diff --git a/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml
index c1727901..7ee97884 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml
@@ -5,10 +5,45 @@ on:
       - v*
     branches:
       - main
+      - chore/ramin/field-alignment
   pull_request:
+
 jobs:
+  setup:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      go-version: ${{ steps.go-version.outputs.version }}
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Read .go-version file
+        id: go-version
+        run: echo "version=$(cat .go-version)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+  lint:
+    needs: [setup]
+    name: Lint
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-go@v4
+        with:
+          go-version: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.go-version }}
+
+      - name: golangci-lint
+        uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v3.7.0
+        with:
+          args: --timeout 10m
+          version: v1.55
+          skip-pkg-cache: true
+          skip-build-cache: true
 
   build:
+    needs: [lint]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -16,7 +51,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set up Go
       uses: actions/setup-go@v3
       with:
-        go-version: 1.21
+        go-version: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.go-version }}
 
     - name: Build
       run: go build -v ./...
diff --git a/.go-version b/.go-version
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d2ab029d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.go-version
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1.21
diff --git a/.golangci.yml b/.golangci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..02c51acb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.golangci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+run:
+  timeout: 5m
+
+linters:
+  enable:
+    - bodyclose
+     # - depguard as of v1.54.2, the default config throws errors on our repo
+    - dogsled
+    - dupl
+    - errcheck
+    # - funlen
+    # - gochecknoglobals
+    # - gochecknoinits
+    - goconst
+    - gocritic
+    # - gocyclo
+    # - godox
+    - gofmt
+    - goimports
+    # - golint - deprecated since v1.41. revive will be used instead
+    - revive
+    - gosec
+    - gosimple
+    - govet
+    - ineffassign
+    # - interfacer
+    - lll
+    - misspell
+    # - maligned
+    - nakedret
+    - prealloc
+    # - scopelint - deprecated since v1.39. exportloopref will be used instead
+    - exportloopref
+    - staticcheck
+    - stylecheck
+    - typecheck
+    - unconvert
+    # - unparam
+    - unused
+    # - whitespace
+    # - wsl
+    # - gocognit
+    - nolintlint
+    - asciicheck
+
+issues:
+  exclude-rules:
+    - path: _test\.go
+      linters:
+        - gosec
+        - govet
+    - linters:
+        - lll
+      source: "https://"
+  max-same-issues: 50
+
+linters-settings:
+  dogsled:
+    max-blank-identifiers: 3
+  golint:
+    min-confidence: 0
+  maligned:
+    suggest-new: true
+  misspell:
+    locale: US
+  goimports:
+    local-prefixes: github.com/celestiaorg/celestia-node
+  dupl:
+    threshold: 200
+  govet:
+    enable:
+      - fieldalignment