diff --git a/docs/.vitepress/stars.data.ts b/docs/.vitepress/stars.data.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1294be7d8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/.vitepress/stars.data.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// This file is auto-updated by xtasks/release-plz
+// Current star count from GitHub API
+export default {
+  load() {
+    return {
+      stars: "19.3k",
+    };
+  },
+};
diff --git a/docs/.vitepress/theme/custom.css b/docs/.vitepress/theme/custom.css
index 299b93cd42..ffa3d4bd21 100644
--- a/docs/.vitepress/theme/custom.css
+++ b/docs/.vitepress/theme/custom.css
@@ -191,6 +191,52 @@
   }
 }
 
+/* GitHub star count badge */
+.VPSocialLinks a[href*="github.com/jdx/mise"] {
+  display: inline-flex !important;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  gap: 0;
+  position: relative;
+  padding-bottom: 12px !important;
+  margin-bottom: -12px !important;
+}
+
+/* Ensure GitHub icon is visible and aligned */
+.VPSocialLinks a[href*="github.com/jdx/mise"] svg {
+  display: block !important;
+  width: 20px;
+  height: 20px;
+  margin-top: 2px;
+}
+
+.VPSocialLinks .star-count {
+  position: absolute;
+  bottom: 0;
+  left: 50%;
+  transform: translateX(-50%);
+  font-size: 0.6rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  color: var(--vp-c-text-3);
+  font-family: var(--vp-font-family-mono);
+  letter-spacing: -0.02em;
+  transition: color 0.25s ease;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  line-height: 1;
+}
+
+.VPSocialLinks a[href*="github.com/jdx/mise"]:hover .star-count {
+  color: var(--vp-c-brand-1);
+}
+
+/* Hide star count on mobile to save space */
+@media (max-width: 640px) {
+  .VPSocialLinks .star-count {
+    display: none;
+  }
+}
+
 /* Apply Bebas Neue to h1 headers, navigation, and key UI elements */
 h1,
 .vp-doc h1,
@@ -240,19 +286,14 @@ h1,
 }
 
 .VPHero .name {
-  background: linear-gradient(
-    120deg,
-    #00d9ff 0%,
-    #52e892 50%,
-    #ff9100 100%
-  );
+  background: linear-gradient(120deg, #00d9ff 0%, #52e892 50%, #ff9100 100%);
   background-size: 200% 100%;
   -webkit-background-clip: text;
   background-clip: text;
   -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
   font-weight: 900;
   letter-spacing: -0.02em;
-  font-size: 5rem !important;
+  font-size: 6rem !important;
   line-height: 1.1 !important;
   animation: shimmer 3s ease-in-out infinite;
   filter: drop-shadow(0 0 20px rgba(0, 217, 255, 0.3));
@@ -260,12 +301,7 @@ h1,
 
 /* Light mode hero gradient */
 :root:not(.dark) .VPHero .name {
-  background: linear-gradient(
-    120deg,
-    #00acc1 0%,
-    #4caf50 50%,
-    #ff9800 100%
-  );
+  background: linear-gradient(120deg, #00acc1 0%, #4caf50 50%, #ff9800 100%);
   background-size: 200% 100%;
   -webkit-background-clip: text;
   background-clip: text;
@@ -565,13 +601,13 @@ div[class*="language-"] .copy:hover {
 /* Responsive improvements */
 @media (max-width: 1024px) {
   .VPHero .name {
-    font-size: 4rem !important;
+    font-size: 5rem !important;
   }
 }
 
 @media (max-width: 768px) {
   .VPHero .name {
-    font-size: 3.5rem !important;
+    font-size: 4rem !important;
   }
 
   .VPHero .tagline {
diff --git a/docs/.vitepress/theme/index.ts b/docs/.vitepress/theme/index.ts
index c2a8c1b66d..5d1ee0b32f 100644
--- a/docs/.vitepress/theme/index.ts
+++ b/docs/.vitepress/theme/index.ts
@@ -3,10 +3,37 @@ import DefaultTheme from "vitepress/theme";
 import { enhanceAppWithTabs } from "vitepress-plugin-tabs/client";
 import "virtual:group-icons.css";
 import "./custom.css";
+import { onMounted } from "vue";
+import { data as starsData } from "../stars.data";
 
 export default {
   extends: DefaultTheme,
   enhanceApp({ app }) {
     enhanceAppWithTabs(app);
   },
+  setup() {
+    onMounted(() => {
+      // Add star count to GitHub social link
+      const addStarCount = () => {
+        const githubLink = document.querySelector(
+          '.VPSocialLinks a[href*="github.com/jdx/mise"]',
+        );
+        if (githubLink && !githubLink.querySelector(".star-count")) {
+          const starBadge = document.createElement("span");
+          starBadge.className = "star-count";
+          starBadge.innerHTML = starsData.stars;
+          starBadge.title = "GitHub Stars";
+          githubLink.appendChild(starBadge);
+        }
+      };
+
+      // Try immediately and after a short delay to ensure DOM is ready
+      addStarCount();
+      setTimeout(addStarCount, 100);
+
+      // Also watch for route changes
+      const observer = new MutationObserver(addStarCount);
+      observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true });
+    });
+  },
 } satisfies Theme;
diff --git a/xtasks/release-plz b/xtasks/release-plz
index dc92013487..c6a996a2a7 100755
--- a/xtasks/release-plz
+++ b/xtasks/release-plz
@@ -79,6 +79,33 @@ sed -i.bak "s/^[0-9]\+\.[0-9]\+\.[0-9]\+\(-rc\.[0-9]\+\)\? macos-arm64 (a1b2d3e
 sed -i.bak "s/^Version: [0-9]\+\.[0-9]\+\.[0-9]\+\(-rc\.[0-9]\+\)\?$/Version: $version/" packaging/rpm/mise.spec
 sed -i.bak "s/version = \"[0-9]\+\.[0-9]\+\.[0-9]\+\(-rc\.[0-9]\+\)\?\";$/version = \"$version\";/" default.nix
 
+# Update GitHub star count using gh CLI
+stars_raw="$(gh api repos/jdx/mise --jq '.stargazers_count')"
+if [[ -n $stars_raw ]]; then
+	if [[ $stars_raw -ge 1000 ]]; then
+		# Format as k notation (e.g., 19346 -> 19.3k)
+		stars_formatted="$(echo "scale=1; $stars_raw / 1000" | bc)k"
+		# Remove trailing .0k
+		stars_formatted="${stars_formatted/.0k/k}"
+	else
+		stars_formatted="$stars_raw"
+	fi
+
+	# Update the stars data file
+	cat >docs/.vitepress/stars.data.ts <<EOF
+// This file is auto-updated by xtasks/release-plz
+// Current star count from GitHub API
+export default {
+  load() {
+    return {
+      stars: "$stars_formatted",
+    };
+  },
+};
+EOF
+	echo "Updated star count to $stars_formatted"
+fi
+
 mise run render ::: lint-fix
 
 rm -rf crates/aqua-registry/aqua-registry
@@ -97,6 +124,7 @@ git add \
 	README.md \
 	crates/aqua-registry/aqua-registry \
 	default.nix \
+	docs/.vitepress/stars.data.ts \
 	packaging/rpm/mise.spec \
 	mise.usage.kdl \
 	completions \