docs: simplify release version updates

Author: rogerchappel

README.md

@@ -202,8 +202,8 @@ npm run package:smoke
 npm run release:check
 ```
 
-The package smoke checks the tarball contents, installs that tarball into a clean temporary consumer, and invokes the installed CLI.
+The package smoke checks the tarball contents, verifies the built CLI reports the package version, installs that tarball into a clean temporary consumer, and verifies the installed CLI reports the same version.
 
 Continuous integration runs the full `npm run release:check` suite on Node.js 20, 22, and 24. Node.js 20 is the package's declared minimum supported runtime, while 22 and 24 cover the current supported major releases.
 
-Version releases are distributed through npm. Set `package.json` to the intended version, run `npm run release:tag -- v<version>` and `npm run release:check`, then push that exact tag. The tag workflow validates the tag again, publishes the public package to npm with provenance, and creates the GitHub release only after npm publication succeeds.
+Version releases are distributed through npm. Set `package.json` to the intended version; the CLI reads that value directly, so no source literal needs a separate update. Run `npm run release:tag -- v<version>` and `npm run release:check`, then push that exact tag. The tag workflow validates the tag again, publishes the public package to npm with provenance, and creates the GitHub release only after npm publication succeeds.