The Git Clone step has been updated to version 4.0.5 or higher for improved stability and reliability, making it easier to contribute to the codebase in the future. The old method of using a GitHub-provided branch was revised to ensure that the freshest version of the code is tested, by making the merge directly from the commit set instead of relying on an outdated branch. The new step also features a reproducible merge process, where the commit hash used for merging is printed in the log, and a `git checkout --detach` command is called after each merge to ensure a specific commit state. A new input, `manual_merge`, has been added, which defaults to `yes` but should only be used with caution by those who fully understand its implications.