diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-build.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-build.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0fcc34e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-build.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+---
+
+name: build
+on:
+  pull_request:
+  merge_group:
+  push:
+    branches: ['main']
+    tags: ['v*']
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  build-cross:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: install dependencies
+        shell: bash
+        run: sudo apt-get install -y golang make
+      - name: build
+        shell: bash
+        run: make cross
+
+  build-native:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: install dependencies
+        shell: bash
+        run: sudo apt-get install -y golang make
+      - name: build
+        shell: bash
+        run: make native
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e1d66c3..0d774fb 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1 @@
-bmc-test-go
+bmc-test-*
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ced8bec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+all: cross native
+
+# the CGO_ENABLED=0
+# is used to not rely on libc, to use
+# in on debian for the host, as it has different libc.
+
+native:
+	env CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -o bmc-test-x86
+cross:
+	env GOOS=linux GOARCH=arm GOARM=5 go build -o bmc-test-armv5
+	ln -s -f bmc-test-armv5 bmc-test-cross
+
+clean:
+	rm -f bmc-test-cross bmc-test-armv5 bmc-test-x86
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index f8c9cd0..399218a 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 module github.com/9elements/bmc-test-go
 
-go 1.23.1
+go 1.23