diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index dc6af31..3ab5890 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@ import static java.nio.file.StandardCopyOption.REPLACE_EXISTING
 
 buildscript {
     ext {
-        snakeYamlVersion = '1.33'
         shadowGradlePluginVersion = '8.1.1'
     }
     repositories {
         mavenCentral()
     }
+    dependencies {
+        classpath "org.yaml:snakeyaml:2.2"
+    }
 }
 
 plugins {
@@ -17,6 +19,11 @@ plugins {
   id 'java'
 }
 
+// load versions.yml from core before loading rubyUtils.gradle
+import org.yaml.snakeyaml.Yaml
+def versionsFile = file(LOGSTASH_CORE_PATH + "/../versions.yml")
+gradle.ext.versions = new Yaml().load(versionsFile.text)
+
 apply from: LOGSTASH_CORE_PATH + "/../rubyUtils.gradle"
 
 // ===========================================================================
@@ -36,8 +43,8 @@ pluginInfo.pluginName      = "java_codec_example" // must match the @LogstashPlu
 // ===========================================================================
 
 java {
-  sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
-  targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
+  sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_11
+  targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_11
 }
 
 repositories {
@@ -49,16 +56,16 @@ shadowJar {
 }
 
 dependencies {
-    implementation 'org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-api:2.9.1'
-    implementation 'org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-core:2.9.1'
-    implementation "com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core:2.9.5"
-    implementation "com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind:2.9.5"
-    implementation "com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-annotations:2.9.5"
-    implementation "com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat:jackson-dataformat-cbor:2.9.5"
-    implementation fileTree(dir: LOGSTASH_CORE_PATH, include: "**/logstash-core-?.?.?.jar")
+    implementation 'org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-api:2.17.0'
+    implementation 'org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-core:2.17.0'
+    implementation "com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-core:${gradle.ext.versions.jackson}"
+    implementation "com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind:${gradle.ext.versions['jackson-databind']}"
+    implementation "com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-annotations:${gradle.ext.versions.jackson}"
+    implementation "com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat:jackson-dataformat-cbor:${gradle.ext.versions.jackson}"
+    implementation fileTree(dir: LOGSTASH_CORE_PATH, include: "**/logstash-core.jar")
 
     testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.12'
-    testImplementation 'org.jruby:jruby-complete:9.1.13.0'
+    testImplementation "org.jruby:jruby-complete:${gradle.ext.versions.jruby.version}"
 }
 
 clean {