diff --git a/.github/workflows/verify.yml b/.github/workflows/verify.yml
index 99ae0f7406..7e404f91f4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/verify.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/verify.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: pmd/pmd-github-action@v2.0.0
         id: pmd
         with:
-          version: '7.18.0'
+          version: '7.19.0'
           rulesets: 'ddk-configuration/pmd/ruleset.xml'
           analyzeModifiedFilesOnly: false
       - name: Fail build if there are violations
diff --git a/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.core/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/validation/CheckCfgValidator.java b/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.core/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/validation/CheckCfgValidator.java
index d589396e03..ea1109f5eb 100644
--- a/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.core/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/validation/CheckCfgValidator.java
+++ b/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.core/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/validation/CheckCfgValidator.java
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public Set<EReference> getTypeConformanceCheckedReferences() {
    */
   @Check
   public void checkDisabledCheckIsNotConfigured(final ConfiguredCheck configuredCheck) {
-    if (configuredCheck.getSeverity().equals(SeverityKind.IGNORE) && isParameterConfigured(configuredCheck)) {
+    if (configuredCheck.getSeverity() == SeverityKind.IGNORE && isParameterConfigured(configuredCheck)) {
       warning(Messages.CheckCfgJavaValidator_DISABLED_CHECK_NOT_CONFIGURED, CheckcfgPackage.Literals.CONFIGURABLE_SECTION__PARAMETER_CONFIGURATIONS, IssueCodes.DISABLED_CHECK_NOT_CONFIGURED);
     }
   }
diff --git a/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.ui/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/ui/outline/CheckCfgOutlineTreeProvider.java b/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.ui/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/ui/outline/CheckCfgOutlineTreeProvider.java
index b70ad926db..fe9632aed6 100644
--- a/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.ui/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/ui/outline/CheckCfgOutlineTreeProvider.java
+++ b/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.ui/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/ui/outline/CheckCfgOutlineTreeProvider.java
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ protected Object _text(final ConfiguredCheck configuredCheck) {
       // Unresolved reference
       ruleText = new StyledString("<Unresolved check>", //
           stylerFactory.createXtextStyleAdapterStyler(semanticHighlightingConfiguration.errorTextStyle()));
-    } else if (configuredCheck.getSeverity().equals(SeverityKind.IGNORE)) {
+    } else if (configuredCheck.getSeverity() == SeverityKind.IGNORE) {
       // Disabled
       ruleText = new StyledString(safeName(configuredCheck.getCheck().getLabel()), //
           stylerFactory.createXtextStyleAdapterStyler(semanticHighlightingConfiguration.disabledValue()));
diff --git a/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.ui/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/ui/syntaxcoloring/SemanticHighlightingCalculator.java b/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.ui/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/ui/syntaxcoloring/SemanticHighlightingCalculator.java
index 9f8728ad3e..1e579e8f6d 100644
--- a/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.ui/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/ui/syntaxcoloring/SemanticHighlightingCalculator.java
+++ b/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.checkcfg.ui/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/checkcfg/ui/syntaxcoloring/SemanticHighlightingCalculator.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public void provideHighlightingFor(final XtextResource resource, final IHighligh
     while (iter.hasNext()) {
       EObject current = iter.next();
 
-      if (current instanceof ConfiguredCheck && ((ConfiguredCheck) current).getSeverity().equals(SeverityKind.IGNORE)) {
+      if (current instanceof ConfiguredCheck check && check.getSeverity() == SeverityKind.IGNORE) {
         INode node = getFirstParseTreeNode(current, CheckcfgPackage.Literals.CONFIGURED_CHECK__CHECK);
         highlightNode(node, SemanticHighlightingConfiguration.DISABLED_VALUE_ID, acceptor);
       }
diff --git a/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.test.core/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/test/core/TestEntityAction.java b/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.test.core/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/test/core/TestEntityAction.java
index af37dc4e7d..d801b1bf69 100644
--- a/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.test.core/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/test/core/TestEntityAction.java
+++ b/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.test.core/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/test/core/TestEntityAction.java
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ public class TestEntityAction {
   public TestEntityAction(final ITestEntity testEntity, final TestEntityOperation entityAction) {
     Assert.isNotNull(testEntity, TEST_ENTITY_ARGUMENT);
     Assert.isNotNull(entityAction, ENTITY_ACTION_ARGUMENT);
-    if (entityAction.equals(TestEntityOperation.DISPOSE)) {
+    if (entityAction == TestEntityOperation.DISPOSE) {
       testEntity.dispose();
     }
     this.testEntity = testEntity;
diff --git a/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.xtext/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/xtext/formatting/ExtendedFormattingConfigBasedStream.java b/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.xtext/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/xtext/formatting/ExtendedFormattingConfigBasedStream.java
index bd574cc653..b3d19092e0 100644
--- a/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.xtext/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/xtext/formatting/ExtendedFormattingConfigBasedStream.java
+++ b/com.avaloq.tools.ddk.xtext/src/com/avaloq/tools/ddk/xtext/formatting/ExtendedFormattingConfigBasedStream.java
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ private void handleNoFormatLocators(final Set<ElementLocator> locators) {
     for (ElementLocator locator : locators) {
       if (locator instanceof NoFormatLocator) {
         if (!this.noFormatLocators.remove(locator)) {
-          if (locator.getType().equals(LocatorType.BETWEEN)) {
+          if (locator.getType() == LocatorType.BETWEEN) {
             // In case we are dealing with a 'between' locator we only need to add a NoFormat 'memento'.
             // In this way we do not format anything until the following element
             this.noFormatLocators.add(noFormatMemento);
diff --git a/ddk-parent/pom.xml b/ddk-parent/pom.xml
index ce166e648a..8332f66079 100644
--- a/ddk-parent/pom.xml
+++ b/ddk-parent/pom.xml
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
     <spotbugs.plugin.version>4.9.8.2</spotbugs.plugin.version>
     <spotbugs.version>4.9.8</spotbugs.version>
     <pmd.plugin.version>3.28.0</pmd.plugin.version>
-    <pmd.version>7.18.0</pmd.version>
+    <pmd.version>7.19.0</pmd.version>
     <tycho.version>5.0.1</tycho.version>
     <xtend.version>2.40.0</xtend.version>
   </properties>