diff --git a/backend/.github/workflows/backend-ci.yml b/backend/.github/workflows/backend-ci.yml
index 4e831ec..68668fe 100644
--- a/backend/.github/workflows/backend-ci.yml
+++ b/backend/.github/workflows/backend-ci.yml
@@ -14,8 +14,13 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: backend
 
     steps:
+      - name: Checkout code without submodules
+        uses: actions/checkout@v2  # Using v2 for actions/checkout
+        with:
+          submodules: false  # Skips submodule initialization
+
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v2
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v2  # Using v2 for setup-python
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
@@ -23,10 +28,10 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           python -m venv venv
           source venv/bin/activate
-          pip install -r requirements.txt
+          pip install -r requirements.txt  # Ensure all dependencies are installed, including requests
 
       - name: Cache Python dependencies
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
+        uses: actions/cache@v2  # Using v2 for actions/cache
         with:
           path: venv
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-python-${{ hashFiles('**/requirements.txt') }}
@@ -36,31 +41,30 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run pylint (backend only on changed files)
         run: |
           source venv/bin/activate
-          changed_files=$(git diff --name-only HEAD^..HEAD | grep '\.py$' || true)
+          changed_files=$(git diff --name-only origin/main...HEAD | grep '\.py$' || true)
+          
           if [ -n "$changed_files" ]; then
             pylint $changed_files --exit-zero | tee pylint.log
+            SCORE=$(tail -n 2 pylint.log | grep -oP '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+(?=/10)')
+            echo "Pylint score: $SCORE"
+            python -c "import sys; sys.exit(0 if float('$SCORE') >= 8.0 else 1)"
           else
             echo "No Python files changed, skipping pylint."
+            exit 0  # Exit with status 0 (success) if no Python files changed
           fi
-          SCORE=$(tail -n 2 pylint.log | grep -oP '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+(?=/10)')
-          echo "Pylint score: $SCORE"
-          python -c "import sys; sys.exit(0 if float('$SCORE') >= 8.0 else 1)"
 
   test:
     runs-on: self-hosted
     needs: lint
 
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - name: Checkout code without submodules
+        uses: actions/checkout@v2  # Using v2 for actions/checkout
         with:
-          submodules: false
-          clean: true
-          fetch-depth: 0
-          persist-credentials: false
+          submodules: false  # Skips submodule initialization
 
       - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v2
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v2  # Using v2 for setup-python
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
@@ -68,11 +72,11 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           python -m venv venv
           source venv/bin/activate
-          pip install -r backend/requirements.txt
+          pip install -r backend/requirements.txt  # Ensure all dependencies are installed, including requests
           pip install pytest-html
 
       - name: Cache Python dependencies
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
+        uses: actions/cache@v2  # Using v2 for actions/cache
         with:
           path: venv
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-python-${{ hashFiles('backend/requirements.txt') }}
@@ -95,11 +99,11 @@ jobs:
         env:
           BASE_URL: http://127.0.0.1:5000
         run: |
-          source venv/bin/activate
+          source venv/bin/activate  # Activate the virtual environment before running tests
           pytest backend/tests --html=backend/test-report.html --self-contained-html
 
       - name: Upload test report
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2  # Using v2 for actions/upload-artifact
         with:
           name: backend-test-report
           path: backend/test-report.html
@@ -113,21 +117,18 @@ jobs:
     needs: [lint, test]
 
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - name: Checkout repository without submodules
+        uses: actions/checkout@v2  # Using v2 for actions/checkout
         with:
-          submodules: false
-          clean: true
-          fetch-depth: 0
-          persist-credentials: false
+          submodules: false  # Skips submodule initialization
 
       - name: Set up Node.js
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v3
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v3  # Using the latest stable version for Node.js
         with:
           node-version: '20'
 
       - name: Cache node modules
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
+        uses: actions/cache@v2  # Using v2 for actions/cache
         with:
           path: frontend/node_modules
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-node-${{ hashFiles('frontend/package-lock.json') }}