diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-check.yml b/.github/workflows/build-check.yml
index 688caacae..77f7a5027 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-check.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 name: Build
-on: 
+
+# Always triggers so the required "build-gate" check is never left pending on unrelated PRs.
+# The changes job decides whether the compose build runs; the gate reflects the result.
+on:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
@@ -8,23 +11,56 @@ on:
     branches:
       - main
       - develop
-      - 'feature/**'
+      - "feature/**"
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
 jobs:
+  changes:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    outputs:
+      build: ${{ steps.filter.outputs.build }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v7
+      - name: Detect build-relevant changes
+        uses: dorny/paths-filter@v3
+        id: filter
+        with:
+          filters: |
+            build:
+              - "angular-client/**"
+              - "scylla-server/**"
+              - "compose/**"
+              - ".github/workflows/build-check.yml"
+
   run-build:
+    needs: changes
+    if: ${{ needs.changes.outputs.build == 'true' }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 10
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v7
-
-      - name: Set up Docker Compose
-        run: |
-          sudo apt-get -y update
-          sudo apt-get -y install docker-compose
       - name: Build Docker Compose
         working-directory: compose
+        run: docker compose build
+
+  build-gate:
+    # Required status check. Always runs; green when the build is skipped or passes, red on failure.
+    needs: [changes, run-build]
+    if: always()
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    steps:
+      - name: Gate
         run: |
-          if ! docker-compose build; then
-            echo "Docker Compose build failed."
-            exit 1  # This will cause the workflow to fail
+          result="${{ needs.run-build.result }}"
+          if [ "$result" = "failure" ] || [ "$result" = "cancelled" ]; then
+            echo "Build failed (result: $result)"
+            exit 1
           fi
+          echo "Build gate passed (result: $result)"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/client-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/client-ci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c9c2a9113
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/client-ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+name: Client CI
+
+# Always triggers so the required "client-ci-gate" check is never left pending on PRs that
+# don't touch the client (path filters on the trigger would block required-check merges).
+# The changes job decides whether the real work runs; the gate reflects its result.
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - develop
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - develop
+      - "feature/**"
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+jobs:
+  changes:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    outputs:
+      client: ${{ steps.filter.outputs.client }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v7
+      - name: Detect client changes
+        uses: dorny/paths-filter@v3
+        id: filter
+        with:
+          filters: |
+            client:
+              - "angular-client/**"
+              - ".github/workflows/client-ci.yml"
+
+  lint-and-format:
+    needs: changes
+    if: ${{ needs.changes.outputs.client == 'true' }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        working-directory: angular-client
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v7
+      - name: Set up Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v6
+        with:
+          node-version: 20.17.0
+          cache: "npm"
+          cache-dependency-path: angular-client/package-lock.json
+      - name: Install modules
+        run: npm ci
+      - name: Run linting check
+        run: npm run lint -- --max-warnings=0
+      - name: Run prettier check
+        run: npm run prettier-check
+
+  client-ci-gate:
+    # Required status check. Always runs; passes when the client job is skipped or succeeds,
+    # fails only when it actually fails, so path-filtered work never deadlocks a required check.
+    needs: [changes, lint-and-format]
+    if: always()
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    steps:
+      - name: Gate
+        run: |
+          result="${{ needs.lint-and-format.result }}"
+          if [ "$result" = "failure" ] || [ "$result" = "cancelled" ]; then
+            echo "Client CI failed (result: $result)"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "Client CI gate passed (result: $result)"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/client-flutter-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/client-flutter-ci.yml
index faeeb1c8d..eff2130b4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/client-flutter-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/client-flutter-ci.yml
@@ -3,8 +3,18 @@ name: Flutter Format Check
 on:
   push:
     branches: [ main, develop ]
+    paths:
+      - "flutter-client/**"
+      - ".github/workflows/client-flutter-ci.yml"
   pull_request:
     branches: [ main, develop ]
+    paths:
+      - "flutter-client/**"
+      - ".github/workflows/client-flutter-ci.yml"
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
   format-verify:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint-check.yml b/.github/workflows/lint-check.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 7b7971bac..000000000
--- a/.github/workflows/lint-check.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-name: Linting Check
-on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-      - develop
-  pull_request:
-    branches:
-      - main
-      - develop
-      - "feature/**"
-
-jobs:
-  run-linting-check:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    timeout-minutes: 10
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v7
-      - name: Set up Node.js
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v6
-        with:
-          node-version: 20.17.0
-          cache: "npm"
-          cache-dependency-path: ./angular-client/package-lock.json
-      - name: Install modules
-        working-directory: ./angular-client
-        run: npm install
-      - name: Run linting check
-        working-directory: ./angular-client
-        run: npm run lint --max-warnings=0
diff --git a/.github/workflows/prettier-check.yml b/.github/workflows/prettier-check.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 8fba4e566..000000000
--- a/.github/workflows/prettier-check.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-name: Prettier Check
-on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-      - develop
-  pull_request:
-    branches:
-      - main
-      - develop
-      - "feature/**"
-
-jobs:
-  run-prettier-check:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    timeout-minutes: 10
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v7
-      - name: Set up Node.js
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v6
-        with:
-          node-version: 18.17.1
-          cache: "npm"
-          cache-dependency-path: ./angular-client/package-lock.json
-      - name: Install modules
-        working-directory: ./angular-client
-        run: npm install
-      - name: Run prettier check
-        working-directory: ./angular-client
-        run: npm run prettier-check
diff --git a/.github/workflows/scylla-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/scylla-ci.yml
index ba95dbd10..b1c0e81e6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/scylla-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/scylla-ci.yml
@@ -1,49 +1,86 @@
 name: Scylla CI
 
+# Always triggers so the required "scylla-gate" check is never left pending on non-scylla PRs.
+# The changes job decides whether the Rust build/test runs; the gate reflects the result.
 on:
-   push:
-      branches:
-         - main
-         - develop
-   pull_request:
-      branches:
-         - main
-         - develop
-         - 'feature/**'
-
-
-defaults:
-    run:
-        working-directory: scylla-server
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - develop
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - develop
+      - "feature/**"
 
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
-   build:
-      runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  changes:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    outputs:
+      scylla: ${{ steps.filter.outputs.scylla }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v7
+      - name: Detect scylla changes
+        uses: dorny/paths-filter@v3
+        id: filter
+        with:
+          filters: |
+            scylla:
+              - "scylla-server/**"
+              - ".github/workflows/scylla-ci.yml"
+
+  build:
+    needs: changes
+    if: ${{ needs.changes.outputs.scylla == 'true' }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        working-directory: scylla-server
+    steps:
+      - name: Setup Rust
+        uses: actions/checkout@v7
+        with:
+          submodules: recursive
+      - name: Clippy
+        run: cargo clippy --all-targets --locked
+      - name: Fmt
+        run: cargo fmt --check
+      - name: Start DB
+        working-directory: compose
+        run: docker compose up -d odyssey-db
+      - name: Build
+        run: cargo build --verbose --locked
+      - name: Run # so we can migrate the database, run for a little than bail
+        env:
+          DATABASE_URL: postgresql://postgres:password@127.0.0.1:5432/postgres
+        run: |
+          cargo run --locked & ID=$!; sleep 10s; kill $ID
+      - name: Test
+        env:
+          DATABASE_URL: postgresql://postgres:password@127.0.0.1:5432/postgres
+        run: cargo test --locked -- --test-threads=1
+      - name: Cleanup
+        working-directory: compose
+        run: docker compose down
 
-      steps:
-         - name: Setup Rust
-           uses: actions/checkout@v7
-           with:
-            submodules: recursive
-         - name: Clippy
-           run: cargo clippy --all-targets --locked
-         - name: Fmt
-           run: cargo fmt --check
-         - name: Start DB
-           working-directory: compose
-           run: docker compose up -d odyssey-db
-         - name: Build
-           run: cargo build --verbose --locked
-         - name: Run # so we can migrate the database, run for a little than bail
-           env:
-             DATABASE_URL: postgresql://postgres:password@127.0.0.1:5432/postgres
-           run: |
-                cargo run --locked & ID=$!; sleep 10s; kill $ID
-         - name: Test
-           env:
-             DATABASE_URL: postgresql://postgres:password@127.0.0.1:5432/postgres
-           run: cargo test --locked -- --test-threads=1
-         - name: Cleanup
-           working-directory: compose
-           run: docker compose down
+  scylla-gate:
+    # Required status check. Always runs; green when the build is skipped or passes, red on failure.
+    needs: [changes, build]
+    if: always()
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    steps:
+      - name: Gate
+        run: |
+          result="${{ needs.build.result }}"
+          if [ "$result" = "failure" ] || [ "$result" = "cancelled" ]; then
+            echo "Scylla CI failed (result: $result)"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "Scylla gate passed (result: $result)"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-check.yml b/.github/workflows/test-check.yml
index f1dc6e3a1..9ceef986a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-check.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 name: Frontend Unit Tests
+
+# Always triggers so the required "test-gate" check is never left pending on PRs that don't
+# touch the client. The changes job decides whether the tests run; the gate reflects the result.
 on:
   push:
     branches:
@@ -10,8 +13,31 @@ on:
       - develop
       - "feature/**"
 
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
 jobs:
+  changes:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    outputs:
+      client: ${{ steps.filter.outputs.client }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v7
+      - name: Detect client changes
+        uses: dorny/paths-filter@v3
+        id: filter
+        with:
+          filters: |
+            client:
+              - "angular-client/**"
+              - ".github/workflows/test-check.yml"
+
   run-frontend-tests:
+    needs: changes
+    if: ${{ needs.changes.outputs.client == 'true' }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 15
     steps:
@@ -29,3 +55,19 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run unit tests
         working-directory: ./angular-client
         run: npm run test:ci
+
+  test-gate:
+    # Required status check. Always runs; green when tests are skipped or pass, red only on failure.
+    needs: [changes, run-frontend-tests]
+    if: always()
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    steps:
+      - name: Gate
+        run: |
+          result="${{ needs.run-frontend-tests.result }}"
+          if [ "$result" = "failure" ] || [ "$result" = "cancelled" ]; then
+            echo "Frontend unit tests failed (result: $result)"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "Test gate passed (result: $result)"
diff --git a/angular-client/angular.json b/angular-client/angular.json
index b03b9c249..87408b125 100644
--- a/angular-client/angular.json
+++ b/angular-client/angular.json
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@
             "tsConfig": "tsconfig.spec.json",
             "assets": ["src/favicon.ico", "src/assets"],
             "styles": ["@angular/material/prebuilt-themes/rose-red.css", "src/styles.css"],
-            "scripts": []
+            "scripts": [],
+            "karmaConfig": "karma.conf.js"
           }
         },
         "lint": {
diff --git a/angular-client/karma.conf.js b/angular-client/karma.conf.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7a4ee2078
--- /dev/null
+++ b/angular-client/karma.conf.js
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+// Karma configuration file, see link for more information
+// https://karma-runner.github.io/1.0/config/configuration-file.html
+
+module.exports = function (config) {
+  config.set({
+    basePath: '',
+    frameworks: ['jasmine', '@angular-devkit/build-angular'],
+    plugins: [
+      require('karma-jasmine'),
+      require('karma-chrome-launcher'),
+      require('karma-jasmine-html-reporter'),
+      require('karma-coverage'),
+      require('@angular-devkit/build-angular/plugins/karma')
+    ],
+    client: {
+      jasmine: {
+        // you can add configuration options for Jasmine here
+        // the possible options are listed at https://jasmine.github.io/api/edge/Configuration.html
+        // for example, you can disable the random execution with `random: false`
+        // or set a specific seed with `seed: 4321`
+      },
+    },
+    jasmineHtmlReporter: {
+      suppressAll: true // removes the duplicated traces
+    },
+    coverageReporter: {
+      dir: require('path').join(__dirname, './coverage/angular-client'),
+      subdir: '.',
+      reporters: [
+        { type: 'html' },
+        { type: 'text-summary' }
+      ]
+    },
+    reporters: ['progress', 'kjhtml'],
+    browsers: ['Chrome'],
+    // CI launcher: headless Chrome hardened for containerized runners.
+    // --no-sandbox (runners forbid the sandbox) and --disable-dev-shm-usage (small /dev/shm
+    // otherwise crashes Chrome mid-run) are the two flags that make CI test runs reliable.
+    customLaunchers: {
+      ChromeHeadlessCI: {
+        base: 'ChromeHeadless',
+        flags: ['--no-sandbox', '--disable-gpu', '--disable-dev-shm-usage']
+      }
+    },
+    restartOnFileChange: true
+  });
+};
diff --git a/angular-client/package.json b/angular-client/package.json
index b6ca4f284..0d367d814 100644
--- a/angular-client/package.json
+++ b/angular-client/package.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     "install-dependencies": "npm install",
     "watch": "ng build --watch --configuration development",
     "test": "ng test",
-    "test:ci": "ng test --watch=false --browsers=ChromeHeadless"
+    "test:ci": "ng test --watch=false --browsers=ChromeHeadlessCI"
   },
   "private": true,
   "dependencies": {