diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-built-files.yml b/.github/workflows/check-built-files.yml
index 72b6ae86d127e..a100f5201c31e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-built-files.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-built-files.yml
@@ -12,11 +12,10 @@ on:
       - '6.[8-9]'
       - '[7-9].[0-9]'
     paths:
-      # Any change to a CSS, JavaScript, JSON, or SASS file should run checks.
-      - '**.css'
-      - '**.js'
-      - '**.json'
-      - '**.sass'
+      # Any change to a source CSS, JavaScript, or JSON file should run checks.
+      - 'src/**.css'
+      - 'src/**.js'
+      - 'src/**.json'
       # These files configure npm and the task runner. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'package*.json'
       - '.npmrc'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/coding-standards.yml b/.github/workflows/coding-standards.yml
index 5b5645ef20859..0cdda1ad1daa5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/coding-standards.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/coding-standards.yml
@@ -18,17 +18,20 @@ on:
       - '3.[89]'
       - '[4-9].[0-9]'
     paths:
-      # Any change to a PHP or JavaScript file should run checks.
-      - '**.js'
-      - '**.php'
+      # Any change to a relevant PHP or JavaScript file should run checks.
+      - 'src/**.js'
+      - 'src/**.php'
+      - '*.php' # PHP files in the root, like wp-config-sample.php.
+      - 'tests/**.php'
+      - 'tests/qunit/**.js'
       # These files configure npm. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'package*.json'
       - '.npmrc'
       - '.nvmrc'
       # These files configure Composer. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'composer.*'
-      # This file configures JSHint. Changes could affect the outcome.
-      - '.jshintrc'
+      # These files configures JSHint. Changes could affect the outcome.
+      - '**.jshintrc'
       # This file configures PHPCS. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'phpcs.xml.dist'
       # Confirm any changes to relevant workflow files.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/end-to-end-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/end-to-end-tests.yml
index b7d60a1567920..927421c382510 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/end-to-end-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/end-to-end-tests.yml
@@ -18,10 +18,12 @@ on:
       - '5.[3-9]'
       - '[6-9].[0-9]'
     paths:
-      # Any change to a PHP, CSS, or JavaScript file should run checks.
-      - '**.css'
-      - '**.js'
-      - '**.php'
+      # Any change to a source PHP, CSS, JavaScript, or JSON file should run checks.
+      - 'src/**.css'
+      - 'src/**.js'
+      - 'src/**.json'
+      - 'src/**.php'
+      - '*.php' # PHP files in the root, like wp-config-sample.php.
       # These files configure npm and the task runner. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'package*.json'
       - '.npmrc'
@@ -31,7 +33,7 @@ on:
       - 'tools/webpack/**'
       # These files configure Composer. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'composer.*'
-      # This files affect the e2e tests. Changes could affect the outcome.
+      # These files affect the e2e tests. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'tests/e2e/**'
       # Confirm any changes to relevant workflow files.
       - '.github/workflows/end-to-end-tests.yml'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/javascript-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/javascript-tests.yml
index 54ca64ef6a508..d3a939c744c28 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/javascript-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/javascript-tests.yml
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ on:
       - '3.[89]'
       - '[4-9].[0-9]'
     paths:
-      # Any change to a JavaScript file should run tests.
-      - '**.js'
+      # Any change to a source JavaScript file should run tests.
+      - 'src/**.js'
       # These files configure npm and the task runner. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'package*.json'
       - '.npmrc'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/local-docker-environment.yml b/.github/workflows/local-docker-environment.yml
index 9e9b1259ea60d..121c540199b9e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/local-docker-environment.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/local-docker-environment.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ on:
       - 'docker-compose.yml'
       # Any changes to local environment related files
       - 'tools/local-env/**'
+      - 'wp-cli.yml'
       # These files configure npm and the task runner. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'package*.json'
       - 'Gruntfile.js'
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ on:
       - 'docker-compose.yml'
       # Any changes to local environment related files
       - 'tools/local-env/**'
+      - 'wp-cli.yml'
       # These files configure npm and the task runner. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'package*.json'
       - 'Gruntfile.js'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/performance.yml b/.github/workflows/performance.yml
index 2db92975d7b28..0d5c1f8149b63 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/performance.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/performance.yml
@@ -17,10 +17,12 @@ on:
       - '6.[2-9]'
       - '[7-9].[0-9]'
     paths:
-      # Any change to a PHP, CSS, or JavaScript file should run checks.
-      - '**.css'
-      - '**.js'
-      - '**.php'
+      # Any change to a source PHP, CSS, JavaScript, or JSON file should run checks.
+      - 'src/**.css'
+      - 'src/**.js'
+      - 'src/**.json'
+      - 'src/**.php'
+      - '*.php' # PHP files in the root, like wp-config-sample.php.
       # These files configure npm and the task runner. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'package*.json'
       - '.npmrc'
@@ -30,7 +32,7 @@ on:
       - 'tools/webpack/**'
       # These files configure Composer. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'composer.*'
-      # This files affect the performance tests. Changes could affect the outcome.
+      # These files affect the performance tests. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'tests/performance/**'
       # Confirm any changes to relevant workflow files.
       - '.github/workflows/performance.yml'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/php-compatibility.yml b/.github/workflows/php-compatibility.yml
index 4ad627af1e24c..f41e9944dd56d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/php-compatibility.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/php-compatibility.yml
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ on:
       - '5.[5-9]'
       - '[6-9].[0-9]'
     paths:
-      # This workflow only scans PHP files.
-      - '**.php'
+      # This workflow only scans source PHP files.
+      - 'src/**.php'
       # These files configure Composer. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'composer.*'
       # This file configures PHP compatibility scanning. Changes could affect the outcome.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/phpunit-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/phpunit-tests.yml
index 420506d42265c..7879a76b14ab0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/phpunit-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/phpunit-tests.yml
@@ -15,14 +15,15 @@ on:
       - '3.[7-9]'
       - '[4-9].[0-9]'
     paths:
-      # Any change to a PHP, CSS, JavaScript, JSON, HTML, or otherwise tested file should run checks.
-      - '**.css'
-      - '**.html'
-      - '**.js'
-      - '**.json'
-      - '**.php'
+      # Any change to a source PHP, CSS, JavaScript, JSON, HTML, or otherwise tested file should run checks.
+      - 'src/**.css'
+      - 'src/**.html'
+      - 'src/**.js'
+      - 'src/**.json'
+      - 'src/**.php'
       - 'src/license.txt'
       - 'src/SECURITY.md'
+      - '*.php' # PHP files in the root, like wp-config-sample.php.
       # These files configure npm and the task runner. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'package*.json'
       - '.npmrc'
@@ -30,7 +31,8 @@ on:
       - 'Gruntfile.js'
       # These files configure Composer. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'composer.*'
-      # This files affect the phpunit tests. Changes could affect the outcome.
+      # These files affect the phpunit tests. Changes could affect the outcome.
+      - 'phpunit.xml.dist'
       - 'tests/phpunit/**'
       # Confirm any changes to relevant workflow files.
       - '.github/workflows/phpunit-tests.yml'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-build-processes.yml b/.github/workflows/test-build-processes.yml
index 587b6b02da290..d1eedf195acca 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-build-processes.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-build-processes.yml
@@ -15,11 +15,13 @@ on:
       - '3.[7-9]'
       - '[4-9].[0-9]'
     paths:
-      # Any change to a PHP, CSS, JavaScript, or JSON file should run checks.
-      - '**.css'
-      - '**.js'
-      - '**.json'
-      - '**.php'
+      # Any change to a source PHP, CSS, JavaScript, JSON, or certificate file should run checks.
+      - 'src/**.css'
+      - 'src/**.js'
+      - 'src/**.json'
+      - 'src/**.php'
+      - 'src/**.pem'
+      - 'src/**.crt'
       # These files configure npm and the task runner. Changes could affect the outcome.
       - 'package*.json'
       - '.npmrc'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml b/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml
index 796838e5aae79..a0ba9831a31a8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ on:
     paths:
       # Any change to a source PHP file should run checks.
       - 'src/**.php'
+      - '*.php' # PHP files in the root, like wp-config-sample.php.
       # Confirm any changes to relevant workflow files.
       - '.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/reusable-upgrade-testing.yml'
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ on:
     paths:
       # Any change to a source PHP file should run checks.
       - 'src/**.php'
+      - '*.php' # PHP files in the root, like wp-config-sample.php.
       # Confirm any changes to relevant workflow files.
       - '.github/workflows/upgrade-develop-testing.yml'
       - '.github/workflows/reusable-upgrade-testing.yml'