diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2482829..95fba8a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@ demo
 src/models/
 smithy/zig-out/
 libs/
+src/git_version.zig
diff --git a/VersionStep.zig b/VersionStep.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c01c118
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VersionStep.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+//! Publish Date: 2022-01-12
+//! This file is hosted at ??? and is meant to be copied
+//! to projects that use it. Sample usage:
+//!
+//! ??
+//! ??
+
+const std = @import("std");
+const Step = @This();
+
+step: std.build.Step,
+builder: *std.build.Builder,
+version_path: []const u8,
+
+// Creates a step that will add the git version info in a file in src/
+// so it can be consumed by additional code. If version_path is not specified,
+// it will default to "git_version.zig". This should be part of .gitignore
+pub fn create(b: *std.build.Builder, version_path: ?[]const u8) *Step {
+    var result = b.allocator.create(Step) catch @panic("memory");
+    result.* = Step{
+        .step = std.build.Step.init(.custom, "create version file", b.allocator, make),
+        .builder = b,
+        .version_path = std.fs.path.resolve(b.allocator, &[_][]const u8{
+            b.build_root,
+            "src",
+            version_path orelse "git_version.zig",
+        }) catch @panic("memory"),
+    };
+    return result;
+}
+
+fn make(step: *std.build.Step) !void {
+    const self = @fieldParentPtr(Step, "step", step);
+    const file = try std.fs.createFileAbsolute(self.version_path, .{});
+    defer file.close();
+    try file.writer().print("pub const version = {s};\n", .{"\"to be implemented\""});
+}
diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index c6aa2a7..94abbd5 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ const builtin = @import("builtin");
 const Builder = @import("std").build.Builder;
 const GitRepoStep = @import("GitRepoStep.zig");
 const CopyStep = @import("CopyStep.zig");
-const @"test" = @import("build_test.zig");
+const tst = @import("build_test.zig");
+const VersionStep = @import("VersionStep.zig");
 
 pub fn build(b: *Builder) !void {
     const zfetch_repo = GitRepoStep.create(b, .{
@@ -42,6 +43,8 @@ pub fn build(b: *Builder) !void {
     );
     copy_deps.step.dependOn(&zfetch_repo.step);
 
+    const version = VersionStep.create(b, null);
+    exe.step.dependOn(&version.step);
     exe.step.dependOn(&copy_deps.step);
 
     // This import won't work unless we're already cloned. The way around
@@ -60,7 +63,8 @@ pub fn build(b: *Builder) !void {
     const run_step = b.step("run", "Run the app");
     run_step.dependOn(&run_cmd.step);
 
-    var test_step = try @"test".addTestStep(b, mode, exe.packages.items);
+    var test_step = try tst.addTestStep(b, mode, exe.packages.items);
+    test_step.dependOn(&version.step);
 
     if (target.getOs().tag == .linux) {
         // TODO: Support > linux with RunStep