diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/test_and_build.yaml b/.forgejo/workflows/test_and_build.yaml
index b5ffdf7..929bf67 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/test_and_build.yaml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/test_and_build.yaml
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build the container image
         if: fromJSON(steps.builder.outputs.run)
         uses: actions/buildah-build@v1
+        env:
+          VERSION: ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
         with:
           image: treetrail-backend
           oci: true
@@ -91,6 +93,8 @@ jobs:
           tags: ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
           containerfiles: |
             ./Containerfile
+          build-arg: |
+            "VERSION=$VERSION"
 
       - name: Push the image to the registry
         if: fromJSON(steps.builder.outputs.run)
diff --git a/Containerfile b/Containerfile
index 3273154..0351e3d 100644
--- a/Containerfile
+++ b/Containerfile
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 FROM tiptop:5000/treetrail-backend-deps
 
 ENV PYTHONPATH $UV_PROJECT_ENVIRONMENT/lib/python3.12/site-packages
+ARG APP_VERSION=0.0.0
 
 COPY . /src
 
@@ -15,6 +16,8 @@ RUN uv pip install \
   --no-deps \
   /src
 
+RUN echo $APP_VERSION > /app/version.txt
+
 CMD [ \
   "uvicorn", "treetrail.application:app", \
   "--port", "8081", \
diff --git a/build.yaml b/build.yaml
index 1f620f2..1f69cfb 100644
--- a/build.yaml
+++ b/build.yaml
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-- name: Build containers
+- name: Build containers images
   hosts: localhost
   gather_facts: false
   vars:
-    force: false
     force_rm: false
     cache: false
     repository: tiptop:5000
@@ -31,9 +30,15 @@
         push_args:
           dest: "{{ repository }}/treetrail-backend-deps"
 
+    - name: Get the version from git
+      command: git describe --dirty --tags
+      register: version
+      args:
+        chdir: "{{ playbook_dir }}"
+
     - name: Build the backend container image
       containers.podman.podman_image:
-        name: treetrail-backend
+        name: "treetrail-backend:{{ version.stdout }}"
         state: build
         force: true
         path: "{{ playbook_dir }}"
@@ -42,6 +47,7 @@
           force_rm: "{{ force_rm }}"
           cache: "{{ cache }}"
           file: Containerfile
+          extra_args: "--build-arg APP_VERSION={{ version.stdout }}"
         push: true
         push_args:
-          dest: "{{ repository }}/treetrail-backend"
+          dest: "{{ repository }}/treetrail-backend:{{ version.stdout }}"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index fc26105..6cf4e5a 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "treetrail-backend"
-version = "0.3.0"
-#dynamic = ["version"]
+version = "0.0.0"
 #dynamic = ["version"]
 description = "A fun and pedagogic tool to discover the trails and trees around"
 authors = [
diff --git a/src/treetrail/__init__.py b/src/treetrail/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56ead07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/treetrail/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+from treetrail.utils import get_version
+
+__version__ = get_version()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/treetrail/__main__.py b/src/treetrail/__main__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2c86e3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/treetrail/__main__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+from .application import _main
+
+_main()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/treetrail/_version.py b/src/treetrail/_version.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 0404d81..0000000
--- a/src/treetrail/_version.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-__version__ = '0.3.0'
diff --git a/src/treetrail/api_v1.py b/src/treetrail/api_v1.py
index 41a1ce7..b1ba9d3 100644
--- a/src/treetrail/api_v1.py
+++ b/src/treetrail/api_v1.py
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ from treetrail.models import (BaseMapStyles, User, Role, Bootstrap,
                               MapStyle, Tree, Trail,
                               TreeTrail, POI, UserWithRoles, Zone,
                               VersionedComponent)
-from treetrail.config import conf, get_cache_dir, __version__
+from treetrail.config import conf, get_cache_dir
+from treetrail import __version__
 from treetrail.plantekey import get_local_details
 from treetrail.tiles import registry as tilesRegistry
 
diff --git a/src/treetrail/application.py b/src/treetrail/application.py
index afa8cd8..fab6476 100755
--- a/src/treetrail/application.py
+++ b/src/treetrail/application.py
@@ -51,22 +51,7 @@ app.mount(
 def _main(argv=None):
     from argparse import ArgumentParser
     arg_parser = ArgumentParser(
-        description="fastapi Application server",
-        prog="fastapi"
-    )
-    arg_parser.add_argument(
-        '--path',
-        help='Path of socket file',
-    )
-    arg_parser.add_argument(
-        "-H", "--hostname",
-        help="TCP/IP hostname to serve on (default: %(default)r)",
-        default="localhost"
-    )
-    arg_parser.add_argument(
-        "-P", "--port",
-        help="TCP/IP port to serve on",
-        type=int,
+        description="Treetrail backend / server",
     )
     arg_parser.add_argument(
         "-c", "--create-db",
@@ -154,6 +139,11 @@ def _main(argv=None):
         help="Set debug logging",
         action="store_true"
     )
+    arg_parser.add_argument(
+        "--version",
+        help="Print version and exit",
+        action="store_true"
+    )
     args = arg_parser.parse_args()
 
     if args.debug:
@@ -161,6 +151,11 @@ def _main(argv=None):
         ## For ipdb:
         logging.getLogger('parso').setLevel(logging.WARNING)
 
+    if args.version:
+        import treetrail
+        print(treetrail.__version__)
+        sys.exit(0)
+
     if args.create_db:
         from treetrail.database import create_db
         import asyncio
@@ -233,7 +228,8 @@ def _main(argv=None):
         sys.exit(0)
 
     print(
-        'This application needs to be run with an asgi server like uvicorn.',
+        'No CLI option was given, try --help',
+        'To run the server, use an asgi server like uvicorn.',
         'For example:',
         'uvicorn application:app',
         'or:',
diff --git a/src/treetrail/config.py b/src/treetrail/config.py
index e103a9e..2bdfa4e 100644
--- a/src/treetrail/config.py
+++ b/src/treetrail/config.py
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ from pydantic_settings import (
 )
 from pydantic.v1.utils import deep_update
 
-from treetrail._version import __version__
-
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 ENV = environ.get("env", "prod")
@@ -163,9 +161,9 @@ class Config(MyBaseSettings):
     tiles: Tiles = Tiles()
     security: Security = Security()
     geo: Geo = Geo()
-    version: str
+    version: str = '-'
     db: DB = DB()
     base_href: str = "/treetrail"
 
 
-conf = Config(version=__version__)  # type: ignore
+conf = Config()
diff --git a/src/treetrail/utils.py b/src/treetrail/utils.py
index 52ee9d0..78dc42e 100644
--- a/src/treetrail/utils.py
+++ b/src/treetrail/utils.py
@@ -84,3 +84,28 @@ def mkdir(dir: Path | str) -> Path:
         logger.info(f'Create directory {path}')
         path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     return path
+
+def get_version() -> str:
+    version_file_src = Path(__file__).parent / 'version.txt'
+    version_file_in_container = Path("/app") / 'version.txt'
+    if version_file_src.exists():
+        with open(version_file_src) as version:
+            return version.read().strip()
+    if version_file_in_container.exists():
+        with open(version_file_in_container) as version:
+            return version.read().strip()
+    else:
+        logger.debug('No version file, using git')
+        try:
+            from subprocess import run
+            git_version_cmd = run(['git', 'describe', '--broken', '--tags', '--always', '--dirty'],
+                                  capture_output=True)
+            if git_version_cmd.returncode == 0:
+                return git_version_cmd.stdout.strip().decode()
+            else:
+                logger.debug('git returns with the error below, version set as 0.0.0')
+                logger.debug(git_version_cmd.stderr.decode())
+                return '0.0.0'
+        except FileNotFoundError as err:
+            logger.debug('git not found: version set as 0.0.0')
+            return '0.0.0'
\ No newline at end of file