diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql-java-analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql-java-analysis.yml
index e0fc0516f89..cfca9c2605e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql-java-analysis.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql-java-analysis.yml
@@ -70,15 +70,14 @@ jobs:
         # queries: ./path/to/local/query, your-org/your-repo/queries@main
         queries: +security-and-quality
 
-    - name: 'Setup Temurin JDK 8, 11, 17 & 21'
+    - name: 'Setup Temurin JDK 17, 21 & 25'
       uses: actions/setup-java@v5
       with:
         distribution: 'temurin'
         java-version: |
-          8
-          11
           17
           21
+          25
 
     - name: 'Setup Maven 3.9.11'
       uses: stCarolas/setup-maven@d6af6abeda15e98926a57b5aa970a96bb37f97d1 # v5
diff --git a/.github/workflows/java-publish-snapshot.yml b/.github/workflows/java-publish-snapshot.yml
index 0aa895f64d4..02699c20e74 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/java-publish-snapshot.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/java-publish-snapshot.yml
@@ -43,15 +43,14 @@ jobs:
           restore-keys: |
             ${{ runner.os }}-maven-
 
-      - name: 'Setup Temurin JDK 8, 11, 17 & 21'
+      - name: 'Setup Temurin JDK 17, 21 & 25'
         uses: actions/setup-java@v5
         with:
           distribution: 'temurin'
           java-version: |
-            8
-            11
             17
             21
+			25
 
       - name: 'Setup Maven'
         uses: stCarolas/setup-maven@d6af6abeda15e98926a57b5aa970a96bb37f97d1 # v5
diff --git a/.github/workflows/maven4.yml b/.github/workflows/maven4.yml
index c7a65467f87..99901ef2383 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/maven4.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/maven4.yml
@@ -50,15 +50,14 @@ jobs:
           restore-keys: |
             ${{ runner.os }}-maven-build-cache
 
-      - name: 'Setup Temurin JDK 8, 11, 17 & 21'
+      - name: 'Setup Temurin JDK 8, 11, 17, 21 & 25'
         uses: actions/setup-java@v5
         with:
           distribution: 'temurin'
           java-version: |
-            8
-            11
             17
             21
+            25
 
       - name: Setup Maven 4
         uses: stCarolas/setup-maven@d6af6abeda15e98926a57b5aa970a96bb37f97d1 # v5
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-lang-java.yml b/.github/workflows/test-lang-java.yml
index 5cf2d22df0d..b8ed6cbcca2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-lang-java.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-lang-java.yml
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ jobs:
         os:
           - ubuntu-latest
           - ubuntu-24.04-arm
+        jdk:
+          - 17
+          - 21
+          - 25
     steps:
       - name: "Checkout sourcecode"
         uses: actions/checkout@v7
@@ -54,14 +58,11 @@ jobs:
           restore-keys: |
             ${{ runner.os }}-maven-
 
-      - name: "Setup Temurin JDK 11, 17 & 21"
+      - name: "Setup Temurin JDK ${{ matrix.jdk }}"
         uses: actions/setup-java@v5
         with:
           distribution: "temurin"
-          java-version: |
-            11
-            17
-            21
+          java-version: ${{ matrix.jdk }}
 
       - name: "Setup Maven 3.9.11"
         uses: stCarolas/setup-maven@d6af6abeda15e98926a57b5aa970a96bb37f97d1 # v5
@@ -94,6 +95,10 @@ jobs:
         os:
           - ubuntu-latest
           - ubuntu-24.04-arm
+        jdk:
+          - 17
+          - 21
+          - 25
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v7
@@ -106,14 +111,11 @@ jobs:
           restore-keys: |
             ${{ runner.os }}-maven-
 
-      - name: "Setup Temurin JDK 11, 17 & 21"
+      - name: "Setup Temurin JDK ${{ matrix.jdk }}"
         uses: actions/setup-java@v5
         with:
           distribution: "temurin"
-          java-version: |
-            11
-            17
-            21
+          java-version: ${{ matrix.jdk }}
 
       - name: "Setup Maven 3.9.11"
         uses: stCarolas/setup-maven@d6af6abeda15e98926a57b5aa970a96bb37f97d1 # v5
@@ -164,10 +166,10 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: .
         run: mvn -B install -PskipQuality
 
-      - name: "Generate Interop Data using Java 11, 17 & 21"
+      - name: "Generate Interop Data using Java 17, 21 & 25"
         working-directory: lang/java/interop-data-test
         run: mvn -B verify -Pgenerate-test-data
 
-      - name: "Run Interop Tests using Java 11, 17 & 21"
+      - name: "Run Interop Tests using Java 17, 21 & 25"
         working-directory: lang/java/interop-data-test
         run: mvn -B verify -Pcheck-test-data
diff --git a/BUILD.md b/BUILD.md
index 217630b625d..bdb0c0007bf 100644
--- a/BUILD.md
+++ b/BUILD.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 The following packages must be installed before Avro can be built:
 
- - Java: 11, 17 and 21 with the appropriate toolchain config, Maven 3.9.6 or better, protobuf-compile
+ - Java: 17, 21 and 25 with the appropriate toolchain config, Maven 3.9.6 or better, protobuf-compile
  - PHP: php8, phpunit, php8-gmp
  - Python 3: 3.10 or greater, tox (tox will install other dependencies as needed)
  - C: gcc, cmake, asciidoc, source-highlight, Jansson, pkg-config
diff --git a/lang/java/avro/pom.xml b/lang/java/avro/pom.xml
index 8cab8b75f5c..afc495183e2 100644
--- a/lang/java/avro/pom.xml
+++ b/lang/java/avro/pom.xml
@@ -154,50 +154,50 @@
           </execution>
 
           <execution>
-            <id>Run all tests under Java 11</id>
+            <id>Run all tests under Java 17</id>
             <goals>
               <goal>run</goal>
             </goals>
             <configuration>
               <filterProperties>
-                <integrationTestingJDK>[11,12)</integrationTestingJDK>
+                <integrationTestingJDK>[17,18)</integrationTestingJDK>
               </filterProperties>
               <properties>
-                <maven.compiler.release>11</maven.compiler.release>
+                <maven.compiler.release>17</maven.compiler.release>
               </properties>
-              <cloneProjectsTo>${project.build.directory}/it-jdk-11</cloneProjectsTo>
+              <cloneProjectsTo>${project.build.directory}/it-jdk-17</cloneProjectsTo>
             </configuration>
           </execution>
 
           <execution>
-            <id>Run all tests under Java 17</id>
+            <id>Run all tests under Java 21</id>
             <goals>
               <goal>run</goal>
             </goals>
             <configuration>
               <filterProperties>
-                <integrationTestingJDK>[17,18)</integrationTestingJDK>
+                <integrationTestingJDK>[21,22)</integrationTestingJDK>
               </filterProperties>
               <properties>
-                <maven.compiler.release>17</maven.compiler.release>
+                <maven.compiler.release>21</maven.compiler.release>
               </properties>
-              <cloneProjectsTo>${project.build.directory}/it-jdk-17</cloneProjectsTo>
+              <cloneProjectsTo>${project.build.directory}/it-jdk-21</cloneProjectsTo>
             </configuration>
           </execution>
-
+          
           <execution>
-            <id>Run all tests under Java 21</id>
+            <id>Run all tests under Java 25</id>
             <goals>
               <goal>run</goal>
             </goals>
             <configuration>
               <filterProperties>
-                <integrationTestingJDK>[21,22)</integrationTestingJDK>
+                <integrationTestingJDK>[25,26)</integrationTestingJDK>
               </filterProperties>
               <properties>
-                <maven.compiler.release>21</maven.compiler.release>
+                <maven.compiler.release>25</maven.compiler.release>
               </properties>
-              <cloneProjectsTo>${project.build.directory}/it-jdk-21</cloneProjectsTo>
+              <cloneProjectsTo>${project.build.directory}/it-jdk-25</cloneProjectsTo>
             </configuration>
           </execution>
         </executions>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 34f0171d7f2..db7b4223156 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
     <!-- plugin versions -->
     <apache-rat-plugin.version>0.18</apache-rat-plugin.version>
     <checkstyle-plugin.version>3.6.0</checkstyle-plugin.version>
-    <checkstyle.version>13.3.0</checkstyle.version>
+    <checkstyle.version>12.3.1</checkstyle.version>
     <enforcer-plugin.version>3.6.3</enforcer-plugin.version>
     <extra-enforcer-rules.version>1.12.0</extra-enforcer-rules.version>
     <maven-antrun-plugin.version>3.2.0</maven-antrun-plugin.version>
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@
                   </excludes>
                 </enforceBytecodeVersion>
                 <requireJavaVersion>
-                  <version>21</version>
+                  <version>17</version>
                 </requireJavaVersion>
                 <requireMavenVersion>
                   <version>[3.9.6,)</version>