diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 347c725ac49..a255eea06fa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -72,11 +72,12 @@ jobs:
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     timeout-minutes: 10
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -104,11 +105,12 @@ jobs:
       RUST_LOG: "info,maturin=off,uv=debug"
       MATURIN_PEP517_ARGS: "--profile ci"
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -248,23 +250,25 @@ jobs:
       RUST_LOG: "info,maturin=off,uv=debug"
       MATURIN_PEP517_ARGS: "--profile ci"
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
-      - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-rust
-        with:
-          repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          components: cargo
-          enable-sccache: "true"
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-rust
+            with:
+              repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+              components: cargo
+              enable-sccache: "true"
+          - name: Install uv
+            uses: spiraldb/actions/.github/actions/setup-uv@a746510eafaa926484c354541cfc49b2ec06cc63  # 0.18.6
+            with:
+              sync: false
       - name: Pin rustup proxy to repository toolchain
         run: |
           TOOLCHAIN="$(grep '^channel' rust-toolchain.toml | cut -d '"' -f 2)"
           echo "RUSTUP_TOOLCHAIN=$TOOLCHAIN" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
-      - name: Install uv
-        uses: spiraldb/actions/.github/actions/setup-uv@a746510eafaa926484c354541cfc49b2ec06cc63  # 0.18.6
-        with:
-          sync: false
 
       - name: Pytest - PyVortex CUDA bridge
         run: |
@@ -281,11 +285,12 @@ jobs:
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-ci-small/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=rust-docs', github.run_id)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -307,9 +312,6 @@ jobs:
       ${{ github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner={1}/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag={2}', github.run_id, matrix.config.runner, matrix.config.name)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
-    env:
-      # disable lints for build, they will be caught in Rust lint job.
-      RUSTFLAGS: "-A warnings"
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -331,11 +333,12 @@ jobs:
               rustflags: "RUSTFLAGS='-A warnings --cfg getrandom_backend=\"unsupported\"'"
             args: "--target wasm32-unknown-unknown --exclude vortex --exclude vortex-cuda --exclude vortex-cub --exclude vortex-nvcomp --exclude vortex-datafusion --exclude vortex-duckdb --exclude vortex-tui --exclude vortex-zstd --exclude vortex-test-e2e-cuda --exclude vortex-python-cuda --exclude vortex-sqllogictest --exclude vortex-parquet-variant"
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -347,6 +350,9 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           git status --porcelain
           test -z "$(git status --porcelain)"
+      - name: sccache stats
+        if: always() && github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+        run: sccache --show-stats
 
   check-min-deps:
     name: "Check build with minimal dependencies"
@@ -356,11 +362,12 @@ jobs:
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-ci-medium/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=rust-min-deps', github.run_id)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -376,11 +383,12 @@ jobs:
     env:
       RUSTFLAGS: "-A warnings"
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -396,24 +404,23 @@ jobs:
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-ci-large/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=rust-lint', github.run_id)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
       - name: Install nightly for fmt
         run: rustup toolchain install $NIGHTLY_TOOLCHAIN --component rustfmt
+      # Run one Cargo command at a time so it can use the whole runner and reuse
+      # artifacts from the shared target directory in subsequent checks.
       - name: Rust Lint - Format
         id: fmt
         continue-on-error: true
         run: cargo +$NIGHTLY_TOOLCHAIN fmt --all --check
-      - name: Rustc check
-        id: check
-        continue-on-error: true
-        run: RUSTFLAGS="-D warnings" cargo check --profile ci --locked --all-features --all-targets
       - name: Rustc check (release)
         id: check-release
         continue-on-error: true
@@ -433,7 +440,6 @@ jobs:
           script: |
             const failed = Object.entries({
               fmt: '${{ steps.fmt.outcome }}',
-              check: '${{ steps.check.outcome }}',
               'check-release': '${{ steps.check-release.outcome }}',
               'clippy-all': '${{ steps.clippy-all.outcome }}',
               'clippy-default': '${{ steps.clippy-default.outcome }}',
@@ -453,20 +459,9 @@ jobs:
             }
             core.setFailed(`Lint failed: ${failed.join(', ')}`);
 
-  cpp-lint:
-    name: "C/C++ (lint)"
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    timeout-minutes: 10
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
-      - name: C/C++ Lint - clang-format
-        run: |
-          git ls-files lang/cpp vortex-cuda vortex-duckdb vortex-ffi \
-            | grep -E '\.(cpp|hpp|cu|cuh|h)$' \
-            | grep -v 'arrow/reference/arrow_c_device\.h$' \
-            | grep -v 'kernels/src/bit_unpack_.*\.cu$' \
-            | grep -v 'kernels/src/bit_unpack_.*_lanes\.cuh$' \
-            | xargs clang-format --dry-run --Werror --style=file
+      - name: sccache stats
+        if: always() && github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+        run: sccache --show-stats
 
   rust-lint-no-default:
     name: "Rust (lint, no default)"
@@ -476,11 +471,12 @@ jobs:
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-ci-medium/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=rust-lint-no-default', github.run_id)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -489,6 +485,21 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           cargo hack --no-dev-deps --ignore-private clippy --profile ci --no-default-features -- -D warnings
 
+  cpp-lint:
+    name: "C/C++ (lint)"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - name: C/C++ Lint - clang-format
+        run: |
+          git ls-files lang/cpp vortex-cuda vortex-duckdb vortex-ffi \
+            | grep -E '\.(cpp|hpp|cu|cuh|h)$' \
+            | grep -v 'arrow/reference/arrow_c_device\.h$' \
+            | grep -v 'kernels/src/bit_unpack_.*\.cu$' \
+            | grep -v 'kernels/src/bit_unpack_.*_lanes\.cuh$' \
+            | xargs clang-format --dry-run --Werror --style=file
+
   rust-test-windows:
     name: "Rust tests (windows-x64)"
     needs: duckdb-ready
@@ -498,11 +509,12 @@ jobs:
           && format('runs-on={0}/pool=windows-x64-pre/extras=s3-cache', github.run_id)
           || 'windows-latest' }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - name: Setup (Windows)
         run: |
           echo "C:\rust\cargo\bin" >> $env:GITHUB_PATH
@@ -540,10 +552,11 @@ jobs:
     timeout-minutes: 30
     runs-on: runs-on=${{ github.run_id }}/runner=arm64-medium/image=ubuntu24-full-arm64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=rust-test-linux-arm64
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -570,11 +583,12 @@ jobs:
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-ci-medium/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=btrblocks-golden', github.run_id)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -602,17 +616,19 @@ jobs:
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     timeout-minutes: 30
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
-      - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
-        with:
-          enable-sccache: "true"
-      - run: ./gradlew javadoc
-        working-directory: ./java
-      - run: ./gradlew check
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
+            with:
+              enable-sccache: "true"
+          - uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@9c971963bec38e04b3d30dcc455b5382be2fdbfb  # v6
+      - name: Build documentation and run Java checks
+        run: ./gradlew --parallel javadoc check
         working-directory: ./java
 
   license-check-and-audit-check:
@@ -663,11 +679,12 @@ jobs:
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-ci-medium/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=cxx-build', github.run_id)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -709,11 +726,12 @@ jobs:
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     timeout-minutes: 30
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -735,27 +753,29 @@ jobs:
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     timeout-minutes: 30
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
-      - name: Build DuckDB tests
-        shell: bash
-        run: |
-          cargo nextest run --cargo-profile ci --locked -p vortex-duckdb --no-run
-      - name: Start MinIO
-        shell: bash
-        run: |
-          curl -sSL https://dl.min.io/server/minio/release/linux-amd64/minio -o "${RUNNER_TEMP}/minio"
-          chmod +x "${RUNNER_TEMP}/minio"
-          mkdir -p "${RUNNER_TEMP}/minio-data/vortex-test"
-          MINIO_ROOT_USER=minioadmin MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD=minioadmin \
-            "${RUNNER_TEMP}/minio" server "${RUNNER_TEMP}/minio-data" --address 127.0.0.1:9000 &
-          until curl -sf http://127.0.0.1:9000/minio/health/live; do sleep 1; done
+      - parallel:
+          - name: Build DuckDB tests
+            shell: bash
+            run: |
+              cargo nextest run --cargo-profile ci --locked -p vortex-duckdb --no-run
+          - name: Start MinIO
+            shell: bash
+            run: |
+              curl -sSL https://dl.min.io/server/minio/release/linux-amd64/minio -o "${RUNNER_TEMP}/minio"
+              chmod +x "${RUNNER_TEMP}/minio"
+              mkdir -p "${RUNNER_TEMP}/minio-data/vortex-test"
+              MINIO_ROOT_USER=minioadmin MINIO_ROOT_PASSWORD=minioadmin \
+                "${RUNNER_TEMP}/minio" server "${RUNNER_TEMP}/minio-data" --address 127.0.0.1:9000 &
+              until curl -sf http://127.0.0.1:9000/minio/health/live; do sleep 1; done
       - name: Run tests
         shell: bash
         env:
@@ -776,19 +796,21 @@ jobs:
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-ci-medium/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=wasm-integration', github.run_id)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
-      - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
-        with:
-          enable-sccache: "true"
-          targets: "wasm32-wasip1"
-      - name: Setup Wasmer
-        uses: wasmerio/setup-wasmer@6c5d5cfde33555ebd3e0172ba547497890c4b1c0  # v3
-        with:
-          version: "v7.4.0"
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
+            with:
+              enable-sccache: "true"
+              targets: "wasm32-wasip1"
+          - name: Setup Wasmer
+            uses: wasmerio/setup-wasmer@6c5d5cfde33555ebd3e0172ba547497890c4b1c0  # v3
+            with:
+              version: "v7.4.0"
       - name: Verify Wasmer installation
         run: wasmer --version
       - run: cargo build --profile ci --target wasm32-wasip1
@@ -797,32 +819,31 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: ./wasm-test
 
   generated-files:
-    name: "Check generated source files are up to date"
+    name: "Generated source files and C API"
     runs-on: >-
       ${{ github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-ci-medium/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=generated-files', github.run_id)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     timeout-minutes: 30
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
-        with:
-          # check-editions compares against the merge base, so it needs real history.
-          fetch-depth: 0
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+            with:
+              # check-editions compares against the merge base, so it needs real history.
+              fetch-depth: 0
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
       - name: Install nightly for cbindgen macro expansion
         run: rustup toolchain install $NIGHTLY_TOOLCHAIN
-      - name: "regenerate all .fbs/.proto Rust code"
+      - name: "regenerate Rust sources and edition records"
         run: |
           cargo run --profile ci -p xtask -- generate-fbs
           cargo run --profile ci -p xtask -- generate-proto
-      - name: "regenerate the edition records"
-        run: |
           cargo run --profile ci -p xtask -- generate-editions
       - name: "check frozen edition records never change"
         # Independent of the regeneration above: a stale record must not mask a frozen one
@@ -831,9 +852,16 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           BASE="${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha || 'HEAD^' }}"
           cargo run --profile ci -p xtask -- check-editions --base "$BASE"
-      - name: "regenerate FFI header file"
+      - name: "regenerate FFI header and test the C API"
+        env:
+          # Nightly regenerates cinclude/vortex.h with cbindgen during the build.
+          RUSTUP_TOOLCHAIN: ${{ env.NIGHTLY_TOOLCHAIN }}
         run: |
-          cargo +$NIGHTLY_TOOLCHAIN build --profile ci -p vortex-ffi
+          cmake -S vortex-ffi -B "${RUNNER_TEMP}/ffi-c-build" \
+            -DVORTEX_CARGO_PROFILE=ci \
+            -DVORTEX_BUILD_TESTS=ON
+          cmake --build "${RUNNER_TEMP}/ffi-c-build" --parallel "$(nproc)"
+          ctest --test-dir "${RUNNER_TEMP}/ffi-c-build" --parallel "$(nproc)" --output-on-failure
       - name: "Make sure no files changed after regenerating"
         run: |
           git status --porcelain
@@ -849,30 +877,3 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: vortex-flatbuffers/
         run: |
           find flatbuffers/ -type f -name "*.fbs" | sed 's/^flatbuffers\///' | xargs -I{} -n1 flatc -I flatbuffers.HEAD --conform-includes flatbuffers --conform flatbuffers/{} flatbuffers.HEAD/{}
-
-  ffi-c-test:
-    name: "C API test build"
-    timeout-minutes: 10
-    runs-on: >-
-      ${{ github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-          && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-ci-medium/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=cxx-build', github.run_id)
-          || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
-    steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
-      - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
-        with:
-          enable-sccache: "true"
-      - name: Build and run C API tests
-        env:
-          # Nightly regenerates cinclude/vortex.h with cbindgen during the build.
-          RUSTUP_TOOLCHAIN: ${{ env.NIGHTLY_TOOLCHAIN }}
-        run: |
-          cmake -S vortex-ffi -B vortex-ffi/build \
-            -DVORTEX_CARGO_PROFILE=ci \
-            -DVORTEX_BUILD_TESTS=ON
-          cmake --build vortex-ffi/build --parallel "$(nproc)"
-          ctest --test-dir vortex-ffi/build --output-on-failure
diff --git a/.github/workflows/compat-validation.yml b/.github/workflows/compat-validation.yml
index d8012193614..3e8746950a6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/compat-validation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/compat-validation.yml
@@ -29,11 +29,12 @@ jobs:
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     timeout-minutes: 30
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: ${{ github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex' && 'true' || 'false' }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cuda.yaml b/.github/workflows/cuda.yaml
index c57598092fb..0db70b5e26f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cuda.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cuda.yaml
@@ -56,10 +56,11 @@ jobs:
     timeout-minutes: 30
     runs-on: runs-on=${{ github.run_id }}/runner=gpu/extras=s3-cache/tag=cuda-build
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-rust
         with:
           repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
@@ -91,23 +92,25 @@ jobs:
     timeout-minutes: 30
     runs-on: runs-on=${{ github.run_id }}/runner=gpu/extras=s3-cache/tag=cuda-tests
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - name: Display NVIDIA SMI details
-        run: |
-          nvidia-smi
-          nvidia-smi -L
-          nvidia-smi -q -d Memory
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
-      - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-rust
-        with:
-          repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          enable-sccache: "true"
-      - name: Install uv
-        uses: spiraldb/actions/.github/actions/setup-uv@a746510eafaa926484c354541cfc49b2ec06cc63  # 0.18.6
-        with:
-          sync: false
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - name: Display NVIDIA SMI details
+            run: |
+              nvidia-smi
+              nvidia-smi -L
+              nvidia-smi -q -d Memory
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-rust
+            with:
+              repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+              enable-sccache: "true"
+          - name: Install uv
+            uses: spiraldb/actions/.github/actions/setup-uv@a746510eafaa926484c354541cfc49b2ec06cc63  # 0.18.6
+            with:
+              sync: false
       - name: Install nextest
         uses: taiki-e/install-action@d438492cf8a250514fa2d34b30bc3c0dc37c65ff  # v2
         with:
@@ -161,15 +164,16 @@ jobs:
           - sanitizer: initcheck
             runner_flags: "--tool initcheck --error-exitcode 1"
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - name: Display NVIDIA SMI details
-        run: |
-          nvidia-smi
-          nvidia-smi -L
-          nvidia-smi -q -d Memory
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - name: Display NVIDIA SMI details
+            run: |
+              nvidia-smi
+              nvidia-smi -L
+              nvidia-smi -q -d Memory
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-rust
         with:
           repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
@@ -190,15 +194,16 @@ jobs:
     timeout-minutes: 30
     runs-on: runs-on=${{ github.run_id }}/runner=gpu/extras=s3-cache/tag=cuda-test-cudf
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - name: Display NVIDIA SMI details
-        run: |
-          nvidia-smi
-          nvidia-smi -L
-          nvidia-smi -q -d Memory
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - name: Display NVIDIA SMI details
+            run: |
+              nvidia-smi
+              nvidia-smi -L
+              nvidia-smi -q -d Memory
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-rust
         with:
           repo-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-dry-runs.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-dry-runs.yml
index bb10fc9fc82..45a1210a6ff 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-dry-runs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-dry-runs.yml
@@ -74,21 +74,23 @@ jobs:
             runner: runs-on=${{ github.run_id }}/runner=arm64-medium/image=ubuntu24-full-arm64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=check-java-publish-build-arm64
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.runner }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
-        with:
-          fetch-depth: 0
-      - uses: actions/setup-java@b6effb05e454b25005698d916606bdc6ffcbf961  # v5
-        with:
-          distribution: "corretto"
-          java-version: "17"
-      - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
-        with:
-          enable-sccache: ${{ github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex' && 'true' || 'false' }}
-      - uses: mlugg/setup-zig@d1434d08867e3ee9daa34448df10607b98908d29  # v2.2.1
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+            with:
+              fetch-depth: 0
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: actions/setup-java@b6effb05e454b25005698d916606bdc6ffcbf961  # v5
+            with:
+              distribution: "corretto"
+              java-version: "17"
+          - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
+            with:
+              enable-sccache: ${{ github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex' && 'true' || 'false' }}
+          - uses: mlugg/setup-zig@d1434d08867e3ee9daa34448df10607b98908d29  # v2.2.1
       - name: Install cargo-zigbuild
         uses: taiki-e/cache-cargo-install-action@66c9585ef5ca780ee69399975a5e911f47905995
         with:
@@ -109,11 +111,12 @@ jobs:
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-xsmall/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=rust-publish-dry-run', github.run_id)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: ${{ github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex' && 'true' || 'false' }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/rust-instrumented.yml b/.github/workflows/rust-instrumented.yml
index 1128526d0a1..54fc5f60072 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rust-instrumented.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rust-instrumented.yml
@@ -61,11 +61,12 @@ jobs:
       LLVM_PROFILE_FILE: "target/coverage/vortex-%p-%m.profraw"
       GRCOV_OUTPUT_FILE: "target/coverage/vortex.lcov"
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -126,11 +127,12 @@ jobs:
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-medium/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/extras=s3-cache/tag=cxx-coverage', github.run_id)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -182,11 +184,12 @@ jobs:
       # unset -Zsanitizer flag and we should allow that.
       RUSTFLAGS: "-A warnings -Cunsafe-allow-abi-mismatch=sanitizer -C debuginfo=2 -C opt-level=0 -C strip=none"
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -245,11 +248,12 @@ jobs:
           && format('runs-on={0}/runner=amd64-medium/image=ubuntu24-full-x64-pre-v2/tag=rust-ffi-test-sanitizer', github.run_id)
           || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"
@@ -295,11 +299,12 @@ jobs:
       RUSTFLAGS: "-A warnings"
       RUST_BACKTRACE: full
     steps:
-      - uses: runs-on/action@v2
-        if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
-        with:
-          sccache: s3
-      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
+      - parallel:
+          - uses: runs-on/action@v2
+            if: github.repository == 'vortex-data/vortex'
+            with:
+              sccache: s3
+          - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/setup-prebuild
         with:
           enable-sccache: "true"