diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index fa01906910..f6d933cf01 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -1,8 +1,16 @@
 on:
   push:
     branches: [main, release]
+    paths-ignore:
+      - '**.md'
+      - 'docs/**'
+      - 'LICENSE'
   pull_request:
     types: [unlabeled, opened, synchronize, reopened]
+    paths-ignore:
+      - '**.md'
+      - 'docs/**'
+      - 'LICENSE'
   merge_group:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
@@ -86,14 +94,6 @@ jobs:
         run: cargo build --no-default-features --features ssl-openssl
         if: runner.os == 'Linux'
 
-      # - name: Install tk-dev for tkinter build
-      #   run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y tk-dev
-      #   if: runner.os == 'Linux'
-
-      # - name: Test tkinter build
-      #   run: cargo build --features tkinter
-      #   if: runner.os == 'Linux'
-
       - name: Test example projects
         run: |
           cargo run --manifest-path example_projects/barebone/Cargo.toml
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ jobs:
     if: ${{ !contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'skip:ci') }}
     name: Ensure compilation on various targets
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    timeout-minutes: 30
     strategy:
       matrix:
         include: 
@@ -165,14 +166,6 @@ jobs:
           ndk-version: r27
           add-to-path: true
 
-      # - name: Prepare repository for redox compilation
-      #   run: bash scripts/redox/uncomment-cargo.sh
-      # - name: Check compilation for Redox
-      #   uses: coolreader18/redoxer-action@v1
-      #   with:
-      #     command: check
-      #     args: --ignore-rust-version
-
       - name: Check compilation
         run: |
           for target in ${{ join(matrix.targets, ' ') }}
@@ -237,10 +230,13 @@ jobs:
       - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@c19371144df3bb44fab255c43d04cbc2ab54d1c4 # v2.9.1
         with:
           save-if: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' }}
+          shared-key: release-${{ matrix.os }}
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405 # v6.2.0
         with:
           python-version: ${{ env.PYTHON_VERSION }}
+          cache: 'pip'
+          cache-dependency-path: extra_tests/requirements.txt
 
       - name: Install macOS dependencies
         uses: ./.github/actions/install-macos-deps
@@ -276,6 +272,7 @@ jobs:
           RUSTPYTHON_SKIP_ENV_POLLUTERS: true
 
       - name: run cpython tests to check if env polluters have stopped polluting
+        if: ${{ join(matrix.env_polluting_tests, '') != '' }}
         shell: bash
         run: |
           IFS=' ' read -r -a target_array <<< "$TARGETS"
@@ -331,6 +328,7 @@ jobs:
   lint:
     name: Lint
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 15
     permissions:
       contents: read
       checks: write
@@ -453,6 +451,8 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405 # v6.2.0
         with:
           python-version: ${{ env.PYTHON_VERSION }}
+          cache: 'pip'
+          cache-dependency-path: wasm/tests/requirements.txt
 
       - run: python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
         working-directory: ./wasm/tests