCM repository.
+
+    mvn release:prepare
+
+1. ensure you have **no** uncommitted files in your workspace. Ideally, use a fresh workspace for the release process.
+2. Answer the prompts with appropriate values for the tag, version, and new development version
+    - release version should be something like 1.0.1
+    - development version should be something like 1.0.2-SNAPSHOT
+    - tag should be something like sketches-core-1.0.1
+3. If the prepare has an error (the build will fail if any tests fail), run 'mvn release:clean' to clean up the 
+generated files and reset the workspace. If the prepare needs to be rolled back (undone in the SCM system), run 'mvn release:rollback'.
+
+See http://maven.apache.org/maven-release/maven-release-plugin/examples/prepare-release.html for more info.
+
+#### Perform a release:
+Next, "perform" a release. Performing a release checks out the tagged release from the SCM system into a new directory,
+builds it, and then runs the configured deploy goals to publish the release to a maven repository (Maven central). Performing
+a release automatically enables the `release-profile` in maven, causing source and javadoc jars to be automatically created 
+and published.
+
+    mvn release:perform
+
+You can add the '-DdryRun=true' option to test the release process without actually generating a release. dryRun is 
+supported on both the prepare and perform steps.
+
+See http://maven.apache.org/maven-release/maven-release-plugin/examples/perform-release.html for more info.
+
+#### Rollback a release
+If a release has been prepared but not performed yet, the release can be rolled back. Rolling back a release resets
+the pom.xml version numbers and tags in the SCM system, effectively nullifying the release.
+
+    mvn release:rollback
+
+A release cannot be rolled back if it has already been cleaned up (the release.properties file and other metadata removed).
+
+#### Clean a release
+If a release fails to prepare or crashs, it can leave various files behind. These can be cleaned up with a release clean.
+
+    mvn release:clean
+
diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
deleted file mode 100755
index 698af9c88..000000000
--- a/build.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,296 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
-<!--
-********************************************************************************
-                          Build file for Sketch library
-********************************************************************************
-Assumes the following directory structure:
-  <basedir>                 //this directory
- 
-All source files are copied to an intermediate dir structure with the first
-targets: "precopy1" and "precopy2".
-This means all source dir are untouched.
- 
-Build Directories
-  <basedir>/build          //Volatile directory for build process
-  <basedir>/jarsIn         //dependant jars
-
-Intermediate Directories
-  <basedir>/build/bin      //javadoc compiler output and resource destination
-  <basedir>/build/src      //Move all source here
-  <basedir>/build/jarsIn     //Move all dependent jars here
-  <basedir>/build/scripts  //Move all scripts here, this build file will be moved here.
-  <basedir>/build/javadoc  //Javadoc output and javadoc resources
-                           //  move all html & related here after the javadoc
-                           //  used for creating javaddoc.zip
-Output Directories
-  <basedir>/build/out           //Used for creating the distribution zip
-  <basedir>/build/out/jars      //created jars
-  <basedir>/build/out/zips      //javadoc.zip, src.zip
-  <basedir>/build/out/scripts   //startup scripts & build.html
-
--->
-<!-- set basedir  -->
-<project name="Sketch" default="build" basedir="."> 
-    <description>
-      Build file for Sketch Library
-    </description>
-
-    <!-- project name properties -->
-    <property name="TitlePrefix"             value="Core Sketch Library" />
-    <property name="outputFileNamePrefix"    value="sketches-core" />
-    <property name="year"                    value="2012-2015" />
-
-    <!-- PROJECT INPUT PATHS, copied to intermediate paths -->
-    <property name="SrcJavadocPath"          value="${basedir}/src/main/javadoc" />
-    <property name="SrcJavadocResourcePath"  value="${basedir}/src/main/javadoc/resources" />
-    <property name="MavenMainPath"           value="${basedir}/src/main/java" />
-    <property name="MavenTestPath"           value="${basedir}/src/test/java" />
-    <property name="RelJavaPackagePath"      value="com/yahoo/sketches" />
-    <property name="SrcMainCommon"           value="${MavenMainPath}/${RelJavaPackagePath}" />
-    <property name="SrcTestCommon"           value="${MavenTestPath}/${RelJavaPackagePath}" />
-
-    <!-- PROJECT BUILD PATH & FILE -->
-    <property name="BuildPath"               value="${basedir}/build" />
-    <property name="BuildFile"               value="${basedir}/build.xml" />
-
-    <!-- PROJECT INTERMEDIATE PATHS, created in -init -->
-    <property name="IntMainPath"             value="${BuildPath}/${MavenMainPath}" />
-    <property name="IntTestPath"             value="${BuildPath}/${MavenTestPath}" />
-    <property name="IntBinPath"              value="${BuildPath}/bin" />
-    <property name="IntJavadocPath"          value="${BuildPath}/javadoc" />
-    <property name="IntJavadocResourcesPath" value="${BuildPath}/javadoc/resources" />
-    <property name="IntScriptsPath"          value="${BuildPath}/scripts" />
-    <property name="IntJarsPath"             value="${BuildPath}/jarsIn" />
-
-    <!-- PROJECT OUTPUT PATHS, created in -init -->
-    <property name="OutPath"                 value="${BuildPath}/out" />
-    <property name="JarsOutPath"             value="${OutPath}/jars" />
-    <property name="ZipsOutPath"             value="${OutPath}/zips" />
-    <property name="ScriptsOutPath"          value="${OutPath}/scripts" />
-
-    <!-- OVERVIEW HANDLING -->
-    <property name="OverviewFileName"        value="overview.html" />
-
-    <!-- project dependency jar paths -->
-    <property name="TestNGJar"               value="jarsIn/testng-6.8.8.jar" />
-
-    <!-- FILESETS -->
-    <!-- classpaths   -->
-    <path id="ProjClasspath">
-        <pathelement location="${TestNGJar}" />
-    </path>
-
-    <!-- compiler properties -->
-    <property name="comp.debug"              value="on"/>
-    <property name="comp.source.ver"         value="1.8" />
-    <property name="comp.compiler.ver"       value="javac1.8" />
-    <property name="comp.target.ver"         value="1.8" />
-    <property name="comp.fork"               value="true" />
-
-    <!-- javadoc properties -->
-    <property name="jdoc.int.overview"       value="${IntJavadocPath}/${OverviewFileName}" /> <!-- copy to here before javadoc -->
-    <property name="jdoc.windowTitle"        value="${TitlePrefix} API" />
-    <property name="jdoc.use"                value="true"  />
-    <property name="jdoc.breakiterator"      value="true"  />
-    <property name="jdoc.source.ver"         value="1.8"   />
-    <property name="jdoc.verbose"            value="false" />
-    <property name="jdoc.author"             value="true"  />
-    <property name="jdoc.version"            value="true"  />
-    <property name="jdoc.public"             value="true"  />
-    <property name="jdoc.protected"          value="true" />
-    <property name="jdoc.private"            value="true" />
-    <property name="jdoc.header"             value="Sketch Library V4" />
-    <property name="jdoc.docfilessubdirs"    value="true" />
-
-<!-- 
-********************************************************************************
-                            proj Targets                                 
-********************************************************************************
--->
-
-    <!--PRECOPY1 -->
-    <target name="precopy1"
-        depends="-init"
-        description="Copy remote dependant jarsIn to build jar directory" >
-        <!-- <copy file="${PigJar}" 
-              todir="${IntJarsPath}" />  -->
-        <copy file="${TestNGJar}" 
-              todir="${IntJarsPath}" />
-    </target>
-
-    <!--PRECOPY2 -->
-    <target name="precopy2"
-        depends="precopy1"
-        description="Copy all sources to intermediate directories" >
-        <!-- Create directories -->
-        <mkdir dir="${IntMainPath}/${RelJavaPackagePath}" />
-        <mkdir dir="${IntTestPath}/${RelJavaPackagePath}" />
-
-        <!-- Copy sources and directories below as well -->
-        <copy todir="${IntMainPath}/${RelJavaPackagePath}" >
-            <fileset dir="${SrcMainCommon}" />
-        </copy>
-        <copy todir="${IntTestPath}/${RelJavaPackagePath}" >
-            <fileset dir="${SrcTestCommon}" />
-        </copy>
-        
-        <!-- build file -->
-        <copy file="${BuildFile}"
-            todir="${ScriptsOutPath}" />
-        
-    </target>
-    
-    <!-- COMPILE -->
-    <target name="compile"
-        depends="precopy2"    
-        description="Compile all ${TitlePrefix} Java classes" >
-
-        <javac srcdir="${IntMainPath}:${IntTestPath}"
-               destdir="${IntBinPath}"
-               source="${comp.source.ver}"
-               compiler="${comp.compiler.ver}"
-               target="${comp.target.ver}"
-               fork="${comp.fork}"
-               debug="${comp.debug}" 
-               includeantruntime="false" >
-            <classpath refid="ProjClasspath"/>
-            <!-- compilerarg value="-Xlint:unchecked" /  -->
-        </javac>
-        <echo message="Compile Done."/>
-    </target>
-
-    <!-- jar classes -->
-    <target name="jar_classes"
-        depends="compile" 
-        description="Pack all class files into a Jar file">
-        <delete file="${JarsOutPath}/${outputFileNamePrefix}.jar"/>
-        <jar jarfile="${JarsOutPath}/${outputFileNamePrefix}.jar">
-            <manifest>
-                <attribute name="Build-Date" value="${TODAY}"/>
-            </manifest> 
-            <fileset dir="${IntBinPath}">
-                <include name="**" />
-            </fileset>
-        </jar>
-        <echo message="Classes jarred" />
-    </target> 
-
-    <!-- zip source -->    
-    <target name="zip_src" 
-        depends="precopy2"
-        description="Pack all source files into a Zip file" >
-        <delete  file="${ZipsOutPath}/${outputFileNamePrefix}_src.zip" />
-        <zip destfile="${ZipsOutPath}/${outputFileNamePrefix}_src.zip" >
-            <zipfileset dir="${IntMainPath}" includes="**" prefix="src" />
-        </zip>
-    </target>
-
-    <!-- Create javadocs & copy javadoc resources -->
-    <target name="javadoc"
-        depends="precopy2"
-        description="Create ${TitlePrefix} javadocs">
-        <delete dir="${IntJavadocPath}" />
-        <mkdir  dir="${IntJavadocPath}" />
-        <copy file="${SrcJavadocPath}/${OverviewFileName}"  todir="${IntJavadocPath}" />
-        <javadoc 
-             sourcepath="${IntMainPath}"
-             destdir="${IntJavadocPath}"
-             use="${jdoc.use}"
-             breakiterator="${jdoc.breakiterator}"
-             source="${jdoc.source.ver}"
-             verbose="${jdoc.verbose}"
-             author="${jdoc.author}"
-             version="${jdoc.version}"
-             windowtitle="${jdoc.windowTitle}"
-             overview="${jdoc.int.overview}"
-             public="${jdoc.public}" 
-             header="${jdoc.header}" >
-            <classpath refid="ProjClasspath"/>
-            <arg value="-Xdoclint:all"/>
-        </javadoc>
-
-        <!-- Copy maven resource files to javadoc dir -->
-        <copy todir="${IntJavadocResourcesPath}" >
-            <fileset dir="${SrcJavadocResourcePath}" />
-        </copy>
-
-
-        <!--   View options:
-            public="${jdoc.public}"        
-            protected="${jdoc.protected}" 
-            private="${jdoc.private}"
-        -->
-    </target>
-
-    <!-- COPY Misc files to out directories
-    <target name="copyDocs"
-        depends="precopy2"
-        description="Copy Data, scripts, misc to out directories." >
-
-    </target>  -->
-
-    <!-- zip javadoc -->    
-    <target name="zip_javadoc"
-            depends="javadoc"
-            description="Pack the javadocs into a Zip file" >
-        <delete  file="${ZipsOutPath}/${outputFileNamePrefix}_javadoc.zip" />
-        <zip destfile="${ZipsOutPath}/${outputFileNamePrefix}_javadoc.zip" >
-            <zipfileset dir="${IntJavadocPath}" 
-                includes="**" prefix="javadoc" />
-        </zip>
-    </target>
-
-    <!-- zip All -->
-    <target name="zip_All"
-            depends="precopy2, jar_classes, zip_src, zip_javadoc" 
-            description="Pack the jar and zips into this distribution Zip file">
-        <delete  file="${ZipsOutPath}/${outputFileNamePrefix}.zip" />
-        <zip destfile="${ZipsOutPath}/${outputFileNamePrefix}.zip" >
-            <zipfileset dir="${OutPath}"
-                includes="**" />
-        </zip>
-    </target>
-
-    <target name="build" 
-        depends="zip_All" 
-        description="Build ${TitlePrefix}">
-    </target>
-
-    <!-- CLEAN -->
-    <target name="clean" >
-        <delete dir="${BuildPath}" />
-    </target>
-
-<!--
- *******************************************************************************
-                          Internal Targets
- *******************************************************************************
--->
-
-    <!-- Internal build target; not for external use -->
-    <target name="-init">
-        <!-- set timestamp and print time -->
-        <tstamp>
-            <format property="TODAY" pattern="d-MMMM-yyyy.hh:mm:ss aa" locale="en"/>
-            <format property="DSTAMP" pattern="d-MMMM-yyyy" locale="en"/>
-            <format property="TSTAMP" pattern="hh:mm:ss aa" locale="en"/>
-        </tstamp>
-        <delete dir="${BuildPath}" />
-        <!-- build directories -->
-        <mkdir  dir="${BuildPath}" />
-        <mkdir  dir="${IntMainPath}" />
-        <mkdir  dir="${IntTestPath}" />
-        <mkdir  dir="${IntBinPath}" />
-        <mkdir  dir="${IntJavadocPath}" />
-        <mkdir  dir="${IntJavadocResourcesPath}"  />
-        <mkdir  dir="${IntScriptsPath}" />
-        <mkdir  dir="${IntJarsPath}" />
-        <mkdir  dir="${OutPath}" />
-        <mkdir  dir="${JarsOutPath}" />
-        <mkdir  dir="${ZipsOutPath}" />
-        <mkdir  dir="${ScriptsOutPath}" />
-        <echo message="Build time: ${TODAY}"/>
-        <echo message="Initialized" />
-    </target>
-
-</project>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fe51c5411
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+    xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
+    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
+    
+    <groupId>com.yahoo.data-sketches</groupId>
+    <artifactId>sketches-core</artifactId>
+    <version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <packaging>jar</packaging>
+    
+    <name>Sketch Core</name>
+    <description>Core Sketch library</description>
+    <url>http://datasketches.github.io/</url>
+    
+    <inceptionYear>2015</inceptionYear>
+    <organization>
+        <name>Yahoo! Inc.</name>
+        <url>http://www.yahoo.com</url>
+    </organization>
+    
+    <licenses>
+        <license>
+            <name>Apache License, Version 2.0</name>
+            <url>http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0</url>
+            <distribution>repo</distribution>
+        </license>
+    </licenses>
+    
+    <scm>
+        <connection>scm:git:https://github.com/DataSketches/sketches-core</connection>
+        <developerConnection>scm:git:git://github.com/DataSketches/sketches-core</developerConnection>
+        <url>https://www.github.com/DataSketches/sketches-core</url>
+    </scm>
+
+    <properties>
+        <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source>
+        <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target>
+        <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+    </properties>
+
+    <dependencies>
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.testng</groupId>
+            <artifactId>testng</artifactId>
+            <version>6.8.8</version>
+            <scope>test</scope>
+        </dependency>
+    </dependencies>
+
+    <build>
+        <pluginManagement>
+            <plugins>
+                <plugin>
+                    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>maven-source-plugin</artifactId>
+                    <version>2.4</version>
+                </plugin>
+                <plugin>
+                    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId>
+                    <version>2.10.3</version>
+                </plugin>
+                <plugin>
+                    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+                    <artifactId>maven-deploy-plugin</artifactId>
+                    <version>2.8.2</version>
+                </plugin>
+            </plugins>
+        </pluginManagement>
+    </build>
+</project>
\ No newline at end of file