diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a42023b..87a1be3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ build:
 	@# copy the toolkits into the binary during debugging
 	-rm resources/*.so
 	cp -a ~/go/src/go.wit.com/toolkits/*.so resources/
-	GO111MODULE=off go build -v -x
+	GO111MODULE=off go build -v -x \
+		-ldflags " \
+                -X main.VERSION=${VERSION}"
 
 vet:
 	GO111MODULE=off go vet
diff --git a/args.go b/argv.go
similarity index 91%
rename from args.go
rename to argv.go
index 5515f88..05e5e23 100644
--- a/args.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
-var argv struct {
+type argv struct {
 	DownloadAll   bool `arg:"--download-all"                    help:"download everything from go.wit.com"`
 	GitPull       bool `arg:"--git-pull"                        help:"do git pull in every repository"`
 	CheckoutUser  bool `arg:"--switch-to-user-branch"           help:"switch everything to your user branch"`
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ var argv struct {
 }
 
 func init() {
-	arg.MustParse(&argv)
+	arg.MustParse(&myargv)
 
 	if debugger.ArgDebug() {
 		log.Info("cmd line --debugger == true")
@@ -43,12 +43,16 @@ func init() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (argv) Version() string {
+	return "autotypist " + VERSION
+}
+
 // This will process the command line arguements after everything is initialized
 // If any of them are called, don't show the GUI at all and just exit.
 func handleCmdLine() {
 	var doExit bool = false
 
-	if argv.CheckoutDevel {
+	if myargv.CheckoutDevel {
 		me.autotypistWindow.Hide()
 		me.repos.View.ArgCheckoutDevel()
 		doExit = true
@@ -56,7 +60,7 @@ func handleCmdLine() {
 		log.Info("not switching to devel branches")
 	}
 
-	if argv.CheckoutUser {
+	if myargv.CheckoutUser {
 		me.autotypistWindow.Hide()
 		me.repos.View.ArgCheckoutUser()
 		doExit = true
@@ -64,7 +68,7 @@ func handleCmdLine() {
 		log.Info("not switching to user branches")
 	}
 
-	if argv.GitPull {
+	if myargv.GitPull {
 		me.autotypistWindow.Hide()
 		if me.repos.View.ArgGitPull() {
 			log.Info("git pull everywhere worked")
diff --git a/http.go b/http.go
index 6d64a0c..cfa26af 100644
--- a/http.go
+++ b/http.go
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ func writeFile(w http.ResponseWriter, filename string) {
 func startHTTP() {
 	http.HandleFunc("/", okHandler)
 
-	p := fmt.Sprintf(":%d", argv.Port)
+	p := fmt.Sprintf(":%d", myargv.Port)
 	log.Println("Running on port", p)
 
 	err := http.ListenAndServe(p, nil)
diff --git a/initRepoList.go b/initRepoList.go
index 7f71719..322ee5c 100644
--- a/initRepoList.go
+++ b/initRepoList.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 func (r *repoWindow) initRepoList() {
 	r.View.InitRepoList(".config/autotypist")
 
-	if argv.OnlyMe {
+	if myargv.OnlyMe {
 		log.Info("not scanning everything")
 	} else {
 		log.Info("scanning everything in ~/go/src")
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index e76fd34..41161e8 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -8,8 +8,10 @@ import (
 	"go.wit.com/gui"
 )
 
+var VERSION string
 //go:embed resources/*
 var resources embed.FS
+var myargv argv
 
 func main() {
 	me = new(autoType)