diff --git a/declarative-configuration/build.gradle.kts b/declarative-configuration/build.gradle.kts
index 45bdb638d..f25733754 100644
--- a/declarative-configuration/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/declarative-configuration/build.gradle.kts
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ plugins {
 description = "OpenTelemetry Example for Declarative Configuration"
 val moduleName by extra { "io.opentelemetry.examples.fileconfig" }
 
+java {
+    toolchain {
+        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(8))
+    }
+}
+
 dependencies {
     implementation("io.opentelemetry:opentelemetry-api")
     implementation("io.opentelemetry:opentelemetry-sdk")
diff --git a/doc-snippets/api/build.gradle.kts b/doc-snippets/api/build.gradle.kts
index ba161182e..9f3f7d67d 100644
--- a/doc-snippets/api/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/doc-snippets/api/build.gradle.kts
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ plugins {
 
 val moduleName by extra { "io.opentelemetry.examples.docs.configuration" }
 
+java {
+    toolchain {
+        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(11))
+    }
+}
+
 dependencies {
     implementation("io.opentelemetry:opentelemetry-api")
 
diff --git a/doc-snippets/configuration/build.gradle.kts b/doc-snippets/configuration/build.gradle.kts
index b28ca4aff..433ceb628 100644
--- a/doc-snippets/configuration/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/doc-snippets/configuration/build.gradle.kts
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ plugins {
 
 val moduleName by extra { "io.opentelemetry.examples.docs.configuration" }
 
+java {
+    toolchain {
+        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(11))
+    }
+}
+
 dependencies {
     implementation("io.opentelemetry:opentelemetry-sdk")
     implementation("io.opentelemetry:opentelemetry-sdk-extension-autoconfigure")
diff --git a/doc-snippets/exporters/build.gradle.kts b/doc-snippets/exporters/build.gradle.kts
index cbc35ce71..7836b3dea 100644
--- a/doc-snippets/exporters/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/doc-snippets/exporters/build.gradle.kts
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ plugins {
 
 val moduleName by extra { "io.opentelemetry.examples.docs.exporters" }
 
+java {
+    toolchain {
+        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(17))
+    }
+}
+
 dependencies {
     implementation(platform(SpringBootPlugin.BOM_COORDINATES))
     implementation(platform("io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-bom:2.20.1"))
diff --git a/doc-snippets/getting-started/build.gradle.kts b/doc-snippets/getting-started/build.gradle.kts
index 05c240d74..656fd7759 100644
--- a/doc-snippets/getting-started/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/doc-snippets/getting-started/build.gradle.kts
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ plugins {
 
 val moduleName by extra { "io.opentelemetry.examples.docs.getting-started" }
 
+java {
+    toolchain {
+        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(17))
+    }
+}
+
 dependencies {
     implementation(platform(SpringBootPlugin.BOM_COORDINATES))
     implementation(platform("io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-bom:2.20.1"))
diff --git a/doc-snippets/spring-starter/build.gradle.kts b/doc-snippets/spring-starter/build.gradle.kts
index 9f1c3a13c..6a9015ca2 100644
--- a/doc-snippets/spring-starter/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/doc-snippets/spring-starter/build.gradle.kts
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ plugins {
 
 val moduleName by extra { "io.opentelemetry.examples.docs.spring-starter" }
 
+java {
+    toolchain {
+        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(17))
+    }
+}
+
 dependencies {
     implementation(platform(SpringBootPlugin.BOM_COORDINATES))
     implementation(platform("io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-bom:2.20.1"))
diff --git a/micrometer-shim/build.gradle.kts b/micrometer-shim/build.gradle.kts
index d444ebf84..cf8af62b4 100644
--- a/micrometer-shim/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/micrometer-shim/build.gradle.kts
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ plugins {
 }
 
 description = "OpenTelemetry Example for Micrometer Shim"
+
+java {
+    toolchain {
+        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(17))
+    }
+}
 val moduleName by extra { "io.opentelemetry.examples.micrometer-shim" }
 
 val bootRun = tasks.named<BootRun>("bootRun") {
diff --git a/spring-native/build.gradle.kts b/spring-native/build.gradle.kts
index 337742cd3..56e621417 100644
--- a/spring-native/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/spring-native/build.gradle.kts
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ plugins {
 }
 
 description = "OpenTelemetry Example for Spring native images"
+
+java {
+    toolchain {
+        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(17))
+    }
+}
 val moduleName by extra { "io.opentelemetry.examples.native" }
 
 dependencies {
diff --git a/telemetry-testing/build.gradle.kts b/telemetry-testing/build.gradle.kts
index 2326766da..dc3ca7984 100644
--- a/telemetry-testing/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/telemetry-testing/build.gradle.kts
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ plugins {
 description = "OpenTelemetry Example for Telemetry Testing"
 val moduleName by extra { "io.opentelemetry.examples.telemetry-testing" }
 
+java {
+    toolchain {
+        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(17))
+    }
+}
+
 val bootRun = tasks.named<BootRun>("bootRun") {
     mainClass = "io.opentelemetry.example.javagent.Application"
 }