diff --git a/.github/workflows/rust.yml b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
index 90228f4..0695328 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rust.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
@@ -16,10 +16,8 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-    - name: Install llvm 16
-      run: wget https://apt.llvm.org/llvm.sh && chmod +x llvm.sh && sudo ./llvm.sh 16 && rm llvm.sh
-    - name: Install riscv64 target
-      run: rustup target add riscv64imac-unknown-none-elf
+    - name: Install llvm 18
+      run: wget https://apt.llvm.org/llvm.sh && chmod +x llvm.sh && sudo ./llvm.sh 18 && rm llvm.sh
     - name: Install cargo generate
       run: cargo install cargo-generate
     - name: Generate workspace
@@ -35,14 +33,22 @@ jobs:
       run: cd test-workspace &&
         git submodule add https://github.com/nervosnetwork/ckb-c-stdlib deps/ckb-c-stdlib &&
         git submodule add https://github.com/xxuejie/lib-dummy-atomics deps/lib-dummy-atomics
+    - name: Lock Rust version
+      run: cd test-workspace && echo "1.75.0" > rust-toolchain
+    - name: Install riscv64 target
+      run: cd test-workspace && rustup target add riscv64imac-unknown-none-elf
+    # TODO: Ubuntu 24.04 ships a clang package with clang, clang-18 and llvm-ar-18, while fedora ships a clang package with
+    # clang, clang-19 and llvm-ar. We will need to deal with this quirk between different distros.
     - name: Run all checks
-      run: cd test-workspace && make build test check clippy
+      run: cd test-workspace && CLANG=clang-18 make build test check clippy
     - name: Reproducible build runs
       run: cd test-workspace && ./scripts/reproducible_build_docker --update && ./scripts/reproducible_build_docker --no-clean
     - name: Generate standalone contract
       run: cargo generate --path . standalone-contract --name test-contract
+    - name: Lock Rust version
+      run: cd test-contract && echo "1.75.0" > rust-toolchain
     - name: Run all checks
-      run: cd test-contract && make build test check clippy
+      run: cd test-contract && CLANG=clang-18 make build test check clippy
     - name: Reproducible build runs
       run: cd test-contract && ./scripts/reproducible_build_docker --update && ./scripts/reproducible_build_docker --no-clean
 
@@ -87,8 +93,8 @@ jobs:
     steps:
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: apt-get update && apt-get -y install curl git build-essential pkg-config libssl-dev lsb-release wget software-properties-common gnupg
-    - name: Install llvm 16
-      run: wget https://apt.llvm.org/llvm.sh && chmod +x llvm.sh && ./llvm.sh 16 && rm llvm.sh
+    - name: Install llvm 18
+      run: wget https://apt.llvm.org/llvm.sh && chmod +x llvm.sh && ./llvm.sh 18 && rm llvm.sh
     - uses: actions-rust-lang/setup-rust-toolchain@v1
       with:
         components: clippy
@@ -206,8 +212,8 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
       with:
         submodules: true
-    - name: Install llvm 16
-      run: brew install llvm@16
+    - name: Install llvm 18
+      run: brew install llvm@18
     - name: Install riscv64 target
       run: rustup target add riscv64imac-unknown-none-elf
     - name: Install cargo generate
@@ -250,8 +256,8 @@ jobs:
 #         submodules: true
 #     - name: Setup Docker on macOS
 #       run: brew install docker colima && colima start
-#     - name: Install llvm 16
-#       run: brew install llvm@16
+#     - name: Install llvm 18
+#       run: brew install llvm@18
 #     - name: Install riscv64 target
 #       run: rustup target add riscv64imac-unknown-none-elf
 #     - name: Install cargo generate
@@ -288,7 +294,7 @@ jobs:
       shell: pwsh
       # https://github.com/ScoopInstaller/Install#for-admin
       #
-      # Note that on Windows we cannot choose LLVM 16 here, we have to settle on latest stable LLVM
+      # Note that on Windows we cannot choose LLVM 18 here, we have to settle on latest stable LLVM
       run: |
         iex "& {$(irm get.scoop.sh)} -RunAsAdmin"
         scoop install llvm yasm
@@ -331,7 +337,7 @@ jobs:
         usesh: true
         prepare: |
           set -ex
-          pkg install -y llvm16 git gmake bash
+          pkg install -y llvm18 git gmake bash
           curl https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | sh -s -- -y
           . $HOME/.cargo/env
           rustup target add riscv64imac-unknown-none-elf
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 52cf904..4b8dd77 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -19,13 +19,13 @@ This repository keeps a series of CKB script templates that can be inflated via
 
 The following dependencies are required for the templates:
 
-* `git`, `make`, `sed`, `bash`, `sha256sum` and others Unix utilities. Refer to the documentation for your operating systems for how to install them. Chances are your system might already have them.
+* `git`, `make`, `sed`, `bash`, `shasum` and others Unix utilities. Refer to the documentation for your operating systems for how to install them. Chances are your system might already have them.
 * `Rust`: latest stable Rust installed via [rustup](https://rustup.rs/) should work. Make sure you have `riscv64` target installed via: `rustup target add riscv64imac-unknown-none-elf`
-* `Clang`: make sure you have clang 16+ installed, sample installtion steps for selected platforms are:
-    + Debian / Ubuntu: `wget https://apt.llvm.org/llvm.sh && chmod +x llvm.sh && sudo ./llvm.sh 16 && rm llvm.sh`
+* `Clang`: make sure you have clang 18+ installed, sample installtion steps for selected platforms are:
+    + Debian / Ubuntu: `wget https://apt.llvm.org/llvm.sh && chmod +x llvm.sh && sudo ./llvm.sh 18 && rm llvm.sh`
     + Fedora 39+: `sudo dnf -y install clang`
     + Archlinux: `sudo pacman --noconfirm -Syu clang`
-    + macOS: `brew install llvm@16`
+    + macOS: `brew install llvm@18`
     + Windows(with [Scoop](scoop install llvm yasm)): `scoop install llvm yasm`
 * `cargo-generate`: You can install this via `cargo install cargo-generate`, or follow the steps [here](https://cargo-generate.github.io/cargo-generate/installation.html)