diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 12829eb..4cb7d44 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,24 +14,24 @@ This server provides synchronization between devices running Verstak2. It handle
 ## Quick Start
 
 ```bash
-# Build
-go build -o verstak-sync-server ./cmd/server
+# Build (produces binary at build/bin/verstak-sync-server)
+./scripts/build.sh
 
 # Run
-./verstak-sync-server -port 47732 -data ./server-data
+./build/bin/verstak-sync-server --port 47732 --data ./server-data
 
 # First run with admin user
-./verstak-sync-server -admin-user admin -admin-pass secret
+./build/bin/verstak-sync-server --admin-user admin --admin-pass secret
 ```
 
 ## Configuration
 
 | Flag | Default | Description |
 |------|---------|-------------|
-| `-port` | 47732 | HTTP port |
-| `-data` | ./server-data | Data directory |
-| `-admin-user` | | Create admin user (first run) |
-| `-admin-pass` | | Admin password (first run) |
+| `--port` | 47732 | HTTP port |
+| `--data` | ./server-data | Data directory |
+| `--admin-user` | | Create admin user (first run) |
+| `--admin-pass` | | Admin password (first run) |
 
 ## Architecture
 
diff --git a/scripts/build.sh b/scripts/build.sh
index 2dd1026..ac949dc 100755
--- a/scripts/build.sh
+++ b/scripts/build.sh
@@ -1,21 +1,37 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -euo pipefail
 
-ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)"
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+REPO_ROOT="$(cd "$SCRIPT_DIR/.." && pwd)"
+OUTPUT_DIR="$REPO_ROOT/build/bin"
+BINARY="$OUTPUT_DIR/verstak-sync-server"
 
-echo "=== verstak-sync-server build ==="
-if [ -f "$ROOT/go.mod" ]; then
-  echo "[go build]"
-  (cd "$ROOT" && go build ./...)
-  echo "  ✅ go build"
-  if go test -list . ./... &>/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    (cd "$ROOT" && go test -count=1 ./... 2>&1 || true)
-  else
-    echo "  ℹ️  no tests"
-  fi
-else
-  echo "  ℹ️  repository empty — no build target yet"
-  echo "  📝 This repo will hold the Verstak sync server (CRDT-based)"
+echo "=== Verstak Sync Server Build ==="
+
+# Check dependencies
+if ! command -v go &>/dev/null; then
+  echo "❌ go not found"
+  exit 1
 fi
+echo "✅ go $(go version | awk '{print $3}')"
+
+# Clean
+rm -rf "$OUTPUT_DIR"
+mkdir -p "$OUTPUT_DIR"
+
+# Build
+echo "→ Building server binary..."
+cd "$REPO_ROOT"
+go build -o "$BINARY" ./cmd/server
+echo "✅ Binary built: $BINARY"
+ls -lh "$BINARY"
+
+# Tests
+echo "→ Running tests..."
+go test ./...
+echo "✅ Tests passed"
+
 echo ""
-echo "✅ build passed (no-op)"
+echo "=== Build Complete ==="
+echo "Binary: $BINARY"
+echo "Run: $BINARY --help"