diff --git a/.bazelrc b/.bazelrc
index 788331b3..d966c4b9 100644
--- a/.bazelrc
+++ b/.bazelrc
@@ -15,9 +15,8 @@
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-build --incompatible_strict_action_env --javacopt='--release 8'
+build --incompatible_strict_action_env --java_language_version=11 --javacopt='--release 11'
 run --incompatible_strict_action_env
 test --incompatible_strict_action_env
 
 try-import /opt/credentials/bazel-remote-cache.rc
-
diff --git a/.bazelversion b/.bazelversion
index bea438e9..fcdb2e10 100644
--- a/.bazelversion
+++ b/.bazelversion
@@ -1 +1 @@
-3.3.1
+4.0.0
diff --git a/common/concept.proto b/common/concept.proto
index 091883b2..c69bded2 100644
--- a/common/concept.proto
+++ b/common/concept.proto
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ message Thing {
     bytes iid = 1;
     Type type = 2;
     Attribute.Value value = 3;
+    bool inferred = 4;
 
     message Req {
         bytes iid = 1;
@@ -114,12 +115,11 @@ message Thing {
             // Thing method requests
             Thing.Delete.Req thing_delete_req = 100;
             Thing.GetType.Req thing_get_type_req = 101;
-            Thing.IsInferred.Req thing_is_inferred_req = 102;
-            Thing.GetHas.Req thing_get_has_req = 103;
-            Thing.SetHas.Req thing_set_has_req = 104;
-            Thing.UnsetHas.Req thing_unset_has_req = 105;
-            Thing.GetRelations.Req thing_get_relations_req = 106;
-            Thing.GetPlaying.Req thing_get_playing_req = 107;
+            Thing.GetHas.Req thing_get_has_req = 102;
+            Thing.SetHas.Req thing_set_has_req = 103;
+            Thing.UnsetHas.Req thing_unset_has_req = 104;
+            Thing.GetRelations.Req thing_get_relations_req = 105;
+            Thing.GetPlaying.Req thing_get_playing_req = 106;
 
             // Relation method requests
             Relation.AddPlayer.Req relation_add_player_req = 200;
@@ -138,9 +138,8 @@ message Thing {
             // Thing method responses
             Thing.Delete.Res thing_delete_res = 100;
             Thing.GetType.Res thing_get_type_res = 101;
-            Thing.IsInferred.Res thing_is_inferred_res = 102;
-            Thing.SetHas.Res thing_set_has_res = 103;
-            Thing.UnsetHas.Res thing_unset_has_res = 104;
+            Thing.SetHas.Res thing_set_has_res = 102;
+            Thing.UnsetHas.Res thing_unset_has_res = 103;
 
             // Relation method responses
             Relation.AddPlayer.Res relation_add_player_res = 200;
@@ -170,13 +169,6 @@ message Thing {
         message Res {}
     }
 
-    message IsInferred {
-        message Req {}
-        message Res {
-            bool inferred = 1;
-        }
-    }
-
     message GetType {
         message Req {}
         message Res {
diff --git a/common/transaction.proto b/common/transaction.proto
index e0196ab7..caa6b816 100644
--- a/common/transaction.proto
+++ b/common/transaction.proto
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ message Transaction {
     }
 
     message Req {
-        string req_id = 1;
+        bytes req_id = 1;
         map<string, string> metadata = 2;
         oneof req {
             Open.Req open_req = 3;
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ message Transaction {
     }
 
     message Res {
-        string req_id = 1;
+        bytes req_id = 1;
         oneof res {
             Open.Res open_res = 2;
             Commit.Res commit_res = 3;
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ message Transaction {
     }
 
     message ResPart {
-        string req_id = 1;
+        bytes req_id = 1;
         oneof res {
             Stream.ResPart stream_res_part = 2;
             QueryManager.ResPart query_manager_res_part = 3;
diff --git a/dependencies/graknlabs/repositories.bzl b/dependencies/graknlabs/repositories.bzl
index a836af3b..e48673d3 100644
--- a/dependencies/graknlabs/repositories.bzl
+++ b/dependencies/graknlabs/repositories.bzl
@@ -21,5 +21,5 @@ def graknlabs_dependencies():
     git_repository(
         name = "graknlabs_dependencies",
         remote = "https://github.com/graknlabs/dependencies",
-        commit = "adb0d08bf56a64ae7d731800cfc0f85c63733cf1", # sync-marker: do not remove this comment, this is used for sync-dependencies by @graknlabs_dependencies
+        commit = "5aca0eb4e727278182656952477f2266af551621", # sync-marker: do not remove this comment, this is used for sync-dependencies by @graknlabs_dependencies
     )