fix: better version fetch

VERSION

@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-0.16.1

application/version.py

@@ -1,34 +1,10 @@
-"""DocsGPT backend version string.
-
-Read from the top-level ``VERSION`` file so release tooling can bump the
-version without touching Python code. Cached after first read.
-"""
+"""DocsGPT backend version string."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Optional
-
-_UNKNOWN = "unknown"
-_VERSION_PATH = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "VERSION"
-_cached: Optional[str] = None
+__version__ = "0.16.1"
 
 
 def get_version() -> str:
-    """Return the DocsGPT backend version, or ``"unknown"`` if absent.
-
-    A missing ``VERSION`` file is treated as a soft failure — callers
-    (notably the startup version check) must never crash because the
-    file wasn't shipped with the source checkout.
-    """
-    global _cached
-    if _cached is not None:
-        return _cached
-    try:
-        _cached = _VERSION_PATH.read_text(encoding="utf-8").strip() or _UNKNOWN
-    except (FileNotFoundError, OSError):
-        _cached = _UNKNOWN
-    return _cached
-
-
-__version__ = get_version()
+    """Return the DocsGPT backend version."""
+    return __version__