Content deployment systems and methods are provided for integrating and deploying selected content items as part of a specific release. A content publishing engine includes a processor that can execute a release management API that is configured to manage and store a manifest record that specifies release items by API name that are allowed to be part of the specific release. The processor is configured to execute a bulk API that is configured to receive content package objects from a plurality of content sources. For example, the first content source can directly invoke the bulk API to send first content items to the content publishing engine. A filter module can extract selected first content items that are specified in the manifest record for inclusion in the specific release, and add the selected first content items into a release object so that they are included as part of the specific release.