diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6460019..4340b5f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,50 +1,36 @@
-# Host UK Developer Workspace
-# Run `make setup` to bootstrap your environment
 
-CORE_REPO := github.com/host-uk/core
-CORE_VERSION := latest
-INSTALL_DIR := $(HOME)/.local/bin
+# ── core-agent binary ──────────────────────────────────
 
-.PHONY: all setup install-deps install-go install-core doctor clean help
+BINARY_NAME=core-agent
+CMD_PATH=./cmd/core-agent
+MODULE_PATH=dappco.re/go/agent
 
-all: help
+# Default LDFLAGS to empty
+LDFLAGS = ""
 
-help:
-	@echo "Host UK Developer Workspace"
-	@echo ""
-	@echo "Usage:"
-	@echo "  make setup        Full setup (deps + core + clone repos)"
-	@echo "  make install-deps Install system dependencies (go, gh, etc)"
-	@echo "  make install-core Build and install core CLI"
-	@echo "  make doctor       Check environment health"
-	@echo "  make clone        Clone all repos into packages/"
-	@echo "  make clean        Remove built artifacts"
-	@echo ""
-	@echo "Quick start:"
-	@echo "  make setup"
+# If VERSION is set, inject into binary
+ifdef VERSION
+	LDFLAGS = -ldflags "-X '$(MODULE_PATH).version=$(VERSION)'"
+endif
 
-setup: install-deps install-core doctor clone
-	@echo ""
-	@echo "Setup complete! Run 'core health' to verify."
+.PHONY: build install agent-dev test coverage
 
-install-deps:
-	@echo "Installing dependencies..."
-	@./scripts/install-deps.sh
+build:
+	@echo "Building $(BINARY_NAME)..."
+	@go build $(LDFLAGS) -o $(BINARY_NAME) $(CMD_PATH)
 
-install-go:
-	@echo "Installing Go..."
-	@./scripts/install-go.sh
+install:
+	@echo "Installing $(BINARY_NAME)..."
+	@go install $(LDFLAGS) $(CMD_PATH)
 
-install-core:
-	@echo "Installing core CLI..."
-	@./scripts/install-core.sh
+agent-dev: build
+	@./$(BINARY_NAME) version
 
-doctor:
-	@core doctor || echo "Run 'make install-core' first if core is not found"
+test:
+	@echo "Running tests..."
+	@go test ./...
 
-clone:
-	@core setup || echo "Run 'make install-core' first if core is not found"
-
-clean:
-	@rm -rf ./build
-	@echo "Cleaned build artifacts"
+coverage:
+	@echo "Generating coverage report..."
+	@go test -coverprofile=coverage.out ./...
+	@echo "Coverage: coverage.out"
diff --git a/cmd/core-agent/main.go b/cmd/core-agent/main.go
index 5b95aa7..9d3ccbc 100644
--- a/cmd/core-agent/main.go
+++ b/cmd/core-agent/main.go
@@ -21,7 +21,12 @@ func main() {
 	c := core.New(core.Options{
 		{Key: "name", Value: "core-agent"},
 	})
-	c.App().Version = "0.15.0"
+	// Version set at build time: go build -ldflags "-X main.version=0.15.0"
+	if version != "" {
+		c.App().Version = version
+	} else {
+		c.App().Version = "dev"
+	}
 
 	// version — print version and build info
 	c.Command("version", core.Command{
@@ -33,6 +38,7 @@ func main() {
 			core.Print(nil, "  home:     %s", core.Env("DIR_HOME"))
 			core.Print(nil, "  hostname: %s", core.Env("HOSTNAME"))
 			core.Print(nil, "  pid:      %s", core.Env("PID"))
+			core.Print(nil, "  channel:  %s", updateChannel())
 			return core.Result{OK: true}
 		},
 	})
@@ -128,6 +134,7 @@ func main() {
 	// --- Forge + Workspace CLI commands ---
 	registerForgeCommands(c)
 	registerWorkspaceCommands(c)
+	// registerUpdateCommand(c) — parked until version moves to module root
 
 	// --- CLI commands for feature testing ---
 
diff --git a/cmd/core-agent/update.go b/cmd/core-agent/update.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b5bc983
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/core-agent/update.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: EUPL-1.2
+
+package main
+
+// version is set at build time via ldflags:
+//
+//	go build -ldflags "-X 'dappco.re/go/agent.version=0.15.0'" ./cmd/core-agent/
+var version string
+
+// updateChannel returns the channel based on the version string.
+func updateChannel() string {
+	switch {
+	case version == "" || version == "dev":
+		return "dev"
+	case len(version) > 0 && (version[len(version)-1] >= 'a'):
+		return "prerelease"
+	default:
+		return "stable"
+	}
+}
+
+// TODO: wire go-update UpdateService for self-update command
+// Channels: stable → GitHub releases, prerelease → GitHub dev, dev → Forge main
+// Parked until version var moves to module root package (dappco.re/go/agent.Version)