diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 78a0bd4..7dea7c3 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
     </scm>
 
 	<properties>
-		<java.version>8</java.version>
+		<java.version>11</java.version>
         <!-- the following lines were needed because for vscode -->
         <maven.compiler.source>${java.version}</maven.compiler.source>
         <maven.compiler.target>${java.version}</maven.compiler.target>
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
         <json-assert.version>1.5.1</json-assert.version>
         <json-schema-validator.version>1.0.76</json-schema-validator.version>
         <jacoco-maven-plugin.version>0.8.12</jacoco-maven-plugin.version>
+        <nexus-staging-maven-plugin.version>1.6.13</nexus-staging-maven-plugin.version>
 	</properties>
 
     <dependencies>
@@ -70,13 +71,6 @@
             <artifactId>jcommander</artifactId>
             <version>${jcommander.version}</version>
         </dependency>
-        
-        <!-- dependency>
-            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-            <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
-            <version>3.0.0-M7</version>
-            <type>maven-plugin</type>
-        </dependency -->
 
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.jooq</groupId>
@@ -89,16 +83,8 @@
             <groupId>com.googlecode.json-simple</groupId>
             <artifactId>json-simple</artifactId>
             <version>${json-simple.version}</version>
-            <!-- scope>test</scope -->
         </dependency>
 
-    <!--
-      <dependency>
-        <groupId>com.google.code.gson</groupId>
-        <artifactId>gson</artifactId>
-        <version>2.8.5</version>
-      </dependency>
-    -->
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.skyscreamer</groupId>
             <artifactId>jsonassert</artifactId>
@@ -128,27 +114,13 @@
 
     <build>
         <plugins>
-            <plugin>
-                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-                <artifactId>maven-gpg-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>3.0.1</version>
-                <executions>
-                    <execution>
-                    <id>sign-artifacts</id>
-                    <phase>verify</phase>
-                    <goals>
-                        <goal>sign</goal>
-                    </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                </executions>
-            </plugin>
 
             <plugin>
                 <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                 <configuration>
                     <debug>true</debug>
-                    <source>11</source>
-                    <target>11</target>
+                    <source>${maven.compiler.source}</source>
+                    <target>${maven.compiler.target}</target>
                     <compilerArgs>
                         <!-- this flag is required in order to obtain the name of parameters in test methods -->
                         <arg>-parameters</arg>
@@ -156,76 +128,32 @@
                 </configuration>
             </plugin>
             
- <!--           
-            <plugin>
-                <artifactId>maven-deploy-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.8.2</version>
-                <executions>
-                    <execution>
-                        <id>default-deploy</id>
-                        <phase>deploy</phase>
-                        <goals>
-                            <goal>deploy</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                </executions>
-            </plugin>
-
-            
             <plugin>
-                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-                <artifactId>maven-release-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.5.3</version>
+                <groupId>org.sonatype.plugins</groupId>
+                <artifactId>nexus-staging-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+                <version>${nexus-staging-maven-plugin.version}</version>
+                <extensions>true</extensions>
                 <configuration>
-                    <localCheckout>true</localCheckout>
-                    <pushChanges>false</pushChanges>
-                    <mavenExecutorId>forked-path</mavenExecutorId>
-                    <arguments>-Dgpg.passphrase=${gpg.passphrase}</arguments>
+                  <serverId>ossrh</serverId>
+                  <nexusUrl>https://s01.oss.sonatype.org</nexusUrl>
+                  <autoReleaseAfterClose>true</autoReleaseAfterClose>
                 </configuration>
-                <dependencies>
-                    <dependency>
-                        <groupId>org.apache.maven.scm</groupId>
-                        <artifactId>maven-scm-provider-gitexe</artifactId>
-                        <version>1.9.5</version>
-                    </dependency>
-                </dependencies>
             </plugin>
-     
- 
-             <plugin>
-                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-                 <artifactId>maven-source-plugin</artifactId>
-                 <version>3.0.1</version>
-                 <executions>
-                     <execution>
-                         <id>attach-sources</id>
-                         <goals>
-                             <goal>jar</goal>
-                         </goals>
-                     </execution>
-                 </executions>
-             </plugin>
-            -->
 
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-                <artifactId>maven-release-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.5.3</version>
-                <configuration>
-                    <localCheckout>true</localCheckout>
-                    <pushChanges>false</pushChanges>
-                    <mavenExecutorId>forked-path</mavenExecutorId>
-                    <arguments>-Dgpg.passphrase=${gpg.passphrase}</arguments>
-                </configuration>
-                <dependencies>
-                    <dependency>
-                        <groupId>org.apache.maven.scm</groupId>
-                        <artifactId>maven-scm-provider-gitexe</artifactId>
-                        <version>1.9.5</version>
-                    </dependency>
-                </dependencies>
+                <artifactId>maven-gpg-plugin</artifactId>
+                <version>3.0.1</version>
+                <executions>
+                    <execution>
+                    <id>sign-artifacts</id>
+                    <phase>verify</phase>
+                    <goals>
+                        <goal>sign</goal>
+                    </goals>
+                    </execution>
+                </executions>
             </plugin>
-     
  
              <plugin>
                  <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
@@ -255,22 +183,6 @@
                   </execution>
                 </executions>
             </plugin>
-
-            <!-- explicitly define maven-deploy-plugin after other to force exec order -->
-             <plugin>
-                <artifactId>maven-deploy-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.8.2</version>
-                <executions>
-                    <execution>
-                        <id>default-deploy</id>
-                        <phase>deploy</phase>
-                        <goals>
-                            <goal>deploy</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                </executions>
-            </plugin>
-
             
              <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>