diff --git a/.github/workflows/Clang-format-checker.yml b/.github/workflows/Clang-format-checker.yml
index 5b1aa6651..c30cc1064 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Clang-format-checker.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Clang-format-checker.yml
@@ -12,10 +12,12 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - uses: DoozyX/clang-format-lint-action@v0.18
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
-          source: '.'
-          exclude: './external'
-          extensions: 'h,cpp,cc'
-          clangFormatVersion: 18 # default is 18.1.8
-          style: file
+          python-version: '3.x'
+
+      - name: Install pre-commit
+        run: python -m pip install pre-commit
+
+      - name: Check formatting
+        run: pre-commit run --all-files --show-diff-on-failure
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 121ce206a..a89ab4e9f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ test-data
 target
 tmp
 compile_commands.json
-.pre-commit-config.yaml
 
 .codex
 
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..038c40069
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+exclude: |
+  (?x)^(
+    external/|
+    rust/eloqstore-sys/vendor/
+  )
+
+repos:
+  - repo: https://github.com/pre-commit/mirrors-clang-format
+    rev: v18.1.8
+    hooks:
+      - id: clang-format
+        files: \.(c|cc|cpp|cxx|h|hh|hpp|hxx)$
+        args: [--style=file, --fallback-style=none]
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index e96105104..f81d1dd95 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -55,9 +55,17 @@ SDK tests (also run in CI): `python3 -m build --wheel` + pytest in `python/`; in
 
 ## Formatting
 
-`bash scripts/format.sh` — installs clang-format 18.1.8 on first run and formats the tree. Style is Google-based with Allman braces, 4-space indent, right pointer alignment (see `.clang-format`).
-
-**Always run `bash scripts/format.sh` and commit any changes it makes before opening (or updating) a PR.** The main branch has a format check in CI that will fail the PR otherwise — hand-written code that looks fine often still gets re-wrapped by clang-format (e.g. a call that now fits on one line). Don't rely on writing conforming code by hand; run the script.
+Install the Git hook once with `pre-commit install`. The hook uses an isolated,
+pinned clang-format 18.1.8 environment, so no system clang-format installation
+is needed. Style is Google-based with Allman braces, 4-space indent, and right
+pointer alignment (see `.clang-format`). Third-party sources under `external/`
+and the Rust vendor-link tree are excluded by `.pre-commit-config.yaml`.
+
+**Always run `pre-commit run --all-files` and commit any changes it makes before
+opening (or updating) a PR.** The main branch runs the same command in CI and
+will fail the PR otherwise — hand-written code that looks fine often still gets
+re-wrapped by clang-format (e.g. a call that now fits on one line). Don't rely on
+writing conforming code by hand; run the hook.
 
 ## Architecture
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f7381956a..473c67f04 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -219,30 +219,26 @@ ctest --test-dir build/tests/
 ./build/benchmark/simple_bench --kvoptions=./benchmark/opts_append.ini --workload=write-read --kv_size=1024 --batch_size=20000 --max_key=10000000 --read_per_part=4 --partitions=1
 ```
 
-### Install git hooks
+### Install pre-commit
 
 ```shell
-git config core.hooksPath .githooks
+python3 -m pip install pre-commit
+pre-commit install
 ```
 
-The pre-commit hook auto-syncs `pyproject.toml` / `Cargo.toml` versions from `VERSION`.
-Run once after cloning. Bypass with `git commit --no-verify`.
+Run these commands once after cloning. The hook downloads and caches its own
+clang-format 18.1.8 environment; it does not install clang-format system-wide.
+Bypass the hook with `git commit --no-verify` only when necessary.
 
-### Install Format Tool
+### Format C/C++ code
 
-```shell 
-bash scripts/format.sh
+```shell
+pre-commit run --all-files
 ```
 
-This script will execute when necessary:
-- Install code format tools
-- Format the code
-
-The first time this script is executed, it will install:
-- libtinfo5
-- clang-format(18.1.8)
-
-**Note**: The main branch has code format checks; please run this script before committing the MR.
+Only tracked C/C++ files are formatted. Third-party code under `external/` and
+the Rust vendor-link tree are excluded. The main branch runs the same command;
+please run it before opening or updating a PR.
 
 ## 🤝 Contributing
 
diff --git a/scripts/format.sh b/scripts/format.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index e028c04f6..000000000
--- a/scripts/format.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,100 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-# Return 0 if clang-format exists and its version is exactly 18.1.8
-clang_format_is_18_1_8() {
-  command -v clang-format-18.1.8 >/dev/null 2>&1 || return 1
-  clang-format-18.1.8 --version 2>/dev/null | grep -Eq 'clang-format version[[:space:]]+18\.1\.8\b'
-}
-
-install_clang_format_18_1_8() {
-  cd $HOME
-  local SUDO=""
-  if [[ "${EUID:-$(id -u)}" -ne 0 ]]; then
-    SUDO="sudo"
-  fi
-
-  local ARCH DPKG TINFO_PKG_URL LLVM_PKG_URL
-  ARCH="$(uname -m)"
-  DPKG="$(dpkg --print-architecture)"
-
-  # 1) Install libtinfo5 via the exact commands you requested (amd64 deb)
-  echo "[INFO] Installing libtinfo5"
-  case "$ARCH" in
-    x86_64)
-      TINFO_PKG_URL="https://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/n/ncurses"
-      ;;
-    aarch64|arm64)
-      TINFO_PKG_URL="https://cn.ports.ubuntu.com/pool/universe/n/ncurses"
-      ;;
-    *)
-      echo "[ERROR] Unsupported arch: $ARCH"
-      return 1
-      ;;
-  esac
-
-  $SUDO apt update
-  local TINFO_DEB="libtinfo5_6.3-2ubuntu0.1_${DPKG}.deb"
-  local TINFO_URL="${TINFO_PKG_URL}/${TINFO_DEB}"
-
-  echo "[INFO] Downloading ${TINFO_DEB} from ${TINFO_URL}"
-  
-  wget -q -O "./${TINFO_DEB}" "$TINFO_URL" || { echo "[ERROR] Download failed: ${TINFO_URL}" >&2; return 1; }
-  $SUDO apt install -y "./${TINFO_DEB}" || return 1
-
-  # 2) Download LLVM clang-format 18.1.8
-  echo "[INFO] Downloading LLVM clang-format 18.1.8"
-  case "$ARCH" in
-    x86_64)
-      LLVM_PKG_URL="https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/releases/download/llvmorg-18.1.8/clang+llvm-18.1.8-x86_64-linux-gnu-ubuntu-18.04.tar.xz"
-      ;;
-    aarch64|arm64)
-      LLVM_PKG_URL="https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/releases/download/llvmorg-18.1.8/clang+llvm-18.1.8-aarch64-linux-gnu.tar.xz"
-      ;;
-    *)
-      echo "Unsupported arch: $ARCH" >&2
-      return 1
-      ;;
-  esac
-
-  mkdir -p ./llvm-18.1.8
-
-  echo "[INFO] Downloading LLVM clang-format 18.1.8 from ${LLVM_PKG_URL}"
-
-  curl -L "$LLVM_PKG_URL" -o /tmp/llvm-18.1.8.tar.xz
-  tar -xf /tmp/llvm-18.1.8.tar.xz -C ./llvm-18.1.8 --strip-components=1
-  rm -f /tmp/llvm-18.1.8.tar.xz
-
-  # 3) Link as versioned binary
-  $SUDO ln -sf "$(pwd)/llvm-18.1.8/bin/clang-format" /usr/local/bin/clang-format-18.1.8
-
-  cd -
-  echo "[INFO] Verifying clang-format-18.1.8"
-  
-  # 4) Verify
-  if /usr/local/bin/clang-format-18.1.8 --version 2>/dev/null | grep -Eq 'clang-format version[[:space:]]+18\.1\.8\b'; then
-    echo "[OK] Installed: $(/usr/local/bin/clang-format-18.1.8 --version)"
-  else
-    echo "[ERR] clang-format-18.1.8 install/link failed." >&2
-    /usr/local/bin/clang-format-18.1.8 --version >&2 || true
-    return 1
-  fi
-}
-
-# One-shot entry: if check fails, install
-ensure_clang_format_18_1_8() {
-  if clang_format_is_18_1_8; then
-    echo "[OK] clang-format already 18.1.8: $(clang-format-18.1.8 --version)"
-    return 0
-  fi
-  echo "[ERR] clang-format not found, installing 18.1.8"
-  install_clang_format_18_1_8
-}
-
-# Format all files in the project
-ensure_clang_format_18_1_8 || { echo "[ERROR] Format failed" >&2; exit 1; }
-
-git ls-files -z '*.c' '*.cc' '*.cpp' '*.h' '*.hpp' \
-| awk -v RS='\0' -v ORS='\0' '!/^(third_party|vendor|build|external)\//' \
-| xargs -0 -r clang-format-18.1.8 -i --style="file"
-
-echo "[OK] Format completed"
\ No newline at end of file