diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index e812a15..2d35a5d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -67,6 +67,65 @@ deploy:staging:
 
       echo "🚀 Deploy ${CI_ENVIRONMENT_NAME} → ${FTP_HOST}:${TARGET_PATH}"
 
+      # -------------------------------------------
+      # 🔢 Versionierung: versions.php laden/bauen
+      # -------------------------------------------
+      VERSION_WORK_FILE=".ci_versions_${CI_ENVIRONMENT_NAME}.php"
+      REMOTE_VERSION_PATH="${TARGET_PATH}${CONFIG_BASE_DIR}/versions.php"
+
+      echo "🔍 Versuche, bestehende Versionsdatei vom Server zu laden: ${REMOTE_VERSION_PATH}"
+
+      if lftp -u "${FTP_USER}","${FTP_PASSWORD}" "${FTP_HOST}" -e "
+        set ftp:ssl-force true;
+        set ftp:passive-mode true;
+        set ftp:ssl-protect-data true;
+        set ssl:verify-certificate no;
+        get ${REMOTE_VERSION_PATH} -o ${VERSION_WORK_FILE};
+        bye
+      "; then
+        echo "✅ Remote versions.php gefunden und lokal gespeichert in ${VERSION_WORK_FILE}"
+      else
+        echo "⚠️ Keine Remote-Versionsdatei gefunden – verwende Repo-Default (wenn vorhanden)."
+        if [ -f \"${CONFIG_ENV_DIR}/versions.php\" ]; then
+          cp \"${CONFIG_ENV_DIR}/versions.php\" \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\"
+          echo \"ℹ️ ${CONFIG_ENV_DIR}/versions.php → ${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\"
+        else
+          echo \"⚠️ Keine versions.php im Repo gefunden – starte mit 1.0.0\"
+          cat > \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\" <<PHP
+<?php
+\$mainversion = 1;
+\$subversion  = 0;
+\$patchversion = 0;
+PHP
+        fi
+      fi
+
+      # Werte aus VERSION_WORK_FILE lesen
+      MAIN=$(grep '\$mainversion' \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\" 2>/dev/null | tr -cd '0-9')
+      SUB=$(grep '\$subversion'  \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\" 2>/dev/null | tr -cd '0-9')
+      PATCH=$(grep '\$patchversion' \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\" 2>/dev/null | tr -cd '0-9')
+
+      [ -z \"$MAIN\" ] && MAIN=1
+      [ -z \"$SUB\" ] && SUB=0
+      [ -z \"$PATCH\" ] && PATCH=0
+
+      PATCH=$((PATCH + 1))
+
+      echo \"🆙 Baue neue STAGING-Version: ${MAIN}.${SUB}.${PATCH}\"
+
+      cat > \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\" <<PHP
+<?php
+\$mainversion = ${MAIN};
+\$subversion  = ${SUB};
+\$patchversion = ${PATCH};
+PHP
+
+      # Optional: Textdatei für Ausgabe auf der Webseite
+      echo \"${MAIN}.${SUB}.${PATCH}\" > public/build_version.txt
+
+      # -------------------------------------------
+      # 🔁 Deploy Basisverzeichnisse
+      # -------------------------------------------
       for d in $BASE_DIRS; do
         echo "🔁 Sync ${d}/ → ${TARGET_PATH}${d}/"
         lftp -u "${FTP_USER}","${FTP_PASSWORD}" "${FTP_HOST}" -e "
@@ -97,6 +156,10 @@ deploy:staging:
         cp -R ${CONFIG_ENV_DIR}/. .ci_config_deploy/
       fi
 
+      # Aktualisierte versions.php in den Config-Deploy-Ordner legen
+      echo "➕ Aktuelle versions.php in .ci_config_deploy/ übernehmen"
+      cp "${VERSION_WORK_FILE}" .ci_config_deploy/versions.php
+
       echo "🔁 Sync .ci_config_deploy/ → ${TARGET_PATH}${CONFIG_BASE_DIR}/"
       lftp -u "${FTP_USER}","${FTP_PASSWORD}" "${FTP_HOST}" -e "
         set ftp:ssl-force true;
@@ -174,6 +237,65 @@ deploy:production:
 
       echo "🚀 Deploy ${CI_ENVIRONMENT_NAME} → ${FTP_HOST}:${TARGET_PATH}"
 
+      # -------------------------------------------
+      # 🔢 Versionierung: versions.php laden/bauen
+      # -------------------------------------------
+      VERSION_WORK_FILE=".ci_versions_${CI_ENVIRONMENT_NAME}.php"
+      REMOTE_VERSION_PATH="${TARGET_PATH}${CONFIG_BASE_DIR}/versions.php"
+
+      echo "🔍 Versuche, bestehende Versionsdatei vom Server zu laden: ${REMOTE_VERSION_PATH}"
+
+      if lftp -u "${FTP_USER}","${FTP_PASSWORD}" "${FTP_HOST}" -e "
+        set ftp:ssl-force true;
+        set ftp:passive-mode true;
+        set ftp:ssl-protect-data true;
+        set ssl:verify-certificate no;
+        get ${REMOTE_VERSION_PATH} -o ${VERSION_WORK_FILE};
+        bye
+      "; then
+        echo "✅ Remote versions.php gefunden und lokal gespeichert in ${VERSION_WORK_FILE}"
+      else
+        echo "⚠️ Keine Remote-Versionsdatei gefunden – verwende Repo-Default (wenn vorhanden)."
+        if [ -f \"${CONFIG_ENV_DIR}/versions.php\" ]; then
+          cp \"${CONFIG_ENV_DIR}/versions.php\" \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\"
+          echo \"ℹ️ ${CONFIG_ENV_DIR}/versions.php → ${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\"
+        else
+          echo \"⚠️ Keine versions.php im Repo gefunden – starte mit 1.0.0\"
+          cat > \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\" <<PHP
+<?php
+\$mainversion = 1;
+\$subversion  = 0;
+\$patchversion = 0;
+PHP
+        fi
+      fi
+
+      # Werte aus VERSION_WORK_FILE lesen
+      MAIN=$(grep '\$mainversion' \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\" 2>/dev/null | tr -cd '0-9')
+      SUB=$(grep '\$subversion'  \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\" 2>/dev/null | tr -cd '0-9')
+      PATCH=$(grep '\$patchversion' \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\" 2>/dev/null | tr -cd '0-9')
+
+      [ -z \"$MAIN\" ] && MAIN=1
+      [ -z \"$SUB\" ] && SUB=0
+      [ -z \"$PATCH\" ] && PATCH=0
+
+      PATCH=$((PATCH + 1))
+
+      echo \"🆙 Baue neue PROD-Version: ${MAIN}.${SUB}.${PATCH}\"
+
+      cat > \"${VERSION_WORK_FILE}\" <<PHP
+<?php
+\$mainversion = ${MAIN};
+\$subversion  = ${SUB};
+\$patchversion = ${PATCH};
+PHP
+
+      # Optional: Textdatei für Ausgabe auf der Webseite
+      echo \"${MAIN}.${SUB}.${PATCH}\" > public/build_version.txt
+
+      # -------------------------------------------
+      # 🔁 Deploy Basisverzeichnisse
+      # -------------------------------------------
       for d in $BASE_DIRS; do
         echo "🔁 Sync ${d}/ → ${TARGET_PATH}${d}/"
         lftp -u "${FTP_USER}","${FTP_PASSWORD}" "${FTP_HOST}" -e "
@@ -204,6 +326,10 @@ deploy:production:
         cp -R ${CONFIG_ENV_DIR}/. .ci_config_deploy/
       fi
 
+      # Aktualisierte versions.php in den Config-Deploy-Ordner legen
+      echo "➕ Aktuelle versions.php in .ci_config_deploy/ übernehmen"
+      cp "${VERSION_WORK_FILE}" .ci_config_deploy/versions.php
+
       echo "🔁 Sync .ci_config_deploy/ → ${TARGET_PATH}${CONFIG_BASE_DIR}/"
       lftp -u "${FTP_USER}","${FTP_PASSWORD}" "${FTP_HOST}" -e "
         set ftp:ssl-force true;
@@ -224,4 +350,3 @@ deploy:production:
   only:
     - main
   # when: manual
-
diff --git a/config/fileload.php b/config/fileload.php
index 4039184..cc81b57 100644
--- a/config/fileload.php
+++ b/config/fileload.php
@@ -7,12 +7,12 @@
 // -----------------------------------------------------------
 // Try to load primary environment bootstrap.
 $bootstrapCandidates = [__DIR__ . '/config.php'];
+$bootstrapCandidates = [__DIR__ . '/versions.php'];
+
 $envHint = getenv('APP_ENV') ?: (getenv('APP_ENV_FILE') ?: null);
 if ($envHint) {
     $bootstrapCandidates[] = __DIR__ . '/' . $envHint . '/config.php';
 }
-$bootstrapCandidates[] = __DIR__ . '/staging/config.php';
-$bootstrapCandidates[] = __DIR__ . '/prod/config.php';
 $bootstrapLoaded = false;
 foreach ($bootstrapCandidates as $bootstrap) {
     if ($bootstrap && is_file($bootstrap)) {
@@ -35,6 +35,50 @@ if (is_file($emailtemplateConfigPath)) {
 $GLOBALS['app_env']      = APP_ENV;
 $GLOBALS['app_base_url']      = APP_URL_PRIMARY;
 $GLOBALS['app_api_base']  = $apiBaseUrl;
+$GLOBALS['app_version']   = "{$mainversion}.{$subversion}.{$patchversion}";
+
+if (!function_exists('render_app_version_badge')) {
+    function render_app_version_badge(): void
+    {
+        if (php_sapi_name() === 'cli') {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        static $badgeRendered = false;
+        if ($badgeRendered) {
+            return;
+        }
+        $badgeRendered = true;
+
+        $version = $GLOBALS['app_version'] ?? null;
+        if (!$version) {
+            return;
+        }
+        $versionText = htmlspecialchars((string)$version, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
+
+        echo <<<HTML
+<style>
+.app-version-badge{position:fixed;right:12px;bottom:12px;z-index:2147483000;font-size:12px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#0f172a;background:rgba(248,250,252,.85);border:1px solid rgba(148,163,184,.6);border-radius:999px;padding:4px 10px;box-shadow:0 8px 20px rgba(15,23,42,.15);backdrop-filter:blur(6px);}
+@media print {.app-version-badge{display:none}}
+</style>
+<script>
+(function(){
+  var prev=document.querySelector('.app-version-badge');
+  if(prev){prev.remove();}
+  var badge=document.createElement('div');
+  badge.className='app-version-badge';
+  badge.textContent='v {$versionText}';
+  (window.requestAnimationFrame?requestAnimationFrame(function(){document.body?document.body.appendChild(badge):document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',function(){document.body.appendChild(badge);});}):document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',function(){document.body.appendChild(badge);}));
+})();
+</script>
+HTML;
+    }
+}
+
+if (!defined('APP_VERSION_BADGE_REGISTERED')) {
+    register_shutdown_function('render_app_version_badge');
+    define('APP_VERSION_BADGE_REGISTERED', true);
+}
 
 // -----------------------------------------------------------
 // set cookie / session parameters
diff --git a/config/prod/versions.php b/config/prod/versions.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56e410d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/prod/versions.php
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+<?php
+$mainversion = 1;
+$subversion  = 0;
+$patchversion = 1;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/staging/versions.php b/config/staging/versions.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56e410d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/staging/versions.php
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+<?php
+$mainversion = 1;
+$subversion  = 0;
+$patchversion = 1;
\ No newline at end of file