diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5a6bdc1..f31080d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -70,10 +70,20 @@ The provider embeds build metadata (`version`, `commit`, `date`) in the binary.
   - `./terraform-provider-dynu --version`
   - `./terraform-provider-dynu version`
 
-Build a stamped binary with standard Go `-ldflags`:
+Primary build method (recommended):
 
 ```bash
-VERSION=${VERSION:-v0.2.0}
+./build.sh v0.2.0
+```
+
+`build.sh` takes exactly one argument (the version string), then derives commit and date automatically:
+- `COMMIT=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)`
+- `DATE=$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)`
+
+Manual equivalent (same stamped build command used by `build.sh`):
+
+```bash
+VERSION=v0.2.0
 COMMIT=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
 DATE=$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)
 
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..ca5c9a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+usage() {
+  echo "Usage: ./build.sh <version>"
+}
+
+if [[ $# -ne 1 ]]; then
+  usage
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -f "README.md" || ! -f "go.mod" || ! -f "main.go" ]]; then
+  echo "Error: run this script from the repository root (terraform-dynu-provider)."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! command -v git >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Error: git is required but was not found in PATH."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! command -v go >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Error: go is required but was not found in PATH."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+VERSION="$1"
+COMMIT="$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)"
+DATE="$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)"
+OUTPUT="terraform-provider-dynu"
+
+echo "Building terraform-provider-dynu with metadata:"
+echo "  version: ${VERSION}"
+echo "  commit:  ${COMMIT}"
+echo "  date:    ${DATE}"
+echo "  output:  ${OUTPUT}"
+
+go build -o "${OUTPUT}" \
+  -ldflags="-X main.version=${VERSION} -X main.commit=${COMMIT} -X main.date=${DATE}"
+
+echo "Build complete: ${OUTPUT}"