diff --git a/doc/gitlab.nvim.txt b/doc/gitlab.nvim.txt
index 2db9f633..4f61c03b 100644
--- a/doc/gitlab.nvim.txt
+++ b/doc/gitlab.nvim.txt
@@ -144,7 +144,10 @@ Here is the default setup function. All of these values are optional, and if
 you call this function with no values the defaults will be used:
 >lua
     require("gitlab").setup({
-      port = nil, -- The port of the Go server, which runs in the background, if omitted or `nil` the port will be chosen automatically
+      server = {
+        binary = nil, -- The path to the server binary. If omitted or nil, the server will be built
+        port = nil, -- The port of the Go server, which runs in the background. If omitted or `nil` the port will be chosen automatically
+      },
       log_path = vim.fn.stdpath("cache") .. "/gitlab.nvim.log", -- Log path for the Go server
       config_path = nil, -- Custom path for `.gitlab.nvim` file, please read the "Connecting to Gitlab" section
       debug = {
@@ -678,7 +681,7 @@ by a |motion|.
 Either the operator or the motion can be preceded by a count, so that `3sj` is
 equivalent to `s3j`, and they both create a comment for the current line and
 three more lines downwards. Similarly, both `2s`|ap| and `s2`|ap| create a suggestion
-for two "outer" paragraphs. 
+for two "outer" paragraphs.
 
 The operators force |linewise| visual selection, so they work correctly even
 if the motion itself works |characterwise| (e.g., |i(| for selecting the inner
diff --git a/flake.lock b/flake.lock
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8f8b8f30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flake.lock
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+{
+  "nodes": {
+    "flake-utils": {
+      "inputs": {
+        "systems": "systems"
+      },
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1731533236,
+        "narHash": "sha256-l0KFg5HjrsfsO/JpG+r7fRrqm12kzFHyUHqHCVpMMbI=",
+        "owner": "numtide",
+        "repo": "flake-utils",
+        "rev": "11707dc2f618dd54ca8739b309ec4fc024de578b",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "numtide",
+        "repo": "flake-utils",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
+    "nixpkgs": {
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1770770419,
+        "narHash": "sha256-iKZMkr6Cm9JzWlRYW/VPoL0A9jVKtZYiU4zSrVeetIs=",
+        "owner": "NixOS",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "rev": "6c5e707c6b5339359a9a9e215c5e66d6d802fd7a",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "NixOS",
+        "ref": "nixos-25.11",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
+    "root": {
+      "inputs": {
+        "flake-utils": "flake-utils",
+        "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs"
+      }
+    },
+    "systems": {
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1681028828,
+        "narHash": "sha256-Vy1rq5AaRuLzOxct8nz4T6wlgyUR7zLU309k9mBC768=",
+        "owner": "nix-systems",
+        "repo": "default",
+        "rev": "da67096a3b9bf56a91d16901293e51ba5b49a27e",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "nix-systems",
+        "repo": "default",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  "root": "root",
+  "version": 7
+}
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a414bbfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+{
+  inputs = {
+    nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-25.11";
+    flake-utils.url = "github:numtide/flake-utils";
+  };
+
+  outputs = { self, flake-utils, nixpkgs }:
+    flake-utils.lib.eachDefaultSystem (system:
+      let
+        pkgs = import nixpkgs { inherit system; config.allowUnfree = true; };
+        gitlab-nvim-server = pkgs.buildGoModule {
+          pname = "gitlab.nvim-server";
+          version = "git";
+          src = ./.;
+          vendorHash = "sha256-OLAKTdzqynBDHqWV5RzIpfc3xZDm6uYyLD4rxbh0DMg=";
+          postInstall = ''
+            cp -r ${./cmd/config} $out/bin/config
+            mv $out/bin/cmd $out/bin/gitlab.nvim
+          '';
+        };
+        gitlab-nvim = pkgs.vimUtils.buildVimPlugin {
+          name = "gitlab.nvim";
+          src = ./.;
+          doCheck = false;
+        };
+      in
+      rec {
+        formatter = pkgs.nixpkgs-fmt;
+        packages.gitlab-nvim-server = gitlab-nvim-server;
+        packages.gitlab-nvim = gitlab-nvim;
+        packages.default = packages.gitlab-nvim;
+        devShell = pkgs.mkShell {
+          packages = with pkgs; [
+            git
+            go
+            go-tools
+            golangci-lint
+            luajitPackages.busted
+            luajitPackages.luacheck
+            luajitPackages.luarocks
+            neovim
+            stylua
+          ];
+        };
+      }
+    );
+}
diff --git a/lua-test.sh b/lua-test.sh
index 6cf83dc9..300530c2 100755
--- a/lua-test.sh
+++ b/lua-test.sh
@@ -41,4 +41,4 @@ done
 
 # Run tests
 echo "Running tests with Neovim..."
-nvim -u NONE -U NONE -N -i NONE -l tests/init.lua "$@"
+LC_TIME=en_US.UTF-8 nvim -u NONE -U NONE -N -i NONE -l tests/init.lua "$@"
diff --git a/lua/gitlab/init.lua b/lua/gitlab/init.lua
index 8c52c73b..b492c563 100644
--- a/lua/gitlab/init.lua
+++ b/lua/gitlab/init.lua
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ local function setup(args)
     return
   end
 
-  server.build() -- Builds the Go binary if it doesn't exist
   state.merge_settings(args) -- Merges user settings with default settings
+  server.build() -- Builds the Go binary if it doesn't exist
   state.set_global_keymaps() -- Sets keymaps that are not bound to a specific buffer
   require("gitlab.colors") -- Sets colors
   reviewer.init()
diff --git a/lua/gitlab/job.lua b/lua/gitlab/job.lua
index 128591be..380246ec 100644
--- a/lua/gitlab/job.lua
+++ b/lua/gitlab/job.lua
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ local M = {}
 
 M.run_job = function(endpoint, method, body, callback)
   local state = require("gitlab.state")
-  local args = { "-s", "-X", (method or "POST"), string.format("localhost:%s", state.settings.port) .. endpoint }
+  local args = { "-s", "-X", (method or "POST"), string.format("localhost:%s", state.settings.server.port) .. endpoint }
 
   if body ~= nil then
     local encoded_body = vim.json.encode(body)
diff --git a/lua/gitlab/server.lua b/lua/gitlab/server.lua
index d9ff6305..55f04de8 100644
--- a/lua/gitlab/server.lua
+++ b/lua/gitlab/server.lua
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ end
 
 -- Starts the Go server and call the callback provided
 M.start = function(callback)
-  local port = tonumber(state.settings.port) or 0
+  local port = tonumber(state.settings.server.port) or 0
   local parsed_port = nil
   local callback_called = false
 
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ M.start = function(callback)
     settings = settings:gsub('"', '\\"')
   end
 
-  local command = string.format('"%s" "%s"', state.settings.bin, settings)
+  local command = string.format('"%s" "%s"', state.settings.server.binary, settings)
 
   local job_id = vim.fn.jobstart(command, {
     on_stdout = function(_, data)
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ M.start = function(callback)
           port = line:match("Server started on port:%s+(%d+)")
           if port ~= nil then
             parsed_port = port
-            state.settings.port = port
+            state.settings.server.port = port
             break
           end
         end
@@ -105,26 +105,59 @@ end
 -- Builds the Go binary with the current Git tag.
 M.build = function(override)
   local file_path = u.current_file_path()
-  local parent_dir = vim.fn.fnamemodify(file_path, ":h:h:h:h")
+  state.settings.root_path = vim.fn.fnamemodify(file_path, ":h:h:h:h")
+
+  -- If the user provided a path to the server, don't build it.
+  if state.settings.server.binary ~= nil then
+    local binary_exists = vim.loop.fs_stat(state.settings.server.binary)
+    if binary_exists == nil then
+      u.notify(
+        string.format("The user-provided server path (%s) does not exist.", state.settings.server.binary),
+        vim.log.levels.ERROR
+      )
+    end
+    return
+  end
+
+  -- If the user did not provide a path, we build it and place it in either the data path, or the
+  -- first writable path we find in the runtime.
+  local datapath = vim.fn.stdpath("data")
+  local runtimepath = vim.api.nvim_list_runtime_paths()
+  table.insert(runtimepath, 1, datapath)
+
+  local bin_folder
+  for _, path in ipairs(runtimepath) do
+    local ok, err = vim.loop.fs_access(path, "w")
+    if err == nil and ok ~= nil and ok then
+      bin_folder = path .. u.path_separator .. "gitlab.nvim" .. u.path_separator .. "bin"
+      if vim.fn.mkdir(bin_folder, "p") == 1 then
+        state.settings.server.binary = bin_folder .. u.path_separator .. "server"
+        break
+      end
+    end
+  end
 
-  local bin_name = u.is_windows() and "bin.exe" or "bin"
-  state.settings.root_path = parent_dir
-  state.settings.bin = parent_dir .. u.path_separator .. "cmd" .. u.path_separator .. bin_name
+  if state.settings.server.binary == nil then
+    u.notify("Could not find a writable folder in the runtime path to save the server to.", vim.log.levels.ERROR)
+    return
+  end
 
   if not override then
-    local binary_exists = vim.loop.fs_stat(state.settings.bin)
+    local binary_exists = vim.loop.fs_stat(state.settings.server.binary)
     if binary_exists ~= nil then
       return
     end
   end
 
-  local version_output = vim.system({ "git", "describe", "--tags", "--always" }, { cwd = parent_dir }):wait()
+  local version_output = vim
+    .system({ "git", "describe", "--tags", "--always" }, { cwd = state.settings.root_path })
+    :wait()
   local version = version_output.code == 0 and vim.trim(version_output.stdout) or "unknown"
 
   local ldflags = string.format("-X main.Version=%s", version)
   local res = vim
     .system(
-      { "go", "build", "-ldflags", ldflags, "-o", bin_name },
+      { "go", "build", "-buildvcs=false", "-ldflags", ldflags, "-o", state.settings.server.binary },
       { cwd = state.settings.root_path .. u.path_separator .. "cmd" }
     )
     :wait()
@@ -133,6 +166,12 @@ M.build = function(override)
     u.notify(string.format("Failed to install with status code %d:\n%s", res.code, res.stderr), vim.log.levels.ERROR)
     return false
   end
+
+  local Path = require("plenary.path")
+  local src = Path:new(state.settings.root_path .. u.path_separator .. "cmd" .. u.path_separator .. "config")
+  local dest = Path:new(bin_folder .. u.path_separator .. "config")
+  src:copy({ destination = dest, recursive = true, override = true })
+
   u.notify("Installed successfully!", vim.log.levels.INFO)
   return true
 end
@@ -185,7 +224,7 @@ M.get_version = function(callback)
   local version_output = vim.system({ "git", "describe", "--tags", "--always" }, { cwd = parent_dir }):wait()
   local plugin_version = version_output.code == 0 and vim.trim(version_output.stdout) or "unknown"
 
-  local args = { "-s", "-X", "GET", string.format("localhost:%s/version", state.settings.port) }
+  local args = { "-s", "-X", "GET", string.format("localhost:%s/version", state.settings.server.port) }
 
   -- We call the "/version" endpoint here instead of through the regular jobs pattern because earlier versions of the plugin
   -- may not have it. We handle a 404 as an "unknown" version error.
diff --git a/lua/gitlab/state.lua b/lua/gitlab/state.lua
index d67e0c06..940b950a 100644
--- a/lua/gitlab/state.lua
+++ b/lua/gitlab/state.lua
@@ -45,7 +45,10 @@ end
 M.settings = {
   auth_provider = M.default_auth_provider,
   file_separator = u.path_separator,
-  port = nil, -- choose random port
+  server = {
+    binary = nil,
+    port = nil,
+  },
   debug = {
     request = false,
     response = false,