diff --git a/.github/workflows/common.yml b/.github/workflows/common.yml
index 67dbf834..7383f21e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/common.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/common.yml
@@ -16,64 +16,79 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       contents: read
       packages: read
+    env:
+      CURRENT_SDK: y
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
+
       - name: Update containerization
         run: |
           /usr/bin/swift package update containerization
+
       - name: Check formatting
         run: |
           ./scripts/install-hawkeye.sh
           make fmt
-          if ! git diff --quiet -- . ':(exclude)Package.swift' ':(exclude)Package.resolved'; then echo "The following files require formatting or license header updates:\n$(git diff --name-only)" ; false ; fi
+
+          if ! git diff --quiet -- . ; then
+            echo "❌ The following files require formatting or license header updates:"
+            git diff --name-only -- .
+            false
+          fi
+
       - name: Check protobuf
         run: |
           make protos
-
-          # TODO [launch]: TEMPORARILY we need to exclude these files since we had to modify them to add
-          # the github token for pulling the private repos.
-          if ! git diff --quiet -- . ':(exclude)Package.swift' ':(exclude)Package.resolved' ':(exclude)Protobuf.Makefile'; then echo "The following files require formatting or license header updates:\n$(git diff --name-only)" ; false ; fi
-        env:
-          CURRENT_SDK: y
+          if ! git diff --quiet -- . ; then
+            echo "❌ The following files require formatting or license header updates:"
+            git diff --name-only -- .
+            false
+          fi
+  
       - name: Set build configuration
         run: |
           echo "BUILD_CONFIGURATION=debug" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          if [ ${{ inputs.release }} == true ]; then
+          if [[ "${{ inputs.release }}" == "true" ]]; then
             echo "BUILD_CONFIGURATION=release" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           fi
+
       - name: Make the container project and docs
         run: |
           make container dsym docs
           tar cfz _site.tgz _site
         env:
           DEVELOPER_DIR: "/Applications/Xcode_16.3.app/Contents/Developer"
-          CURRENT_SDK: y
+
       - name: Create package
         run: |
           mkdir -p outputs
           mv bin/${{ env.BUILD_CONFIGURATION }}/container-installer-unsigned.pkg outputs
           mv bin/${{ env.BUILD_CONFIGURATION }}/bundle/container-dSYM.zip outputs
+
       - name: Test the container project
         run: |
           launchctl setenv HTTP_PROXY $HTTP_PROXY
           make test cleancontent install-kernel integration
         env:
           DEVELOPER_DIR: "/Applications/Xcode_16.3.app/Contents/Developer"
-          CURRENT_SDK: y
+          CURRENT_SDK: y # explicitly repeated due to local env block
+
       - name: Save documentation artifact
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: api-docs
           path: "./_site.tgz"
           retention-days: 14
+
       - name: Save package artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: container-package
           path: ${{ github.workspace }}/outputs
+
   uploadPages:
     # Separate upload step required because upload-pages-artifact needs
     # gtar which is not on the macOS runner.
@@ -84,13 +99,16 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Setup Pages
         uses: actions/configure-pages@v5
+
       - name: Download a single artifact
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: api-docs
+
       - name: Add API docs to documentation
         run: |
           tar xfz _site.tgz
+
       - name: Upload Artifact
         uses: actions/upload-pages-artifact@v3
         with: