diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5580fa20..20c8d858 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.9)
 
 include(cmake/add_files.cmake)
 include(cmake/create_source_groups.cmake)
-
+include(cmake/version_setup.cmake)
 
 # Variables --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -132,6 +132,11 @@ if(Qt5Widgets_FOUND)
     endif()
 endif()
 
+# target for running versionnumber script
+# workaround for running customcommand (ninja dependency cycle)
+add_custom_target(
+	versionnumber ALL
+)
 
 if (WIN32)
 	file(WRITE ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/build/Coati.rc
@@ -139,11 +144,23 @@ if (WIN32)
 		"// remains consistent on all systems.\n"
 		"IDI_ICON1               ICON                    \"${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/build/coati.ico\"\n"
 	)
-	add_executable(${APP_PROJECT_NAME} ${APP_FILES} ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/build/Coati.rc)
+	add_executable(${APP_PROJECT_NAME} ${APP_FILES} ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/build/Coati.rc ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/build/src/app/version.h)
 else ()
-	add_executable(${APP_PROJECT_NAME} ${APP_FILES})
+	add_executable(${APP_PROJECT_NAME} ${APP_FILES} ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/build/src/app/version.h)
 endif ()
 
+# command for versioning script
+add_custom_command(
+	TARGET versionnumber
+	PRE_BUILD
+	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -P ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/version.cmake
+	BYPRODUCTS ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/build/src/app/version.h
+	DEPENDS ${APP_PROJECT_NAME}
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
+	COMMENT "check/update version number"
+)
+add_dependencies(${APP_PROJECT_NAME} versionnumber)
+
 create_source_groups(${APP_FILES})
 
 target_link_libraries(${APP_PROJECT_NAME} ${LIB_PROJECT_NAME})
@@ -167,6 +184,12 @@ configure_file(
 	"${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/build/src/app/includes.h"
 )
 
+#configure the versioning file
+configure_file(
+  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/app/version.h.in
+  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/build/src/app/version.h
+)
+
 # add platform specific libraries
 if (APPLE)
 	find_library(CORE_FOUNDATION CoreFoundation)
diff --git a/cmake/version.cmake b/cmake/version.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f13e93dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/version.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# simple check for a git repo
+if(EXISTS "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git")
+
+    execute_process(
+        COMMAND git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD
+        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
+        OUTPUT_VARIABLE GIT_BRANCH
+        OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
+    )
+
+    execute_process(
+        COMMAND git log -1 --format=%h
+        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
+        OUTPUT_VARIABLE GIT_COMMIT_HASH
+        OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
+    )
+
+    execute_process(
+        COMMAND git log -1 --format=%ci
+        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
+        OUTPUT_VARIABLE GIT_COMMIT_TIME
+        OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
+    )
+
+    execute_process(
+        COMMAND git describe --match "[0-9]*" --abbrev=7 HEAD
+        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
+        OUTPUT_VARIABLE GIT_VERSION_NUMBER
+        OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
+    )
+else(EXISTS "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git")
+    set(GIT_BRANCH "")
+    set(GIT_COMMIT_HASH "")
+    set(GIT_VERSION_NUMBER "")
+    set(BUILD_TYPE "")
+
+endif(EXISTS "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/.git")
+
+message(STATUS "Git current branch: ${GIT_BRANCH}")
+message(STATUS "Git commit hash: ${GIT_COMMIT_HASH}")
+message(STATUS "Git commit time: ${GIT_COMMIT_TIME}")
+message(STATUS "Git version number:" ${GIT_VERSION_NUMBER} )
+
+configure_file(
+  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/app/version.h.in
+  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/build/src/app/version.h
+)
diff --git a/cmake/version_setup.cmake b/cmake/version_setup.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eb873fdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/version_setup.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# # build type needs to be in added as definition because of visual studio
+message(STATUS "setting up the buildtype for versioning")
+if(MSVC)
+    add_definitions(-DBUILD_TYPE="${ConfigurationName}")
+else(MSVC)
+     add_definitions(-DBUILD_TYPE="${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}")
+endif(MSVC)
diff --git a/src/app/qt/element/QtMainWindow.cpp b/src/app/qt/element/QtMainWindow.cpp
index 3990b3d8..18ea08bc 100644
--- a/src/app/qt/element/QtMainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qt/element/QtMainWindow.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 #include <QMessageBox>
 #include <QSettings>
 
+#include "version.h"
+
 #include "component/view/View.h"
 #include "component/view/CompositeView.h"
 #include "qt/view/QtViewWidgetWrapper.h"
@@ -147,6 +149,10 @@ void QtMainWindow::about()
 			"Malte Langkabel\n"
 			"Victoria Pfausler\n"
 			"Andreas Stallinger\n"
+			"\nVersion: " GIT_VERSION_NUMBER
+			"\nBranch: " GIT_BRANCH
+			"\nBuildtype: " BUILD_TYPE
+			"\nDate: " GIT_COMMIT_TIME
 		)
 	);
 }
diff --git a/src/app/version.h.in b/src/app/version.h.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eab5bb5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/version.h.in
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#define GIT_BRANCH "@GIT_BRANCH@"
+#define GIT_VERSION_NUMBER "@GIT_VERSION_NUMBER@"
+#define GIT_COMMIT_HASH "@GIT_COMMIT_HASH@"
+#define GIT_COMMIT_TIME "@GIT_COMMIT_TIME@"