diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index a7d1d770..17d2c31a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -130,7 +130,12 @@ jobs:
         test -s "$dir/main.go"
         cd "$dir"
         go mod init readme_quickstart
-        go get github.com/ajitpratap0/GoSQLX@latest
+        # Resolve the latest tagged release explicitly, then pin it in go.mod
+        # (module checksums are verified against sum.golang.org by go mod tidy).
+        tag="$(go list -m -f '{{.Version}}' github.com/ajitpratap0/GoSQLX@latest)"
+        echo "Latest tagged GoSQLX release: ${tag}"
+        go mod edit -require="github.com/ajitpratap0/GoSQLX@${tag}"
+        go mod tidy
         go build -o /dev/null .
         go run .
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/vscode-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/vscode-publish.yml
index b6feef3f..f4c553bb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/vscode-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/vscode-publish.yml
@@ -84,9 +84,17 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GOOS: ${{ matrix.goos }}
           GOARCH: ${{ matrix.goarch }}
+          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}
         run: |
+          VERSION="${RELEASE_TAG#v}"
+          if ! [[ "$VERSION" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+            echo "Tag '$RELEASE_TAG' does not produce a valid semver: '$VERSION'"
+            exit 1
+          fi
           mkdir -p vscode-extension/bin
-          go build -ldflags="-s -w" -o "vscode-extension/bin/${{ matrix.binary }}" ./cmd/gosqlx
+          # Stamp the tag version so `gosqlx --version` matches the release.
+          go build -ldflags="-s -w -X github.com/ajitpratap0/GoSQLX/cmd/gosqlx/cmd.Version=${VERSION}" \
+            -o "vscode-extension/bin/${{ matrix.binary }}" ./cmd/gosqlx
 
       - name: Generate binary checksum
         run: |
@@ -94,9 +102,16 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Smoke test binary
         if: matrix.target == 'linux-x64'
+        env:
+          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}
         run: |
           chmod +x vscode-extension/bin/${{ matrix.binary }}
-          ./vscode-extension/bin/${{ matrix.binary }} --version
+          out="$(./vscode-extension/bin/${{ matrix.binary }} --version)"
+          echo "$out"
+          if [ "$out" != "gosqlx version ${RELEASE_TAG#v}" ]; then
+            echo "::error::bundled binary reports '$out', expected version ${RELEASE_TAG#v}"
+            exit 1
+          fi
 
       - name: Setup Node
         uses: actions/setup-node@49933ea5288caeca8642d1e84afbd3f7d6820020 # v4.4.0
diff --git a/.goreleaser.yml b/.goreleaser.yml
index be3b6c44..6d5a83ce 100644
--- a/.goreleaser.yml
+++ b/.goreleaser.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ before:
     - go mod tidy
     - go test -race ./...
 
+# The release archives ship the example tools only. Neither example defines a
+# version variable, so a "-X main.version=..." ldflag would be a silent no-op
+# and is intentionally omitted. The gosqlx CLI reports the tag version via
+# -X github.com/ajitpratap0/GoSQLX/cmd/gosqlx/cmd.Version=<version>
+# (see .github/workflows/vscode-publish.yml, which builds the bundled binary).
 builds:
   - id: sql-validator
     main: ./examples/sql-validator
@@ -19,7 +24,7 @@ builds:
     env:
       - CGO_ENABLED=0
     ldflags:
-      - -s -w -X main.version={{.Version}}
+      - -s -w
 
   - id: sql-formatter
     main: ./examples/sql-formatter
@@ -34,7 +39,7 @@ builds:
     env:
       - CGO_ENABLED=0
     ldflags:
-      - -s -w -X main.version={{.Version}}
+      - -s -w
 
 archives:
   - id: gosqlx-tools
diff --git a/cmd/gosqlx/cmd/root.go b/cmd/gosqlx/cmd/root.go
index 33d317db..4161081b 100644
--- a/cmd/gosqlx/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/gosqlx/cmd/root.go
@@ -175,6 +175,11 @@ func Execute() error {
 // Persistent flags are available to the command and all its children,
 // enabling consistent behavior across all subcommands.
 func init() {
+	// Report the Version variable from --version so release builds can set it
+	// with -ldflags "-X github.com/ajitpratap0/GoSQLX/cmd/gosqlx/cmd.Version=<tag>".
+	// A plain `go build` keeps the hard-coded default.
+	rootCmd.Version = Version
+
 	// Global flags available to all subcommands
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&verbose, "verbose", "v", false, "enable verbose output")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&outputFile, "output", "o", "", "output file (default: stdout)")
diff --git a/cmd/gosqlx/cmd/version_test.go b/cmd/gosqlx/cmd/version_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cb4b27f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/gosqlx/cmd/version_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+// Copyright 2026 GoSQLX Authors
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package cmd
+
+import "testing"
+
+// TestRootCmdVersionUsesVersionVar guards the release ldflags contract:
+// --version must print the Version variable, which release builds override
+// with -X github.com/ajitpratap0/GoSQLX/cmd/gosqlx/cmd.Version=<tag>.
+func TestRootCmdVersionUsesVersionVar(t *testing.T) {
+	if Version == "" {
+		t.Fatal("Version must have a non-empty default for dev builds")
+	}
+	if rootCmd.Version != Version {
+		t.Errorf("rootCmd.Version = %q, want Version %q", rootCmd.Version, Version)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/lsp/doc.go b/pkg/lsp/doc.go
index 429441f8..cd47f3de 100644
--- a/pkg/lsp/doc.go
+++ b/pkg/lsp/doc.go
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ The GoSQLX LSP server transforms any LSP-compatible editor into a powerful SQL d
 environment. It leverages the GoSQLX SQL parser to provide accurate, real-time feedback on
 SQL syntax and offers intelligent code assistance through the Language Server Protocol.
 
-Version: 1.0.0 (GoSQLX v1.6.0+)
+The server reports the GoSQLX library version (gosqlx.Version) in serverInfo.version.
+Available since GoSQLX v1.6.0.
 
 # Features
 
diff --git a/pkg/lsp/handler.go b/pkg/lsp/handler.go
index 6a9efea7..161dac43 100644
--- a/pkg/lsp/handler.go
+++ b/pkg/lsp/handler.go
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ func (h *Handler) handleInitialize(params json.RawMessage) (*InitializeResult, e
 		},
 		ServerInfo: &ServerInfo{
 			Name:    "gosqlx-lsp",
-			Version: "1.0.0",
+			Version: gosqlx.Version,
 		},
 	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/lsp/server_test.go b/pkg/lsp/server_test.go
index 4436bfbc..4cc11ff5 100644
--- a/pkg/lsp/server_test.go
+++ b/pkg/lsp/server_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
+
+	"github.com/ajitpratap0/GoSQLX/pkg/gosqlx"
 )
 
 // mockReadWriter provides a mock for testing the LSP server
@@ -156,6 +158,10 @@ func TestHandler_Initialize(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("expected server name 'gosqlx-lsp', got %q", initResult.ServerInfo.Name)
 	}
 
+	if initResult.ServerInfo.Version != gosqlx.Version {
+		t.Errorf("expected server version %q (gosqlx.Version), got %q", gosqlx.Version, initResult.ServerInfo.Version)
+	}
+
 	if !initResult.Capabilities.HoverProvider {
 		t.Error("expected hover provider to be enabled")
 	}