diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
index 5cd97fc..8210e9e 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -13,8 +13,49 @@ env:
   POSTGRES_DB: mydb
 
 jobs:
+  vet:
+    name: Build & Vet
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: sh
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+        with:
+          go-version: "1.25"
+          cache: false
+
+      - name: Cache Go modules
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: |
+            ~/go/pkg/mod
+            ~/.cache/go-build
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-go-${{ hashFiles('backend/go.sum') }}-vet
+          restore-keys: |
+            ${{ runner.os }}-go-
+
+      - name: Fix node toolcache path for Post-step cleanup
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p /opt/hostedtoolcache/node/22.23.1/x64/bin
+          ln -sf /usr/local/bin/node /opt/hostedtoolcache/node/22.23.1/x64/bin/node
+
+      - run: go build ./...
+        working-directory: backend
+
+      - name: Vet (dev tags)
+        run: go vet -tags "test,dev" ./...
+        working-directory: backend
+
+      - name: Vet (prod tags)
+        run: go vet -tags "test,!dev" ./...
+        working-directory: backend
+
   test:
-    name: Tests
+    name: Tests (${{ matrix.label }})
+    needs: [vet]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     defaults:
       run:
@@ -31,6 +72,15 @@ jobs:
           --health-interval 10s
           --health-timeout 5s
           --health-retries 5
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - label: dev
+            gotags: test,dev
+            verbose: -v
+          - label: prod
+            gotags: test,!dev
+            verbose: ""
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -46,7 +96,7 @@ jobs:
           path: |
             ~/go/pkg/mod
             ~/.cache/go-build
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-go-${{ hashFiles('backend/go.sum') }}-test
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-go-${{ hashFiles('backend/go.sum') }}-test-${{ matrix.label }}
           restore-keys: |
             ${{ runner.os }}-go-
 
@@ -65,33 +115,16 @@ jobs:
 
       - run: PGPASSWORD=mypassword psql -h postgres -U myuser -d mydb -c "CREATE DATABASE crussell_test_db;" 2>/dev/null || true
 
-      - run: go build ./...
+      - name: Test (${{ matrix.label }} tags)
         working-directory: backend
-
-      - name: Vet (dev tags)
-        run: go vet -tags "test,dev" ./...
-        working-directory: backend
-
-      - name: Vet (prod tags)
-        run: go vet -tags "test,!dev" ./...
-        working-directory: backend
-
-      - name: Test (dev tags)
-        working-directory: backend
-        run: go test -tags "test,dev" -count=1 -v -timeout 180s ./...
-        env:
-          POSTGRES_HOST: postgres
-          TEST_DB_HOST: postgres
-
-      - name: Test (prod tags — behavioral ratelimit, prod-only compile)
-        working-directory: backend
-        run: go test -tags "test,!dev" -count=1 -timeout 180s ./...
+        run: go test -tags "${{ matrix.gotags }}" -count=1 ${{ matrix.verbose }} -timeout 180s ./...
         env:
           POSTGRES_HOST: postgres
           TEST_DB_HOST: postgres
 
   race:
-    name: Race detector
+    name: Race (${{ matrix.label }})
+    needs: [vet]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     defaults:
       run:
@@ -108,6 +141,13 @@ jobs:
           --health-interval 10s
           --health-timeout 5s
           --health-retries 5
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - label: dev
+            gotags: test,dev
+          - label: prod
+            gotags: test,!dev
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -123,7 +163,7 @@ jobs:
           path: |
             ~/go/pkg/mod
             ~/.cache/go-build
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-go-${{ hashFiles('backend/go.sum') }}-race
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-go-${{ hashFiles('backend/go.sum') }}-race-${{ matrix.label }}
           restore-keys: |
             ${{ runner.os }}-go-
 
@@ -142,17 +182,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - run: PGPASSWORD=mypassword psql -h postgres -U myuser -d mydb -c "CREATE DATABASE crussell_test_db;" 2>/dev/null || true
 
-      - name: Race (dev tags)
+      - name: Race (${{ matrix.label }} tags)
         working-directory: backend
-        run: go test -tags "test,dev" -race -count=1 -timeout 240s ./...
-        env:
-          POSTGRES_HOST: postgres
-          TEST_DB_HOST: postgres
-          CGO_ENABLED: "1"
-
-      - name: Race (prod tags)
-        working-directory: backend
-        run: go test -tags "test,!dev" -race -count=1 -timeout 240s ./...
+        run: go test -tags "${{ matrix.gotags }}" -race -count=1 -timeout 240s ./...
         env:
           POSTGRES_HOST: postgres
           TEST_DB_HOST: postgres