diff --git a/.reuse/dep5 b/.reuse/dep5
index ac7495a..6a42f07 100644
--- a/.reuse/dep5
+++ b/.reuse/dep5
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Copyright: None
 License: CC0-1.0
 
 # Project file
-Files: *.pro *.prf *.pri *.qrc *CMakeLists.txt *.cmake *.in
+Files: *.pro *.prf *.pri *.qrc *CMakeLists.txt *.cmake *.in VERSION
 Copyright: None
 License: CC0-1.0
 
diff --git a/.syncexclude b/.syncexclude
index 7b42c60..f45bbe9 100644
--- a/.syncexclude
+++ b/.syncexclude
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@
 # are always ignored
 linglong.yaml
 conanfile.py
+VERSION
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 23e90eb..3683d84 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.25)
 
-set(DTK_VERSION "5.6.11" CACHE STRING "define project version")
+file(READ "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/VERSION" DTK_FILE_VERSION)
+string(STRIP "${DTK_FILE_VERSION}" DTK_FILE_VERSION)
+set(DTK_VERSION "${DTK_FILE_VERSION}" CACHE STRING "define project version")
 project(DtkGui
   VERSION ${DTK_VERSION}
   DESCRIPTION "DTK Gui module"
diff --git a/VERSION.in b/VERSION.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14d2ff6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION.in
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+@version@