diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-container-images.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-container-images.yaml
index d7155504..cd662ce8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-container-images.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-container-images.yaml
@@ -1,222 +1,94 @@
-name: Container image building
+name: Release container images
 
 on:
   push:
     tags:
       - 'v*.*.*'
 
-  pull_request:
-    branches:
-      - main
-
 jobs:
   setup:
-    if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' || github.event.pull_request.draft == false # Prevents running if the PR is a draft
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions:
-      contents: read
-      packages: write
     outputs:
-      SHA_COMMIT: ${{ steps.vars.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }}
       GIT_TAG: ${{ steps.vars.outputs.GIT_TAG }}
-      BRANCH: ${{ steps.vars.outputs.BRANCH }}
-      LATEST_TAG: ${{ steps.vars.outputs.LATEST_TAG }}
+      SHA_COMMIT: ${{ steps.vars.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }}
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
+      - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v5
         with:
-          fetch-depth: 0 # Needed for getting Git Tags
+          fetch-depth: 0
 
-      - name: Determine Image Tags
+      - name: Determine image tags
         id: vars
         run: |
-          # Checking if the event comes from PR or Branch
-          if [[ "${{ github.event_name }}" == "pull_request" ]]; then
-            # PR values
-            SHA_COMMIT=$(echo ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }})
-            BRANCH_NAME=${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
-            echo "Changes comming from PR: $BRANCH_NAME/$SHA_COMMIT"
-          else
-            # Push values
-            SHA_COMMIT=$(echo ${{ github.sha }})
-            BRANCH_NAME=${GITHUB_REF##*/}
-            echo "Changes comming from Push: $BRANCH_NAME/$SHA_COMMIT"
-          fi
-          echo "SHA_COMMIT=$SHA_COMMIT" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          echo "BRANCH_NAME=$BRANCH_NAME" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          # Getting LATEST_TAG
-          if [[ "${{ github.ref }}" == "refs/heads/main" ]]; then
-            LATEST_TAG="latest"
-          fi
-          echo "LATEST_TAG=$LATEST_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          # Getting version tag if available
-          GIT_TAG=$(git tag --points-at HEAD | head -n 1)
-          if [[ -n "$GIT_TAG" ]]; then
-            echo "Detected Git Tag: $GIT_TAG"
-          fi
+          GIT_TAG=${GITHUB_REF##*/}
+          SHA_COMMIT=$(echo "${{ github.sha }}" | cut -c1-7)
           echo "GIT_TAG=$GIT_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          echo "Building Tags:"
-          echo "  * SHA_COMMIT: ${SHA_COMMIT}"
-          echo "  * BRANCH_NAME: ${BRANCH_NAME}"
-          echo "  * GIT TAG: ${GIT_TAG}"
-          if [[ $LATEST_TAG == "latest" ]]; then
-            echo "  * Including 'latest' tag"
-          fi
-  api:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: setup
-    permissions:
-      contents: read
-      packages: write
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v5
-
-      - name: Login to Quay.io
-        run: |
-          echo "${{ secrets.QUAY_PASSWORD }}" | podman login quay.io -u "${{ secrets.QUAY_USERNAME }}" --password-stdin
-
-      - name: Container image building
-        run: |
-          echo "Building ClusterIQ API (${{ needs.setup.outputs.BRANCH }}/${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }})"
-          podman build \
-            --platform linux/amd64 \
-            --build-arg VERSION=${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }} \
-            --build-arg COMMIT=${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            -t quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-api:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            -f ./deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-api .
-
-      - name: Pushing Hash based image
-        run: |
-          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-api:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }}
-
-      - name: Tagging and Pushing Latest Image
-        if: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG != '' && needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG != null }}
-        run: |
-          podman tag \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-api:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-api:${{ needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG }}
-          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-api:${{ needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG }}
-
-      - name: Tagging and Puhsing GitTag based image
-        if: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG != '' && needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG != null }}
-        run: |
-          echo "Building Tagged version image: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }}"
-          podman tag \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-api:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-api:${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }}
-          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-api:${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }}
-
-      - name: Logout from Quay.io
-        run: |
-          podman logout quay.io
-  agent:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: setup
-    permissions:
-      contents: read
-      packages: write
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v5
-
-      - name: Login to Quay.io
-        run: |
-          echo "${{ secrets.QUAY_PASSWORD }}" | podman login quay.io -u "${{ secrets.QUAY_USERNAME }}" --password-stdin
-
-      - name: Container image building
-        run: |
-          echo "Building ClusterIQ Agent (${{ needs.setup.outputs.BRANCH }}/${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }})"
-          podman build \
-            --platform linux/amd64 \
-            --build-arg VERSION=${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }} \
-            --build-arg COMMIT=${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            -t quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-agent:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            -f ./deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-agent .
-
-      - name: Pushing Hash based image
-        run: |
-          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-agent:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }}
-
-      - name: Tagging and Pushing Latest Image
-        if: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG != '' && needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG != null }}
-        run: |
-          podman tag \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-agent:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-agent:${{ needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG }}
-          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-agent:${{ needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG }}
-
-      - name: Tagging and Puhsing GitTag based image
-        if: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG != '' && needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG != null }}
-        run: |
-          echo "Building Tagged version image: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }}"
-          podman tag \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-agent:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-agent:${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }}
-          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-agent:${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }}
+          echo "SHA_COMMIT=$SHA_COMMIT" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "Release: $GIT_TAG ($SHA_COMMIT)"
 
-      - name: Logout from Quay.io
-        run: |
-          podman logout quay.io
-  scanner:
+  build:
+    name: Build ${{ matrix.component }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: setup
     permissions:
       contents: read
       packages: write
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - component: api
+            containerfile: deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-api
+          - component: agent
+            containerfile: deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-agent
+          - component: scanner
+            containerfile: deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-scanner
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
+      - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v5
 
       - name: Login to Quay.io
         run: |
           echo "${{ secrets.QUAY_PASSWORD }}" | podman login quay.io -u "${{ secrets.QUAY_USERNAME }}" --password-stdin
 
-      - name: Container image building
+      - name: Build image
         run: |
-          echo "Building ClusterIQ Scanner (${{ needs.setup.outputs.BRANCH }}/${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }})"
           podman build \
             --platform linux/amd64 \
             --build-arg VERSION=${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }} \
             --build-arg COMMIT=${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            -t quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-scanner:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            -f ./deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-scanner .
-
-      - name: Pushing Hash based image
-        run: |
-          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-scanner:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }}
+            -t quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-${{ matrix.component }}:${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }} \
+            -f ${{ matrix.containerfile }} .
 
-      - name: Tagging and Pushing Latest Image
-        if: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG != '' && needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG != null }}
+      - name: Push version tag
         run: |
-          podman tag \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-scanner:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-scanner:${{ needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG }}
-          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-scanner:${{ needs.setup.outputs.LATEST_TAG }}
+          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-${{ matrix.component }}:${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }}
 
-      - name: Tagging and Puhsing GitTag based image
-        if: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG != '' && needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG != null }}
+      - name: Tag and push latest
         run: |
-          echo "Building Tagged version image: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }}"
           podman tag \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-scanner:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }} \
-            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-scanner:${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }}
-          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-scanner:${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }}
+            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-${{ matrix.component }}:${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }} \
+            quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-${{ matrix.component }}:latest
+          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-${{ matrix.component }}:latest
 
       - name: Logout from Quay.io
+        if: always()
         run: |
           podman logout quay.io
 
-  final:
+  verify:
+    name: Verify ${{ matrix.component }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs:
       - setup
-      - api
-      - agent
-      - scanner
+      - build
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - component: api
+          - component: agent
+          - component: scanner
     steps:
-      - name: Validating
+      - name: Pull and verify image
         run: |
-          podman pull quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-api:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }}
-          podman pull quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-agent:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }}
-          podman pull quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-scanner:${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_COMMIT }}
+          podman pull quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-${{ matrix.component }}:${{ needs.setup.outputs.GIT_TAG }}
+          podman pull quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-${{ matrix.component }}:latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-images.yaml b/.github/workflows/release-images.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f435399a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-images.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+name: Pre-release container images
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - 'release-*'
+
+jobs:
+  setup:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      BRANCH: ${{ steps.vars.outputs.BRANCH }}
+      SHA_SHORT: ${{ steps.vars.outputs.SHA_SHORT }}
+      IMAGE_TAG: ${{ steps.vars.outputs.IMAGE_TAG }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Determine image tag
+        id: vars
+        run: |
+          BRANCH=${GITHUB_REF##*/}
+          SHA_SHORT=$(echo "${{ github.sha }}" | cut -c1-7)
+          IMAGE_TAG="${BRANCH}-${SHA_SHORT}"
+          echo "BRANCH=$BRANCH" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "SHA_SHORT=$SHA_SHORT" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGE_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "Image tag: $IMAGE_TAG"
+
+  build:
+    name: Build ${{ matrix.component }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: setup
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      packages: write
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - component: api
+            containerfile: deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-api
+          - component: agent
+            containerfile: deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-agent
+          - component: scanner
+            containerfile: deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-scanner
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v5
+
+      - name: Login to Quay.io
+        run: |
+          echo "${{ secrets.QUAY_PASSWORD }}" | podman login quay.io -u "${{ secrets.QUAY_USERNAME }}" --password-stdin
+
+      - name: Build image
+        run: |
+          podman build \
+            --platform linux/amd64 \
+            --build-arg COMMIT=${{ needs.setup.outputs.SHA_SHORT }} \
+            -t quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-${{ matrix.component }}:${{ needs.setup.outputs.IMAGE_TAG }} \
+            -f ${{ matrix.containerfile }} .
+
+      - name: Push image
+        run: |
+          podman push quay.io/${{ secrets.QUAY_ORG_NAME }}/cluster-iq-${{ matrix.component }}:${{ needs.setup.outputs.IMAGE_TAG }}
+
+      - name: Logout from Quay.io
+        if: always()
+        run: |
+          podman logout quay.io
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-pr.yaml b/.github/workflows/validate-pr.yaml
index 3466a19d..31fc4587 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-pr.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-pr.yaml
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ name: Pull Request Validation
 
 on:
   pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - 'release-*'
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -29,14 +32,54 @@ jobs:
           only-new-issues: true
           args: --whole-files
 
+  govulncheck:
+    name: Go Vulnerability Check
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v5
+
+      - name: Set up Go
+        uses: actions/setup-go@v6
+        with:
+          go-version-file: 'go.mod'
+
+      - name: Run govulncheck
+        run: |
+          go install golang.org/x/vuln/cmd/govulncheck@latest
+          govulncheck ./...
+
   call-unit-tests:
     name: Go Unit tests
-    needs:
-      - golangci
     uses: "./.github/workflows/unit-tests.yaml"
 
   call-integration-tests:
     name: Integration tests
     needs:
+      - golangci
       - call-unit-tests
     uses: "./.github/workflows/integration-tests.yaml"
+
+  build-check:
+    name: Build ${{ matrix.component }}
+    needs:
+      - call-integration-tests
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - component: api
+            containerfile: deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-api
+          - component: agent
+            containerfile: deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-agent
+          - component: scanner
+            containerfile: deployments/containerfiles/Containerfile-scanner
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v5
+
+      - name: Build image (no push)
+        run: |
+          podman build \
+            --platform linux/amd64 \
+            -f ${{ matrix.containerfile }} .
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index ddb5d76f..a2ea8b69 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -108,6 +108,24 @@ go tool cover -func=coverage.out | grep -v "100.0%"  # Find uncovered
 go tool cover -html=coverage.out -o coverage.html    # Visual
 ```
 
+## Branching Model
+
+**Branch types:**
+- `main` — Always stable and fully functional. Tagged with version tags at release merge commits.
+- `release-X.Y` — Integration branch for a specific version. All features and fixes targeting that version are merged here, tested together, and then merged to `main` when ready.
+- `feature/...`, `bug/...`, `hotfix/...`, etc. — Development branches created in personal forks.
+
+**Workflow:**
+1. Contributors work on **forks**, creating `feature/`, `bug/`, etc. branches.
+2. PRs from forks target the corresponding `release-X.Y` branch — **never `main`** directly.
+3. Exception: `hotfix/...` branches may target `main` directly for critical production fixes.
+4. Once all work in a `release-X.Y` branch is validated, it is merged to `main` and tagged (e.g., `v0.6`).
+
+**Main branch protection:**
+- `main` must **always** be fully functional — every commit on `main` must build, pass tests, and be deployable.
+- Never merge incomplete or untested work to `main`.
+- All validation (build, lint, tests) must pass on the `release-X.Y` branch before merging to `main`.
+
 ## Development Workflow
 
 1. Make code changes