diff --git a/.github/workflows/guidelines.yaml b/.github/workflows/guidelines.yaml
index 75be2f5..771a71d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/guidelines.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/guidelines.yaml
@@ -33,15 +33,9 @@ jobs:
           tar -xf riscv32-glibc-ubuntu-22.04-nightly.tar.gz
           echo "${PWD}/riscv/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
 
-      - name: Build
-        run: CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug make clean build
-
       - name: Run clang-format
         run: |
-          echo "scan the following files:"
-          jq -r '.[].file' kernel/build/compile_commands.json | grep '\.[ch]$'
-          echo "analysis results:"
-          clang-format-18 --dry-run $(jq -r '.[].file' kernel/build/compile_commands.json | grep '\.[ch]$')
+          make clang-format-check
 
 
   static-analysis:
@@ -70,12 +64,6 @@ jobs:
           tar -xf riscv32-glibc-ubuntu-22.04-nightly.tar.gz
           echo "${PWD}/riscv/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
 
-      - name: Build
-        run: CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug make clean build
-
       - name: Run clang-tidy
         run: |
-          echo "scan the following files:"
-          jq -r '.[].file' kernel/build/compile_commands.json | grep '\.[ch]$'
-          echo "analysis results:"
-          cd kernel; clang-tidy-18 -p build $(jq -r '.[].file' build/compile_commands.json | grep '\.[ch]$') --warnings-as-errors="*"
+          make clang-tidy-check
diff --git a/kernel/Makefile b/kernel/Makefile
index cec1818..cc7a616 100644
--- a/kernel/Makefile
+++ b/kernel/Makefile
@@ -5,32 +5,35 @@ MAKEFLAGS         += --silent
 IDF_PATH          ?= $(shell pwd)/../esp-idf
 SHELL             := /usr/bin/env bash
 PORT              ?= $(shell find /dev/ -name ttyUSB* -or -name ttyACM* | head -1)
-OUTPUT            ?= "$(shell pwd)/firmware"
-BUILDDIR          ?= "build"
+OUTPUT            ?= $(shell pwd)/firmware
+BUILDDIR          ?= build
 BADGER_RAMFS_ROOT ?= ../files/root
 
-.PHONY: all clean-tools clean build flash monitor test clang-format-check clang-tidy-check openocd gdb
+.PHONY: all clean-tools clean configure build flash monitor test clang-format-check clang-tidy-check openocd gdb
 
 all: build flash monitor
 
-build:
-	mkdir -p "$(BUILDDIR)"
-	../tools/ramfs-gen.py '$(BADGER_RAMFS_ROOT)' build/fs_root.c init_ramfs
-	cmake -B "$(BUILDDIR)" "-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE:-Debug}"
-	cmake --build "$(BUILDDIR)"
-	cmake --install "$(BUILDDIR)" --prefix "$(OUTPUT)"
+configure:
+	mkdir -p '$(BUILDDIR)'
+	touch '$(BUILDDIR)/fs_root.c'
+	cmake -B '$(BUILDDIR)' "-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE:-Debug}"
 
-clang-format-check: build
+build: configure
+	../tools/ramfs-gen.py '$(BADGER_RAMFS_ROOT)' '$(BUILDDIR)/fs_root.c' init_ramfs
+	cmake --build '$(BUILDDIR)'
+	cmake --install '$(BUILDDIR)' --prefix '$(OUTPUT)'
+
+clang-format-check: configure
 	echo "clang-format check the following files:"
 	jq -r '.[].file' build/compile_commands.json | grep '\.[ch]$$'
 	echo "analysis results:"
-	clang-format --dry-run $(shell jq -r '.[].file' build/compile_commands.json | grep '\.[ch]$$')
+	clang-format-18 --dry-run $(shell jq -r '.[].file' build/compile_commands.json | grep '\.[ch]$$')
 
-clang-tidy-check: build
+clang-tidy-check: configure
 	echo "clang-tidy check the following files:"
 	jq -r '.[].file' build/compile_commands.json | grep '\.[ch]$$'
 	echo "analysis results:"
-	clang-tidy -p build $(shell jq -r '.[].file' build/compile_commands.json | grep '\.[ch]$$') --warnings-as-errors="*"
+	clang-tidy-18 -p build $(shell jq -r '.[].file' build/compile_commands.json | grep '\.[ch]$$') --warnings-as-errors="*"
 
 openocd:
 	openocd -c 'set ESP_RTOS "none"' -f board/esp32c6-builtin.cfg
@@ -43,12 +46,12 @@ clean:
 	rm -rf "$(BUILDDIR)"
 
 flash: build
-	esptool.py -b 921600 --port "$(PORT)" \
+	esptool.py -b 921600 --port '$(PORT)' \
 		write_flash --flash_mode dio --flash_freq 80m --flash_size 2MB \
 		0x0 port/esp32c6/bootloader.bin \
-		0x10000 "$(OUTPUT)/badger-os.bin" \
+		0x10000 '$(OUTPUT)/badger-os.bin' \
 		0x8000 port/esp32c6/partition-table.bin
 
 monitor:
 	echo -e "\033[1mType ^A^X to exit.\033[0m"
-	picocom -q -b 115200 $(PORT) | ../tools/address-filter.py "$(OUTPUT)/badger-os.elf"; echo -e '\033[0m'
+	picocom -q -b 115200 '$(PORT)' | ../tools/address-filter.py '$(OUTPUT)/badger-os.elf'; echo -e '\033[0m'