diff --git a/.github/workflows/capi.yaml b/.github/workflows/capi.yaml
index 4d15a0ad..1d70c36b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/capi.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/capi.yaml
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ name: CAPI
 
 on:
   push:
+    branches-ignore:
+      - pycli
 
 jobs:
   capi:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cli-wheels-windows.yml b/.github/workflows/cli-wheels-windows.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..52655c73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/cli-wheels-windows.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+name: Generate CLI wheels for Windows
+
+# this workflow doesn't do (yet) what it promises; we keep this file to not lose the progress
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  cli-wheels-windows:
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        target: [x64]
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: msys2 {0}
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: msys2/setup-msys2@v2
+        with:
+          msystem: UCRT64
+          update: true
+          install: >-
+            git
+            gcc
+            make
+            autoconf
+            python3
+            curl
+            tar
+            mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-pkg-config
+            mingw-w64-rust
+            mingw-w64-python-maturin
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          # WARNING: be careful with the ordering - the last version is the
+          # default one. Apparently maturin doesn't find all Python versions
+          # when one chooses a PyPy version instead of CPython as default
+          python-version: |
+            pypy3.7
+            pypy3.8
+            pypy3.9
+            pypy3.10
+            3.7
+            3.8
+            3.9
+            3.11
+            3.12
+            3.10
+      - name: Install LHAPDF
+        run: |
+          curl "https://lhapdf.hepforge.org/downloads/?f=LHAPDF-6.5.4.tar.gz" | tar xzf -
+          cd LHAPDF-6.5.4
+          # compiling with Python gives errors, but we also don't need Python
+          ./configure --disable-python --disable-shared
+          make -j
+          make install
+          # print the path of `pkgconf`
+          command -v pkg-config
+      - name: Set pkg-config paths
+        run: |
+          # for some reason `pkg-config` isn't properly found by Rust
+          echo "PKG_CONFIG=$(command -v pkg-config)" >> ${GITHUB_ENV}
+          echo "PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/ucrt64/lib/pkgconfig:${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}" >> ${GITHUB_ENV}
+          echo "${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}"
+      - name: Build wheels
+        run:
+          maturin build --release --out dist --find-interpreter --manifest-path pineappl_cli/Cargo.toml --target ${{ matrix.target }}
+      - name: Upload wheels
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: ${{ github.job }}-${{ matrix.target }}
+          path: dist
diff --git a/.github/workflows/msrv.yml b/.github/workflows/msrv.yml
index 25ef4b9a..c236f28a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/msrv.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/msrv.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ name: MSRV
 
 on:
   push:
+    branches-ignore:
+      - pycli
 
 env:
   CARGO_TERM_COLOR: always
diff --git a/.github/workflows/python.yml b/.github/workflows/python.yml
index c9ccd8c8..51d2a256 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ name: Python
 
 on:
   push:
+    branches-ignore:
+      - pycli
 
 jobs:
   test:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 8fa0463c..fd129383 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -7,55 +7,120 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 env:
+  # this is make the `gh` binary work
   GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
 
 jobs:
-  # create a release on github
-  create-release:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: "startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')"
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Create new release
-        run: |
-          # remove leading 'v' in tag name
-          gh release create -d v${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}
+  ## create a release on github
+  #create-release:
+  #  runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  #  if: "startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')"
+  #  steps:
+  #    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  #    - name: Create new release
+  #      run: |
+  #        # remove leading 'v' in tag name
+  #        gh release create -d v${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}
 
-  capi-macos:
-    runs-on: macos-latest
-    strategy:
-      matrix:
-        target: [x86_64-apple-darwin, aarch64-apple-darwin]
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Compile library
-        run: |
-          curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y --target=${{ matrix.target }}
-          cargo install --locked cargo-c
-          cd pineappl_capi
-          cargo cinstall --destdir=prefix --library-type=cdylib --locked --prefix=/ --target=${{ matrix.target }} --verbose
-          cd prefix
-          tar czf ../../pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz .
-      - name: Upload artifact
-        # as long as we need v3 in `capi-linux` we also must use it here
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}
-          path: pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz
+  #capi-macos:
+  #  runs-on: macos-latest
+  #  strategy:
+  #    matrix:
+  #      target: [x86_64-apple-darwin, aarch64-apple-darwin]
+  #  steps:
+  #    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  #    - name: Compile library
+  #      run: |
+  #        curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y --target=${{ matrix.target }}
+  #        cargo install --locked cargo-c
+  #        cd pineappl_capi
+  #        cargo cinstall --destdir=prefix --library-type=cdylib --locked --prefix=/ --target=${{ matrix.target }} --verbose
+  #        cd prefix
+  #        tar czf ../../pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz .
+  #    - name: Upload artifact
+  #      # as long as we need v3 in `capi-linux` we also must use it here
+  #      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+  #      with:
+  #        name: pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}
+  #        path: pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz
+
+  #cli-macos:
+  #  strategy:
+  #    matrix:
+  #      include:
+  #        - os: macos-13
+  #          target: x86_64-apple-darwin
+  #        - os: macos-14
+  #          # we cannot cross-compile, because we need also all dependencies for the specified target
+  #          target: aarch64-apple-darwin
+  #  runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+  #  steps:
+  #    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  #    - name: Compile binary
+  #      run: |
+  #        brew tap davidchall/hep
+  #        # install LHAPDF
+  #        brew install lhapdf
+  #        # install APPLgrid's dependencies; disable ROOT because its static libraries are missing
+  #        brew install --only-dependencies --without-hoppet --without-lhapdf --without-root applgrid
+  #        # install zlib, which is a dependency of APPLgrid but somehow missing
+  #        brew install zlib
+  #        # APPLgrid wants to be linked against zlib, and we need to find its static library via pkg-config
+  #        export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=$(find $(brew --cellar) -name '*.pc' -exec dirname {} + | sort -u | tr '\n' ':')
+  #        # manually compile APPLgrid, because we need the file `appl_igrid.h` and the files it includes, which are possibly generated
+  #        export HOMEBREW_TEMP="$(pwd)"/tmp
+  #        mkdir -p ${HOMEBREW_TEMP}
+  #        brew install --build-from-source --keep-tmp --without-hoppet --without-lhapdf --without-root applgrid
+  #        export APPL_IGRID_DIR=$(find ${HOMEBREW_TEMP} -name appl_igrid.h -exec dirname {} +)
+  #        # do not link against `gfortran`
+  #        sed 's/-lgfortran//g' $(command -v applgrid-config) > applgrid-config.new
+  #        mv applgrid-config.new $(command -v applgrid-config)
+  #        chmod +x $(command -v applgrid-config)
+  #        # install fastNLO
+  #        brew install --without-fastjet fastnlo
+  #        # install Rust
+  #        curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y --default-host=${{ matrix.target }}
+  #        # build the CLI
+  #        cargo install --all-features --locked --path pineappl_cli  --root=prefix --target=${{ matrix.target }}
+  #        # build manpages
+  #        mkdir -p prefix/share/man/man1
+  #        cargo xtask install-manpages prefix/share/man/man1
+  #        cd prefix
+  #        tar czf ../pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz .
+  #    - name: Upload artifact
+  #      # as long as we need v3 in `cli-linux` we also must use it here
+  #      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+  #      with:
+  #        name: pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}
+  #        path: pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz
 
-  cli-macos:
+  cli-wheels-macos:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         include:
           - os: macos-13
-            target: x86_64-apple-darwin
+            target: x86_64
           - os: macos-14
             # we cannot cross-compile, because we need also all dependencies for the specified target
-            target: aarch64-apple-darwin
+            target: aarch64
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Compile binary
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          # WARNING: be careful with the ordering - the last version is the
+          # default one. Apparently maturin doesn't find all Python versions
+          # when one chooses a PyPy version instead of CPython as default
+          python-version: |
+            pypy3.8
+            pypy3.9
+            pypy3.10
+            3.8
+            3.9
+            3.11
+            3.12
+            3.10
+      - name: Install dependencies
         run: |
           brew tap davidchall/hep
           # install LHAPDF
@@ -65,139 +130,157 @@ jobs:
           # install zlib, which is a dependency of APPLgrid but somehow missing
           brew install zlib
           # APPLgrid wants to be linked against zlib, and we need to find its static library via pkg-config
-          export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=$(find $(brew --cellar) -name '*.pc' -exec dirname {} + | sort -u | tr '\n' ':')
+          echo "PKG_CONFIG_PATH=$(find $(brew --cellar) -name '*.pc' -exec dirname {} + | sort -u | tr '\n' ':')" >> ${GITHUB_ENV}
           # manually compile APPLgrid, because we need the file `appl_igrid.h` and the files it includes, which are possibly generated
           export HOMEBREW_TEMP="$(pwd)"/tmp
           mkdir -p ${HOMEBREW_TEMP}
           brew install --build-from-source --keep-tmp --without-hoppet --without-lhapdf --without-root applgrid
-          export APPL_IGRID_DIR=$(find ${HOMEBREW_TEMP} -name appl_igrid.h -exec dirname {} +)
+          echo "APPL_IGRID_DIR=$(find ${HOMEBREW_TEMP} -name appl_igrid.h -exec dirname {} +)" >> ${GITHUB_ENV}
           # do not link against `gfortran`
           sed 's/-lgfortran//g' $(command -v applgrid-config) > applgrid-config.new
           mv applgrid-config.new $(command -v applgrid-config)
           chmod +x $(command -v applgrid-config)
           # install fastNLO
           brew install --without-fastjet fastnlo
-          # install Rust
-          curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y --default-host=${{ matrix.target }}
-          # build the CLI
-          cargo install --all-features --locked --path pineappl_cli  --root=prefix --target=${{ matrix.target }}
-          # build manpages
-          mkdir -p prefix/share/man/man1
-          cargo xtask install-manpages prefix/share/man/man1
-          cd prefix
-          tar czf ../pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz .
-      - name: Upload artifact
-        # as long as we need v3 in `cli-linux` we also must use it here
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+      - name: Build wheels
+        uses: PyO3/maturin-action@v1
         with:
-          name: pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}
-          path: pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz
-
-  capi-linux:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    container: ghcr.io/nnpdf/pineappl-ci:latest
-    strategy:
-      matrix:
-        target: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
-    steps:
-      # checkout@v4 uses a newer version of Node that's incompatible with our container's GLIBC
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-      - name: Compile library
-        run: |
-          cd pineappl_capi
-          cargo cinstall --destdir=prefix --library-type=cdylib --locked --prefix=/ --target=${{ matrix.target }} --verbose
-          cd prefix
-          tar czf ../../pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz .
-          # print the glibc version requirement
-          objdump -T lib/libpineappl_capi.so | grep GLIBC | sed 's/.*GLIBC_\([.0-9]*\).*/\1/g' | sort -Vu | tail -1
-      - name: Upload artifact
-        # upload-artifact@v4 uses a newer version of Node that's incompatible with our container's GLIBC
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+          target: ${{ matrix.target }}
+          args: --release --out dist --find-interpreter --manifest-path pineappl_cli/Cargo.toml
+          sccache: "true"
+      - name: Upload wheels
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}
-          path: pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz
+          name: ${{ github.job }}-${{ matrix.target }}
+          path: dist
+
+  #capi-linux:
+  #  runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  #  container: ghcr.io/nnpdf/pineappl-ci:latest
+  #  strategy:
+  #    matrix:
+  #      target: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
+  #  steps:
+  #    # checkout@v4 uses a newer version of Node that's incompatible with our container's GLIBC
+  #    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+  #    - name: Compile library
+  #      run: |
+  #        cd pineappl_capi
+  #        cargo cinstall --destdir=prefix --library-type=cdylib --locked --prefix=/ --target=${{ matrix.target }} --verbose
+  #        cd prefix
+  #        tar czf ../../pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz .
+  #        # print the glibc version requirement
+  #        objdump -T lib/libpineappl_capi.so | grep GLIBC | sed 's/.*GLIBC_\([.0-9]*\).*/\1/g' | sort -Vu | tail -1
+  #    - name: Upload artifact
+  #      # upload-artifact@v4 uses a newer version of Node that's incompatible with our container's GLIBC
+  #      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+  #      with:
+  #        name: pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}
+  #        path: pineappl_capi-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz
+
+  #cli-linux:
+  #  runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  #  container: ghcr.io/nnpdf/pineappl-ci:latest
+  #  strategy:
+  #    matrix:
+  #      target: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
+  #  steps:
+  #    # checkout@v4 uses a newer version of Node that's incompatible with our container's GLIBC
+  #    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+  #    - name: Compile binary
+  #      run: |
+  #        cargo install --all-features --locked --path pineappl_cli --root=prefix --target=${{ matrix.target }} -vv
+  #        # build manpages
+  #        mkdir -p prefix/share/man/man1
+  #        cargo xtask install-manpages prefix/share/man/man1
+  #        cd prefix
+  #        tar czf ../pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz .
+  #        # print the dynamically linked libraries
+  #        ldd bin/pineappl
+  #    - name: Upload artifact
+  #      # upload-artifact@v4 uses a newer version of Node that's incompatible with our container's GLIBC
+  #      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+  #      with:
+  #        name: pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}
+  #        path: pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz
 
-  cli-linux:
+  cli-wheels-linux:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    container: ghcr.io/nnpdf/pineappl-ci:latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        target: [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu]
-    steps:
-      # checkout@v4 uses a newer version of Node that's incompatible with our container's GLIBC
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-      - name: Compile binary
-        run: |
-          cargo install --all-features --locked --path pineappl_cli --root=prefix --target=${{ matrix.target }} -vv
-          # build manpages
-          mkdir -p prefix/share/man/man1
-          cargo xtask install-manpages prefix/share/man/man1
-          cd prefix
-          tar czf ../pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz .
-          # print the dynamically linked libraries
-          ldd bin/pineappl
-      - name: Upload artifact
-        # upload-artifact@v4 uses a newer version of Node that's incompatible with our container's GLIBC
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}
-          path: pineappl_cli-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz
-
-  # publish a release on github and upload pre-built CAPI
-  publish-release:
-    needs: [capi-macos, cli-macos, capi-linux, cli-linux]
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: "startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')"
+        target: [x86_64]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      # version must match the one used in `actions/upload-artifact`
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+      - name: Build wheels
+        uses: PyO3/maturin-action@v1
         with:
-          path: artifacts
-      - name: Create new release
-        run: |
-          # remove leading 'v' in tag name
-          version=${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}
-          prerelease=$(echo ${version} | perl -pe 's/^(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)(?:-((?:0|[1-9]\d*|\d*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*)(?:\.(?:0|[1-9]\d*|\d*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*))*))?(?:\+([0-9a-zA-Z-]+(?:\.[0-9a-zA-Z-]+)*))?$/\4/')
-          if [[ ${prerelease}  == "" ]]; then
-              # extract the previous version number
-              old_version=$(sed -n 's/^## \[\(.*\)\] - .*/\1/p' CHANGELOG.md | tail +2 | head -n 1)
-              # extract news for the current version from the changelog file, dismissing
-              # empty lines at the start and the end
-              news=$(sed -n "/\\[${version}\\]/, /\\[${old_version}\\]/{ /\\[${old_version}\\]/! p }" \
-                  CHANGELOG.md | sed -e :a -e '/./,$!d;/^\n*$/{$d;N;};/\n$/ba')
-              gh release edit v${version} -n "${news}"
-          else
-              gh release edit v${version} -n "" --prerelease
-          fi
-          find artifacts -name 'pineappl*' -type f -exec gh release upload v${version} {} +
-          gh release edit v${version} --draft=false
+          target: ${{ matrix.target }}
+          container: ghcr.io/nnpdf/pineappl-ci:latest
+          # `--find-interpreter` is needed to generate wheels for *all* Python versions
+          args: --release --out dist --find-interpreter --manifest-path pineappl_cli/Cargo.toml
+          sccache: "true"
+          manylinux: auto
+      - name: Upload wheels
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: ${{ github.job }}-${{ matrix.target }}
+          path: dist
 
-  publish-crates:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: "startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')"
-    container: ghcr.io/nnpdf/pineappl-ci:latest
-    steps:
-      # checkout@v4 uses a newer version of Node that's incompatible with our container's GLIBC
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+  ## publish a release on github and upload pre-built CAPI
+  #publish-release:
+  #  needs: [capi-macos, cli-macos, capi-linux, cli-linux]
+  #  runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  #  if: "startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')"
+  #  steps:
+  #    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  #    # version must match the one used in `actions/upload-artifact`
+  #    - uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+  #      with:
+  #        path: artifacts
+  #    - name: Create new release
+  #      run: |
+  #        # remove leading 'v' in tag name
+  #        version=${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}
+  #        prerelease=$(echo ${version} | perl -pe 's/^(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)(?:-((?:0|[1-9]\d*|\d*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*)(?:\.(?:0|[1-9]\d*|\d*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*))*))?(?:\+([0-9a-zA-Z-]+(?:\.[0-9a-zA-Z-]+)*))?$/\4/')
+  #        if [[ ${prerelease}  == "" ]]; then
+  #            # extract the previous version number
+  #            old_version=$(sed -n 's/^## \[\(.*\)\] - .*/\1/p' CHANGELOG.md | tail +2 | head -n 1)
+  #            # extract news for the current version from the changelog file, dismissing
+  #            # empty lines at the start and the end
+  #            news=$(sed -n "/\\[${version}\\]/, /\\[${old_version}\\]/{ /\\[${old_version}\\]/! p }" \
+  #                CHANGELOG.md | sed -e :a -e '/./,$!d;/^\n*$/{$d;N;};/\n$/ba')
+  #            gh release edit v${version} -n "${news}"
+  #        else
+  #            gh release edit v${version} -n "" --prerelease
+  #        fi
+  #        find artifacts -name 'pineappl*' -type f -exec gh release upload v${version} {} +
+  #        gh release edit v${version} --draft=false
 
-      - name: Publish all crates
-        env:
-          CARGO_REGISTRY_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CARGO_REGISTRY_TOKEN }}
-        run: |
-          # this must be at least Rust 1.66 to support waiting for dependencies to on crates.io:
-          # https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md#cargo-166-2022-12-15
-          rustup default stable
-          cd pineappl
-          cargo publish
-          cd ../pineappl_applgrid
-          cargo publish
-          cd ../pineappl_fastnlo
-          cargo publish
-          cd ../pineappl_capi
-          cargo publish
-          cd ../pineappl_cli
-          cargo publish
+  #publish-crates:
+  #  runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  #  if: "startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')"
+  #  container: ghcr.io/nnpdf/pineappl-ci:latest
+  #  steps:
+  #    # checkout@v4 uses a newer version of Node that's incompatible with our container's GLIBC
+  #    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
+  #    - name: Publish all crates
+  #      env:
+  #        CARGO_REGISTRY_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CARGO_REGISTRY_TOKEN }}
+  #      run: |
+  #        # this must be at least Rust 1.66 to support waiting for dependencies to on crates.io:
+  #        # https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md#cargo-166-2022-12-15
+  #        rustup default stable
+  #        cd pineappl
+  #        cargo publish
+  #        cd ../pineappl_applgrid
+  #        cargo publish
+  #        cd ../pineappl_fastnlo
+  #        cargo publish
+  #        cd ../pineappl_capi
+  #        cargo publish
+  #        cd ../pineappl_cli
+  #        cargo publish
 
   wheels-linux:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -307,14 +390,37 @@ jobs:
           name: ${{ github.job }}-${{ matrix.target }}
           path: dist
 
+  release-cli-wheels:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: "startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')"
+    needs:
+      - cli-wheels-linux
+      - cli-wheels-macos
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          pattern: "cli-wheels-*"
+          merge-multiple: true
+      - name: Publish to PyPI
+        uses: PyO3/maturin-action@v1
+        env:
+          MATURIN_PYPI_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PYPI_TOKEN_CLI }}
+        with:
+          command: upload
+          args: --skip-existing *
+
   release-wheels:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: "startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')"
-    needs: [wheels-linux, wheels-macos, wheels-sdist, wheels-windows]
+    needs:
+      - wheels-linux
+      - wheels-macos
+      - wheels-sdist
+      - wheels-windows
     steps:
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          pattern: wheels-*
+          pattern: "wheels-*"
           merge-multiple: true
       - name: Publish to PyPI
         uses: PyO3/maturin-action@v1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/rust.yml b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
index a2751695..17556a0a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rust.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ name: Rust
 
 on:
   push:
+    branches-ignore:
+      - pycli
 
 defaults:
   run:
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index d70e3286..135f934f 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1225,7 +1225,7 @@ checksum = "8b870d8c151b6f2fb93e84a13146138f05d02ed11c7e7c54f8826aaaf7c9f184"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "pineappl"
-version = "0.7.4"
+version = "0.8.0-alpha.4"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "arrayvec",
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "pineappl_applgrid"
-version = "0.7.4"
+version = "0.8.0-alpha.4"
 dependencies = [
  "cc",
  "cxx",
@@ -1261,7 +1261,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "pineappl_capi"
-version = "0.7.4"
+version = "0.8.0-alpha.4"
 dependencies = [
  "itertools",
  "pineappl",
@@ -1269,7 +1269,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "pineappl_cli"
-version = "0.7.4"
+version = "0.8.0-alpha.4"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "assert_cmd",
@@ -1300,7 +1300,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "pineappl_fastnlo"
-version = "0.7.4"
+version = "0.8.0-alpha.4"
 dependencies = [
  "cxx",
  "cxx-build",
@@ -1310,7 +1310,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "pineappl_py"
-version = "0.7.4"
+version = "0.8.0-alpha.4"
 dependencies = [
  "itertools",
  "ndarray",
@@ -2472,7 +2472,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "xtask"
-version = "0.7.4"
+version = "0.8.0-alpha.4"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "clap",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 6aa82170..dab4054c 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ keywords = ["high-energy-physics", "physics"]
 license = "GPL-3.0-or-later"
 repository = "https://github.com/NNPDF/pineappl"
 rust-version = "1.70.0"
-version = "0.7.4"
+version = "0.8.0-alpha.4"
 
 [workspace.lints.clippy]
 all = { level = "warn", priority = -1 }
diff --git a/maintainer/make-release.sh b/maintainer/make-release.sh
index 12b7feb6..74ce4942 100755
--- a/maintainer/make-release.sh
+++ b/maintainer/make-release.sh
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ features=(
     fktable
 )
 
+main=master
+this_branch=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
+
 cd ..
 
 if [[ $# != 1 ]]; then
@@ -28,13 +31,17 @@ fi
 
 version=$1
 
+prerelease=$(echo ${version} | perl -pe 's/^(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)(?:-((?:0|[1-9]\d*|\d*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*)(?:\.(?:0|[1-9]\d*|\d*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*))*))?(?:\+([0-9a-zA-Z-]+(?:\.[0-9a-zA-Z-]+)*))?$/\4/')
+
 if [[ $(echo ${version} | grep -oP '^(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)(?:-((?:0|[1-9]\d*|\d*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*)(?:\.(?:0|[1-9]\d*|\d*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*))*))?(?:\+([0-9a-zA-Z-]+(?:\.[0-9a-zA-Z-]+)*))?$') != ${version} ]]; then
     echo "Version string incorrect."
     exit 1
 fi
 
-if [[ $(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD) != master ]]; then
-    echo "You're not on master."
+# in branches that are not master we only allow prereleases
+if [[ ${this_branch} != ${main} ]] && [[ ${prerelease} == "" ]]; then
+    echo "Ordinary releases are only allowed in the '${main}' branch."
+    echo "If you really want to make a release from '${this_branch}', consider making a prerelease."
     exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -73,8 +80,6 @@ cd ..
 
 echo ">>> Updating version strings ..."
 
-prerelease=$(echo ${version} | perl -pe 's/^(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)(?:-((?:0|[1-9]\d*|\d*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*)(?:\.(?:0|[1-9]\d*|\d*[a-zA-Z-][0-9a-zA-Z-]*))*))?(?:\+([0-9a-zA-Z-]+(?:\.[0-9a-zA-Z-]+)*))?$/\4/')
-
 # we don't want to create a changelog entry for prereleases, which are solely
 # for internal testing purposes
 if [[ ${prerelease} == "" ]]; then
diff --git a/pineappl_capi/Cargo.toml b/pineappl_capi/Cargo.toml
index 864faf21..8d3f47c4 100644
--- a/pineappl_capi/Cargo.toml
+++ b/pineappl_capi/Cargo.toml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ version.workspace = true
 workspace = true
 
 [dependencies]
-pineappl = { path = "../pineappl", version = "=0.7.4" }
+pineappl = { path = "../pineappl", version = "=0.8.0-alpha.4" }
 itertools = "0.10.1"
 
 [features]
diff --git a/pineappl_cli/Cargo.toml b/pineappl_cli/Cargo.toml
index 46172936..fe1d19b9 100644
--- a/pineappl_cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/pineappl_cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@ lhapdf = { package = "managed-lhapdf", version = "0.3.2" }
 lz4_flex = { optional = true, version = "0.9.2" }
 ndarray = "0.15.4"
 ndarray-npy = { optional = true, version = "0.8.1" }
-pineappl = { path = "../pineappl", version = "=0.7.4" }
-pineappl_applgrid = { optional = true, path = "../pineappl_applgrid", version = "=0.7.4" }
-pineappl_fastnlo = { optional = true, path = "../pineappl_fastnlo", version = "=0.7.4" }
+pineappl = { path = "../pineappl", version = "=0.8.0-alpha.4" }
+pineappl_applgrid = { optional = true, path = "../pineappl_applgrid", version = "=0.8.0-alpha.4" }
+pineappl_fastnlo = { optional = true, path = "../pineappl_fastnlo", version = "=0.8.0-alpha.4" }
 prettytable-rs = { default-features = false, features = ["win_crlf"], version = "0.10.0" }
 rayon = "1.5.1"
 serde = { features = ["derive"], optional = true, version = "1.0.130" }
diff --git a/pineappl_cli/pyproject.toml b/pineappl_cli/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a5476cc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pineappl_cli/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[build-system]
+requires = ["maturin>=1.0,<2.0"]
+build-backend = "maturin"
+
+[tool.maturin]
+bindings = "bin"
+all-features = true
diff --git a/pineappl_py/Cargo.toml b/pineappl_py/Cargo.toml
index 5b7f35b6..177daffd 100644
--- a/pineappl_py/Cargo.toml
+++ b/pineappl_py/Cargo.toml
@@ -30,5 +30,5 @@ crate-type = ["cdylib"]
 itertools = "0.10.1"
 ndarray = "0.15.4"
 numpy = "0.20.0"
-pineappl = { path = "../pineappl", version = "=0.7.4" }
+pineappl = { path = "../pineappl", version = "=0.8.0-alpha.4" }
 pyo3 = { features = ["extension-module"], version = "0.20.0" }
diff --git a/xtask/Cargo.toml b/xtask/Cargo.toml
index 8b025b56..aa06a4d5 100644
--- a/xtask/Cargo.toml
+++ b/xtask/Cargo.toml
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@ clap_mangen = "0.2.18"
 enum_dispatch = "0.3.7"
 #git2 = "0.17.2"
 #semver = "1.0.17"
-pineappl_cli = { path = "../pineappl_cli", version = "=0.7.4" }
+pineappl_cli = { path = "../pineappl_cli", version = "=0.8.0-alpha.4" }