diff --git a/caffeine/build.gradle.kts b/caffeine/build.gradle.kts
index 1e032ec78e..aa617a1eeb 100644
--- a/caffeine/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/caffeine/build.gradle.kts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ sourceSets {
 val compileJavaPoetJava by tasks.existing
 val javaAgent: Configuration by configurations.creating
 val collections4Sources: Configuration by configurations.creating
-var javaPoetImplementation: Configuration = configurations["javaPoetImplementation"]
+val javaPoetImplementation: Configuration = configurations["javaPoetImplementation"]
 
 dependencies {
   api(libs.checker.annotations)
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ dependencies {
   testImplementation(libs.jctools)
   testImplementation(libs.fastutil)
   testImplementation(libs.lincheck)
-  testImplementation(libs.guava.testlib)
   testImplementation(libs.commons.lang3)
   testImplementation(libs.bundles.slf4j.test)
   testImplementation(libs.commons.collections4)
diff --git a/examples/coalescing-bulkloader-reactor/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/examples/coalescing-bulkloader-reactor/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 59b413a8aa..d9772e75a2 100644
--- a/examples/coalescing-bulkloader-reactor/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/examples/coalescing-bulkloader-reactor/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 caffeine = "3.1.8"
 junit = "5.11.0-M2"
 reactor = "3.6.7"
-truth = "1.4.3"
+truth = "1.4.4"
 versions = "0.51.0"
 
 [libraries]
diff --git a/examples/coalescing-bulkloader-reactor/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/examples/coalescing-bulkloader-reactor/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index e021a95878..0af00fb146 100644
--- a/examples/coalescing-bulkloader-reactor/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/examples/coalescing-bulkloader-reactor/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-rc-1-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-bin.zip
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
diff --git a/examples/graal-native/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/examples/graal-native/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 86d7356c16..43c74b3cbc 100644
--- a/examples/graal-native/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/examples/graal-native/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 caffeine = "3.1.8"
 graal = "0.10.2"
 junit = "5.11.0-M2"
-truth = "1.4.3"
+truth = "1.4.4"
 versions = "0.51.0"
 
 [libraries]
diff --git a/examples/graal-native/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/examples/graal-native/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index e021a95878..0af00fb146 100644
--- a/examples/graal-native/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/examples/graal-native/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-rc-1-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-bin.zip
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
diff --git a/examples/hibernate/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/examples/hibernate/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index b100c2580f..9298a0a88c 100644
--- a/examples/hibernate/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/examples/hibernate/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ hibernate = "6.5.2.Final"
 junit = "5.11.0-M2"
 log4j2 = "3.0.0-beta2"
 slf4j = "2.0.7"
-truth = "1.4.3"
+truth = "1.4.4"
 versions = "0.51.0"
 
 [libraries]
diff --git a/examples/hibernate/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/examples/hibernate/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index e021a95878..0af00fb146 100644
--- a/examples/hibernate/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/examples/hibernate/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-rc-1-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-bin.zip
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
diff --git a/examples/indexable/gradle.properties b/examples/indexable/gradle.properties
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..560b0f9c22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/indexable/gradle.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+org.gradle.configuration-cache=true
+org.gradle.configureondemand=true
+org.gradle.parallel=true
+org.gradle.caching=true
+org.gradle.daemon=true
diff --git a/examples/indexable/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/examples/indexable/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 4f6e6e0138..54029919f2 100644
--- a/examples/indexable/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/examples/indexable/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 caffeine = "3.1.8"
 guava = "33.2.1-jre"
 junit-jupiter = "5.11.0-M2"
-truth = "1.4.3"
+truth = "1.4.4"
 versions = "0.51.0"
 
 [libraries]
diff --git a/examples/indexable/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/examples/indexable/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index e021a95878..0af00fb146 100644
--- a/examples/indexable/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/examples/indexable/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-rc-1-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-bin.zip
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
diff --git a/examples/resilience-failsafe/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/examples/resilience-failsafe/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 30fa3b18e0..92c11eb802 100644
--- a/examples/resilience-failsafe/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/examples/resilience-failsafe/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 caffeine = "3.1.8"
 failsafe = "3.3.2"
 junit = "5.11.0-M2"
-truth = "1.4.3"
+truth = "1.4.4"
 versions = "0.51.0"
 
 [libraries]
diff --git a/examples/resilience-failsafe/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/examples/resilience-failsafe/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index e021a95878..0af00fb146 100644
--- a/examples/resilience-failsafe/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/examples/resilience-failsafe/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-rc-1-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-bin.zip
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
diff --git a/examples/write-behind-rxjava/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/examples/write-behind-rxjava/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index e021a95878..0af00fb146 100644
--- a/examples/write-behind-rxjava/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/examples/write-behind-rxjava/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-rc-1-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-bin.zip
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index ad8bc3499a..6dcf131488 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ commons-text = "1.12.0"
 concurrentlinkedhashmap = "1.4.2"
 config = "1.4.3"
 coveralls = "2.12.2"
-dependency-check = "10.0.1"
+dependency-check = "10.0.2"
 eclipse-collections = "12.0.0.M3"
 ehcache3 = "3.10.8"
 errorprone = "2.28.0"
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ hamcrest = "2.2"
 hazelcast = "5.3.7"
 httpclient = "4.5.14"
 idea = "1.1.8"
-jackrabbit = "1.64.0"
-jackson = "2.17.1"
+jackrabbit = "1.66.0"
+jackson = "2.17.2"
 jacoco = "0.8.12"
 jakarta-inject = "2.0.1"
 jamm = "0.4.0"
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ jmh-plugin = "0.7.2"
 jmh-report = "0.9.6"
 joor = "0.9.15"
 json-bind = "1.0"
-jsoup = "1.17.2"
+jsoup = "1.18.1"
 junit-testng = "1.0.5"
 junit4 = "4.13.2"
 junit5 = "5.11.0-M2"
@@ -86,11 +86,11 @@ snakeyaml = "2.2"
 sonarqube = "5.1.0.4882"
 spotbugs = "4.8.6"
 spotbugs-contrib = "7.6.4"
-spotbugs-plugin = "6.0.18"
+spotbugs-plugin = "6.0.19"
 stream = "2.9.8"
 tcache = "2.0.1"
 testng = "7.10.2"
-truth = "1.4.3"
+truth = "1.4.4"
 univocity-parsers = "2.9.1"
 versions = "0.51.0"
 xz = "1.9"
diff --git a/gradle/plugins/build.gradle.kts b/gradle/plugins/build.gradle.kts
index 152739bd86..8a39a8399a 100644
--- a/gradle/plugins/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/gradle/plugins/build.gradle.kts
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ tasks.withType<DependencyUpdatesTask> {
     componentSelection {
       val ignoredGroups = listOf("com.beust", "org.apache.logging.log4j",
         "org.jetbrains.kotlin", "org.gradle.kotlin.kotlin-dsl")
-      val stable = setOf("com.fasterxml.jackson", "com.squareup.okhttp3")
+      val stable = setOf("com.fasterxml.jackson", "com.google.protobuf", "com.squareup.okhttp3")
       val isNonStable = "^[0-9,.v-]+(-r)?$".toRegex()
       all {
         if ((candidate.group in ignoredGroups) && (candidate.version != currentVersion)) {
diff --git a/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/analyze/jmh.caffeine.gradle.kts b/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/analyze/jmh.caffeine.gradle.kts
index 3c9d3aa522..546fa54299 100644
--- a/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/analyze/jmh.caffeine.gradle.kts
+++ b/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/analyze/jmh.caffeine.gradle.kts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ plugins {
 }
 
 configurations.jmh {
-  extendsFrom(configurations.testImplementation.get())
+  extendsFrom(configurations["testImplementation"])
   exclude(module = "jazzer-junit")
   exclude(module = "slf4j-test")
 }
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ tasks.named("jmhReport").configure {
 }
 
 idea.module {
-  scopes["PROVIDED"]!!["plus"]!!.add(configurations.jmh.get())
+  scopes["PROVIDED"]!!["plus"]!!.add(configurations["jmh"])
 }
 
 eclipse.classpath.file.whenMerged {
diff --git a/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/java-library.caffeine.gradle.kts b/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/java-library.caffeine.gradle.kts
index 296a126110..55f34a132d 100644
--- a/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/java-library.caffeine.gradle.kts
+++ b/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/java-library.caffeine.gradle.kts
@@ -31,9 +31,8 @@ tasks.withType<JavaCompile>().configureEach {
     languageVersion = maxOf(javaVersion, JavaLanguageVersion.of(17))
   }
 
-  options.compilerArgs.add("-Xlint:all,-auxiliaryclass,-exports,-processing,"
-    + "-removal,-requires-automatic,-requires-transitive-automatic")
-  options.compilerArgs.addAll(listOf("-Xmaxerrs", "500", "-Xmaxwarns", "500"))
+  options.compilerArgs.addAll(listOf( "-Xlint:all", "-Xlint:-auxiliaryclass", "-Xlint:-classfile",
+    "-Xlint:-exports", "-Xlint:-processing", "-Xlint:-removal", "-Xlint:-requires-automatic"))
   if (javaVersion.canCompileOrRun(21)) {
     options.compilerArgs.add("-proc:full")
   }
diff --git a/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/testing.caffeine.gradle.kts b/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/testing.caffeine.gradle.kts
index 1afd0b0509..3b99a858d4 100644
--- a/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/testing.caffeine.gradle.kts
+++ b/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/testing.caffeine.gradle.kts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ dependencies {
   testImplementation(libs.hamcrest)
   testImplementation(libs.awaitility)
   testImplementation(libs.bundles.junit)
+  testImplementation(libs.guava.testlib)
   testImplementation(libs.bundles.osgi.test.compile)
 
   testImplementation(platform(libs.asm.bom))
diff --git a/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/versions.caffeine.gradle.kts b/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/versions.caffeine.gradle.kts
index 3252b7f6b8..b46ff6efe3 100644
--- a/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/versions.caffeine.gradle.kts
+++ b/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/lifecycle/versions.caffeine.gradle.kts
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ tasks.named<DependencyUpdatesTask>("dependencyUpdates").configure {
     componentSelection {
       all {
         val ignoredGroups = listOf("com.beust", "org.apache.logging.log4j")
-        val stable = setOf("com.hazelcast", "javax.json.bind",
-          "org.jetbrains.kotlin", "org.osgi", "org.slf4j")
+        val stable = setOf("com.google.protobuf", "com.hazelcast",
+          "javax.json.bind", "org.jetbrains.kotlin", "org.osgi", "org.slf4j")
         if ((candidate.group in stable) && isNonStable(candidate.version)) {
           reject("Release candidate")
         } else if ((candidate.module == "commons-io") && candidate.version.startsWith("2003")) {
diff --git a/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/quality/jacoco.caffeine.gradle.kts b/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/quality/jacoco.caffeine.gradle.kts
index c542afd0e0..fb0acc154e 100644
--- a/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/quality/jacoco.caffeine.gradle.kts
+++ b/gradle/plugins/src/main/kotlin/quality/jacoco.caffeine.gradle.kts
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ tasks.withType<JacocoReport>().configureEach {
 }
 
 tasks.withType<Test>().configureEach {
-  if (environment["JDK_EA"] == "true") {
+  if (System.getenv("JDK_EA") == "true") {
     systemProperty("net.bytebuddy.experimental", true)
     configure<JacocoTaskExtension> {
-      enabled = false
+      isEnabled = false
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index e021a95878..0af00fb146 100644
--- a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-rc-1-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-bin.zip
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
diff --git a/guava/build.gradle.kts b/guava/build.gradle.kts
index 3fdc654bb5..041157345c 100644
--- a/guava/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/guava/build.gradle.kts
@@ -10,14 +10,9 @@ dependencies {
   api(libs.guava)
 
   testImplementation(libs.jctools)
-  testImplementation(libs.guava.testlib)
   testImplementation(libs.bundles.slf4j.nop)
 }
 
-tasks.named<JavaCompile>("compileJava").configure {
-  modularity.inferModulePath = true
-}
-
 tasks.withType<Test>().configureEach {
   useJUnitPlatform()
 
diff --git a/jcache/build.gradle.kts b/jcache/build.gradle.kts
index f96d674c99..fb21c40ff2 100644
--- a/jcache/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/jcache/build.gradle.kts
@@ -30,9 +30,7 @@ dependencies {
   api(libs.jcache)
   api(libs.config)
 
-  testImplementation(libs.guava)
   testImplementation(libs.jcache.guice)
-  testImplementation(libs.guava.testlib)
   testImplementation(libs.bundles.slf4j.nop)
   testImplementation(files(testResourcesJar))
   testImplementation(libs.jcache.tck)
@@ -76,10 +74,6 @@ val unzipJCacheJavaDoc by tasks.registering(Copy::class) {
   into(layout.buildDirectory.dir("jcache-docs"))
 }
 
-tasks.named<JavaCompile>("compileJava").configure {
-  modularity.inferModulePath = true
-}
-
 tasks.jar {
   bundle.bnd(mapOf(
     "Automatic-Module-Name" to "com.github.benmanes.caffeine.jcache",
diff --git a/simulator/build.gradle.kts b/simulator/build.gradle.kts
index 2de719c0ce..c6ef03959b 100644
--- a/simulator/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/simulator/build.gradle.kts
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ tasks.withType<JavaCompile>().configureEach {
     disableWarningsInGeneratedCode = true
     nullaway.disable()
   }
-  modularity.inferModulePath = true
 }
 
 tasks.withType<Test>().configureEach {
@@ -77,19 +76,10 @@ tasks.withType<Javadoc>().configureEach {
 tasks.named<JavaExec>("run").configure {
   description = "Runs a single simulation and generates a report"
 }
-
-tasks.register<Simulate>("simulate") {
-  description = "Runs multiple simulations and generates an aggregate report"
-  mainClass = "com.github.benmanes.caffeine.cache.simulator.Simulate"
-}
-
-tasks.register<Rewrite>("rewrite") {
-  description = "Rewrite traces into the format used by other simulators"
-  mainClass = "com.github.benmanes.caffeine.cache.simulator.parser.Rewriter"
-}
+tasks.register<Simulate>("simulate")
+tasks.register<Rewrite>("rewrite")
 
 tasks.withType<JavaExec>().configureEach {
-  group = group ?: "Application"
   dependsOn(tasks.processResources, tasks.compileJava)
   classpath(sourceSets["main"].runtimeClasspath)
   systemProperties(caffeineSystemProperties())
@@ -117,6 +107,12 @@ abstract class Simulate @Inject constructor(
   @OutputDirectory
   val reportDir = File(projectLayout.buildDirectory.get().asFile, "/reports/$name")
 
+  init {
+    group = "Application"
+    mainClass = "com.github.benmanes.caffeine.cache.simulator.Simulate"
+    description = "Runs multiple simulations and generates an aggregate report"
+  }
+
   @TaskAction
   override fun exec() {
     if (maximumSize.isNotEmpty()) {
@@ -140,6 +136,12 @@ abstract class Rewrite : JavaExec() {
   @Input @Option(option = "outputFormat", description = "The output format")
   var outputFormat: String = ""
 
+  init {
+    group = "Application"
+    description = "Rewrite traces into the format used by other simulators"
+    mainClass = "com.github.benmanes.caffeine.cache.simulator.parser.Rewriter"
+  }
+
   @TaskAction
   override fun exec() {
     if (inputFiles.isNotEmpty()) {