diff --git a/.github/workflows/golangci-lint.yml b/.github/workflows/golangci-lint.yml
index 9242964..40bde82 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/golangci-lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/golangci-lint.yml
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ jobs:
           go-version: '1.24'
           cache: false
       - name: golangci-lint
-        uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v7
+        uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v8
         with:
           # Require: The version of golangci-lint to use.
           # When `install-mode` is `binary` (default) the value can be v1.2 or v1.2.3 or `latest` to use the latest version.
           # When `install-mode` is `goinstall` the value can be v1.2.3, `latest`, or the hash of a commit.
-          version: v2.1.1
+          version: v2.5.0
 
           # Optional: working directory, useful for monorepos
           # working-directory: somedir
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 53af89e..189eab6 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -25,4 +25,6 @@ go.work.sum
 .env
 /coverage
 
-tools/ts
+.idea/
+
+tools/
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 23c9e77..f08a8b0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,4 @@
-tools/ts:
-# ts is a perl script. perl is installed on most linux systems, and in ubuntu Github runners.
-	mkdir -p tools
-	curl -L -o tools/ts https://github.com/pgdr/moreutils/raw/a87889a3bf06fb6be6022b14c152f2f7de608910/ts
-	@echo "96a9504920a81570e0fc5df9c7a8be76b043261d9ed4a702af0238bdbe5ad5ea  tools/ts" | sha256sum --check --strict
-	chmod +x tools/ts
+.DEFAULT_GOAL := test
 
 .PHONY: test
 test: tools/ts
@@ -27,8 +22,8 @@ short-test:
 
 #NB: CI uses the golangci-lint Github action, not this target
 .PHONY: lint
-lint:
-	go run github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/v2/cmd/golangci-lint@v2.1.5 run -v
+lint: tools/golangci-lint
+	tools/golangci-lint run -v
 
 .PHONY: checks
 checks: check_tidy check_vuln check_modern
@@ -49,3 +44,21 @@ check_modern:
 	go run golang.org/x/tools/gopls/internal/analysis/modernize/cmd/modernize@v0.20.0 ./...
 # non-zero exit status on issues found
 # nb: modernize is not part of golangci-lint yet - https://github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/issues/686
+
+# Tools targets
+
+tools:
+	mkdir -p tools
+
+tools/ts: tools
+# ts is a perl script. perl is installed on most linux systems, and in Ubuntu Github runners.
+	curl -L -o tools/ts https://github.com/pgdr/moreutils/raw/a87889a3bf06fb6be6022b14c152f2f7de608910/ts
+	@echo "96a9504920a81570e0fc5df9c7a8be76b043261d9ed4a702af0238bdbe5ad5ea  tools/ts" | sha256sum --check --strict
+	chmod +x tools/ts
+
+tools/golangci-lint: tools
+# Version must be the same as in golangci-lint Github action
+# We install golangci-lint as recommended in the docs. See the same docs for a discussion about go run and
+# go get -tool alternatives - https://golangci-lint.run/docs/welcome/install/ .
+# Delete tools/golangci-lint if this target is updated (may be automated in the future)
+	curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/golangci/golangci-lint/HEAD/install.sh | sh -s -- -b ./tools v2.5.0