build: target Java 17 and align CI workflows

.github/workflows/code-quality.yml

@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Set up JDK 21
+      - name: Set up JDK 17
         uses: actions/setup-java@v5
         with:
           distribution: 'temurin'
-          java-version: '21'
+          java-version: '17'
       - name: Run Checkstyle
         run: mvn --batch-mode checkstyle:check
       - name: Annotate Checkstyle results
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Set up JDK 21
+      - name: Set up JDK 17
         uses: actions/setup-java@v5
         with:
           distribution: 'temurin'
-          java-version: '21'
+          java-version: '17'
       - name: Build with coverage
         run: mvn --batch-mode clean verify
       - name: Upload coverage to Codecov

.github/workflows/javadoc.yml

@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Set up JDK 25
+      - name: Set up JDK 17
         uses: actions/setup-java@v5
         with:
           distribution: 'temurin'
-          java-version: '25'
+          java-version: '17'
       - name: Build Javadoc
         run: mvn --batch-mode javadoc:javadoc
       - name: Upload Javadoc artifact

.github/workflows/publish.yml

@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
 
-      - name: Set up JDK 25
+      - name: Set up JDK 17
         uses: actions/setup-java@v5
         with:
           distribution: 'temurin'
-          java-version: '25'
+          java-version: '17'
           server-id: github
           server-username: GITHUB_ACTOR
           server-password: GITHUB_TOKEN

.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        java-version: [ '21', '25' ]
+        java-version: [ '17', '21', '25' ]
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        java-version: [ '21', '25' ]
+        java-version: [ '17', '21', '25' ]
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v6

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 ## Getting Started
 
 1. Fork and clone the repository
-2. Ensure Java 21 and Maven 3.8+ are installed
+2. Ensure Java 17 and Maven 3.8+ are installed
 3. Run `mvn clean verify` — all checks must pass before you start
 
 ## Branching

README.md

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ A lightweight, fluent Java library for building parameterized SQL queries and fi
 - SQL dialect support: Standard, MySQL, SQLite
 - **Global and per-query configuration of defaults (e.g., dialect, columns, limit, LIKE wrapping) via `QueryBuilderDefaults`**
 - In-memory filtering via `QueryableStorage`
-- Zero runtime dependencies, pure Java 21+
+- Zero runtime dependencies, pure Java 17+
 
 ## Installation
 

pom.xml

@@ -5,16 +5,15 @@
 
     <groupId>com.github.EzFramework</groupId>
     <artifactId>java-query-builder</artifactId>
-    <version>1.2.0</version>
+    <version>1.2.1</version>
     <packaging>jar</packaging>
 
     <name>JavaQueryBuilder</name>
     <description>A fluent Java query builder with SQL generation support.</description>
     <url>https://github.com/EzFramework/JavaQueryBuilder</url>
 
     <properties>
-        <maven.compiler.source>21</maven.compiler.source>
-        <maven.compiler.target>21</maven.compiler.target>
+        <maven.compiler.release>17</maven.compiler.release>
         <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     </properties>
 
@@ -51,10 +50,6 @@
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                 <version>3.15.0</version>
-                <configuration>
-                    <source>21</source>
-                    <target>21</target>
-                </configuration>
             </plugin>
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>