diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 84c65c5..090bbc1 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@
             <url>https://github.com/manorrock/oyena/blob/master/LICENSE</url>
         </license>
     </licenses>
+    <properties>
+        <!-- other -->
+        <java.version>21</java.version>
+        <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
+        <!-- plugins -->
+        <jacoco-maven-plugin.version>0.8.10</jacoco-maven-plugin.version>
+    </properties>
     <build>
         <pluginManagement>
             <plugins>
@@ -91,7 +98,7 @@
                 <plugin>
                     <groupId>org.jacoco</groupId>
                     <artifactId>jacoco-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                    <version>0.8.8</version>
+                    <version>${jacoco-maven-plugin.version}</version>
                 </plugin>
             </plugins>
         </pluginManagement>
@@ -101,8 +108,7 @@
                 <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                 <inherited>true</inherited>
                 <configuration>
-                    <source>17</source>
-                    <target>17</target>
+                    <release>${java.version}</release>
                 </configuration>
             </plugin>
             <plugin>
@@ -269,9 +275,6 @@
             </build>
         </profile>
     </profiles>
-    <properties>
-        <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
-    </properties>
     <scm>
         <connection>scm:git:git://github.com/manorrock/oyena.git</connection>
         <developerConnection>scm:git:git@github.com:manorrock/oyena.git</developerConnection>