diff --git a/.editorconfig b/.editorconfig
index 624ad9b..f9b3c4d 100644
--- a/.editorconfig
+++ b/.editorconfig
@@ -26,3 +26,4 @@
 [*.{yaml,yml}]
 indent_style = space
 indent_size = 2
+trim_trailing_whitespace = true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index ed54263..5ef1f7b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -2,9 +2,13 @@
 on:
   push:
     paths-ignore:
+      - 'Dockerfile'
+      - '.dockerignore'
+      - '.editorconfig'
+      - '.gitignore'
+      - '.mailmap'
       - 'manpages/**'
       - '*.md'
-      - '.mailmap'
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 permissions: {}
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8850587..dc40a00 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,20 @@
-# Emacs
+# Backup files
 *~
+*.bak
+*.orig
+*.rej
+
+# Waf build system
+/build/
+.waf-*-*/
+.waf3-*-*/
+.lock-waf*
+
+# Compiled python code
+__pycache__/
+*.py[cod]
+
+# Emacs
 \#*\#
 /.emacs.desktop
 /.emacs.desktop.lock
@@ -15,15 +30,5 @@
 .LSOverride
 ._*
 
-# Waf build system
-/build/
-.waf-*-*/
-.waf3-*-*/
-.lock-waf*
-
-# Compiled python code
-__pycache__/
-*.py[cod]
-
 # Other
 /VERSION.info
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 54a66c5..eee22fe 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 # NDN Essential Tools
 
+![Latest version](https://img.shields.io/github/v/tag/named-data/ndn-tools?label=Latest%20version)
+![Language](https://img.shields.io/badge/C%2B%2B-17-blue)
 [![CI](https://github.com/named-data/ndn-tools/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/named-data/ndn-tools/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
 [![Docs](https://github.com/named-data/ndn-tools/actions/workflows/docs.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/named-data/ndn-tools/actions/workflows/docs.yml)
-![Language](https://img.shields.io/badge/C%2B%2B-17-blue)
-![Latest version](https://img.shields.io/github/v/tag/named-data/ndn-tools?label=Latest%20version)
 
 This repository contains a collection of basic tools for [Named Data Networking (NDN)](https://named-data.net/).
 The tools currently included are:
diff --git a/manpages/conf.py b/manpages/conf.py
index a1263b8..cd318c1 100644
--- a/manpages/conf.py
+++ b/manpages/conf.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/configuration.html#project-information
 
 project = 'NDN Essential Tools'
-copyright = 'Copyright © 2014-2023 Named Data Networking Project.'
+copyright = 'Copyright © 2014-2024 Named Data Networking Project.'
 author = 'Named Data Networking Project'
 
 # The short X.Y version.
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index afca9ba..267b5e2 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -106,43 +106,41 @@
     Context.g_module.VERSION_SPLIT = VERSION_BASE.split('.')
 
     # first, try to get a version string from git
-    gotVersionFromGit = False
+    version_from_git = ''
     try:
-        cmd = ['git', 'describe', '--always', '--match', f'{GIT_TAG_PREFIX}*']
-        out = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, check=True, text=True).stdout.strip()
-        if out:
-            gotVersionFromGit = True
-            if out.startswith(GIT_TAG_PREFIX):
-                Context.g_module.VERSION = out.lstrip(GIT_TAG_PREFIX)
+        cmd = ['git', 'describe', '--abbrev=8', '--always', '--match', f'{GIT_TAG_PREFIX}*']
+        version_from_git = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, check=True, text=True).stdout.strip()
+        if version_from_git:
+            if version_from_git.startswith(GIT_TAG_PREFIX):
+                Context.g_module.VERSION = version_from_git.lstrip(GIT_TAG_PREFIX)
             else:
                 # no tags matched
-                Context.g_module.VERSION = f'{VERSION_BASE}-commit-{out}'
+                Context.g_module.VERSION = f'{VERSION_BASE}+git.{version_from_git}'
     except (OSError, subprocess.SubprocessError):
         pass
 
-    versionFile = ctx.path.find_node('VERSION.info')
-    if not gotVersionFromGit and versionFile is not None:
+    # fallback to the VERSION.info file, if it exists and is not empty
+    version_from_file = ''
+    version_file = ctx.path.find_node('VERSION.info')
+    if version_file is not None:
         try:
-            Context.g_module.VERSION = versionFile.read()
-            return
-        except EnvironmentError:
-            pass
+            version_from_file = version_file.read().strip()
+        except OSError as e:
+            Logs.warn(f'{e.filename} exists but is not readable ({e.strerror})')
+    if version_from_file and not version_from_git:
+        Context.g_module.VERSION = version_from_file
+        return
 
-    # version was obtained from git, update VERSION file if necessary
-    if versionFile is not None:
-        try:
-            if versionFile.read() == Context.g_module.VERSION:
-                # already up-to-date
-                return
-        except EnvironmentError as e:
-            Logs.warn(f'{versionFile} exists but is not readable ({e.strerror})')
-    else:
-        versionFile = ctx.path.make_node('VERSION.info')
-
+    # update VERSION.info if necessary
+    if version_from_file == Context.g_module.VERSION:
+        # already up-to-date
+        return
+    if version_file is None:
+        version_file = ctx.path.make_node('VERSION.info')
     try:
-        versionFile.write(Context.g_module.VERSION)
-    except EnvironmentError as e:
-        Logs.warn(f'{versionFile} is not writable ({e.strerror})')
+        version_file.write(Context.g_module.VERSION)
+    except OSError as e:
+        Logs.warn(f'{e.filename} is not writable ({e.strerror})')
 
 def dist(ctx):
     ctx.algo = 'tar.xz'