diff --git a/.github/file-filters.yml b/.github/file-filters.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..26231c936423
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/file-filters.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+docs: &docs
+  - "**/*.md"
+  - "docs/**"
+
+backend: &backend
+  - "**/*.go"
+  - "**/*.tmpl"
+  - "go.mod"
+  - "go.sum"
+
+frontend: &frontend
+  - "**/*.js"
+  - "web_src/**"
+  - "package.json"
+  - "package-lock.json"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/files-changed.yml b/.github/workflows/files-changed.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2efd6767197d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/files-changed.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+name: files changed
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    outputs:
+      docs:
+        description: "whether docs files changed"
+        value: ${{ jobs.files-changed.outputs.docs }}
+      backend:
+        description: "whether backend files changed"
+        value: ${{ jobs.files-changed.outputs.backend }}
+      frontend:
+        description: "whether frontend files changed"
+        value: ${{ jobs.files-changed.outputs.frontend }}
+
+jobs:
+  files-changed:
+    name: detect which files changed
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 3
+    # Map a step output to a job output
+    outputs:
+      docs: ${{ steps.changes.outputs.docs }}
+      backend: ${{ steps.changes.outputs.backend }}
+      frontend: ${{ steps.changes.outputs.frontend }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - name: Check for backend file changes
+        uses: dorny/paths-filter@v2
+        id: changes
+        with:
+          filters: .github/file-filters.yml
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-compliance-docs.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-compliance-docs.yml
index 44db6d67af10..be0ecc322064 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-compliance-docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-compliance-docs.yml
@@ -2,16 +2,18 @@ name: compliance-docs
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    paths:
-      - "docs/**"
-      - "*.md"
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.head_ref || github.run_id }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
+  files-changed:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/files-changed.yml
+
   compliance-docs:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.docs == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-compliance-docsignore.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-compliance-docsignore.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index ea0619e122eb..000000000000
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-compliance-docsignore.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,43 +0,0 @@
-name: compliance
-
-on:
-  pull_request:
-    paths:
-      - "docs/**"
-      - "*.md"
-
-jobs:
-  compliance-docs:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
-
-  lint-backend:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
-
-  lint-go-windows:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
-
-  lint-go-gogit:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
-
-  checks-backend:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
-
-  frontend:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
-
-  backend:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-compliance.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-compliance.yml
index ace2b15a9b5f..e108379b3096 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-compliance.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-compliance.yml
@@ -2,16 +2,18 @@ name: compliance
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    paths-ignore:
-      - "docs/**"
-      - "*.md"
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.head_ref || github.run_id }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
+  files-changed:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/files-changed.yml
+
   lint-backend:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -24,6 +26,8 @@ jobs:
         env:
           TAGS: bindata sqlite sqlite_unlock_notify
   lint-go-windows:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -38,6 +42,8 @@ jobs:
           GOOS: windows
           GOARCH: amd64
   lint-go-gogit:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -50,6 +56,8 @@ jobs:
         env:
           TAGS: bindata gogit sqlite sqlite_unlock_notify
   checks-backend:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -60,6 +68,8 @@ jobs:
       - run: make deps-backend deps-tools
       - run: make --always-make checks-backend # ensure the "go-licenses" make target runs
   frontend:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.frontend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -70,6 +80,8 @@ jobs:
       - run: make lint-frontend
       - run: make checks-frontend
   backend:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-db-tests-docsignore.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-db-tests-docsignore.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index c04f763c3e93..000000000000
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-db-tests-docsignore.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-name: db-tests
-
-on:
-  pull_request:
-    paths:
-      - "docs/**"
-      - "*.md"
-
-jobs:
-  test-pgsql:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
-
-  test-sqlite:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
-
-  test-unit:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
-
-  test-mysql5:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
-
-  test-mysql8:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
-
-  test-mssql:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-db-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-db-tests.yml
index b3b02f15caf2..cf08da151246 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-db-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-db-tests.yml
@@ -2,16 +2,18 @@ name: db-tests
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    paths-ignore:
-      - "docs/**"
-      - "*.md"
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.head_ref || github.run_id }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
+  files-changed:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/files-changed.yml
+
   test-pgsql:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true' || needs.files-changed.outputs.frontend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     services:
       pgsql:
@@ -56,6 +58,8 @@ jobs:
           USE_REPO_TEST_DIR: 1
 
   test-sqlite:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true' || needs.files-changed.outputs.frontend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -75,6 +79,8 @@ jobs:
           USE_REPO_TEST_DIR: 1
 
   test-unit:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     services:
       mysql:
@@ -138,6 +144,8 @@ jobs:
           GITHUB_READ_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_READ_TOKEN }}
 
   test-mysql5:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true' || needs.files-changed.outputs.frontend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     services:
       mysql:
@@ -180,6 +188,8 @@ jobs:
           TEST_INDEXER_CODE_ES_URL: "http://elastic:changeme@elasticsearch:9200"
 
   test-mysql8:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true' || needs.files-changed.outputs.frontend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     services:
       mysql8:
@@ -207,6 +217,8 @@ jobs:
           USE_REPO_TEST_DIR: 1
 
   test-mssql:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true' || needs.files-changed.outputs.frontend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     services:
       mssql:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-docker-dryrun-docsignore.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-docker-dryrun-docsignore.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 7c74efb34a9d..000000000000
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-docker-dryrun-docsignore.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-name: docker-dryrun
-
-on:
-  pull_request:
-    paths:
-      - "docs/**"
-      - "*.md"
-
-jobs:
-  docker-dryrun:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-docker-dryrun.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-docker-dryrun.yml
index c3cdefc7a7dc..89b0c5253c37 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-docker-dryrun.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-docker-dryrun.yml
@@ -2,16 +2,18 @@ name: docker-dryrun
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    paths-ignore:
-      - "docs/**"
-      - "*.md"
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.head_ref || github.run_id }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
+  files-changed:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/files-changed.yml
+
   docker-dryrun:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true' || needs.files-changed.outputs.frontend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-e2e-tests-docsignore.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-e2e-tests-docsignore.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index e809af7216b1..000000000000
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-e2e-tests-docsignore.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-name: e2e-tests
-
-on:
-  pull_request:
-    paths:
-      - "docs/**"
-      - "*.md"
-
-jobs:
-  test-e2e:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - run: echo "No build required"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-e2e-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-e2e-tests.yml
index 611a6b07417f..cf6af401f5ea 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-e2e-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-e2e-tests.yml
@@ -2,16 +2,18 @@ name: e2e-tests
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    paths-ignore:
-      - "docs/**"
-      - "*.md"
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.head_ref || github.run_id }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
+  files-changed:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/files-changed.yml
+
   test-e2e:
+    if: needs.files-changed.outputs.backend == 'true' || needs.files-changed.outputs.frontend == 'true'
+    needs: files-changed
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6873cac81175..16841796b78e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ SWAGGER_PACKAGE ?= github.com/go-swagger/go-swagger/cmd/swagger@v0.30.4
 XGO_PACKAGE ?= src.techknowlogick.com/xgo@latest
 GO_LICENSES_PACKAGE ?= github.com/google/go-licenses@v1.6.0
 GOVULNCHECK_PACKAGE ?= golang.org/x/vuln/cmd/govulncheck@latest
+ACTIONLINT_PACKAGE ?= github.com/rhysd/actionlint/cmd/actionlint@latest
 
 DOCKER_IMAGE ?= gitea/gitea
 DOCKER_TAG ?= latest
@@ -199,6 +200,7 @@ help:
 	@echo " - deps-tools                       install tool dependencies"
 	@echo " - lint                             lint everything"
 	@echo " - lint-fix                         lint everything and fix issues"
+	@echo " - lint-actions                     lint action workflow files"
 	@echo " - lint-frontend                    lint frontend files"
 	@echo " - lint-frontend-fix                lint frontend files and fix issues"
 	@echo " - lint-backend                     lint backend files"
@@ -411,6 +413,10 @@ lint-go-vet:
 lint-editorconfig:
 	$(GO) run $(EDITORCONFIG_CHECKER_PACKAGE) templates .github/workflows
 
+.PHONY: lint-actions
+lint-actions:
+	$(GO) run $(ACTIONLINT_PACKAGE)
+
 .PHONY: watch
 watch:
 	@bash build/watch.sh
@@ -908,6 +914,7 @@ deps-tools:
 	$(GO) install $(XGO_PACKAGE)
 	$(GO) install $(GO_LICENSES_PACKAGE)
 	$(GO) install $(GOVULNCHECK_PACKAGE)
+	$(GO) install $(ACTIONLINT_PACKAGE)
 
 node_modules: package-lock.json
 	npm install --no-save