diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 00469e5..a7174b3 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,6 +1,27 @@
+#
+# Exclude IDEA metadata.
+#
+.idea
+*.iws
 *.iml
 *.ipr
-*.classpath
+
+#
+# Exclude Eclipse metadata. 
+#
 *.project
-*.settings
-target
+*.classpath
+*.settings/
+.factorypath
+
+#
+# Exclude Maven build and metatada.
+#
+target/
+release.properties
+pom.xml.releaseBackup
+
+# Exclude log and backup files
+*.log
+*~
+
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index c6532f8..accb5a0 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -12,10 +12,6 @@
     Maven parent POM for all OPS4J Maven projects.
   </description>
 
-  <prerequisites>
-    <maven>3.0.0</maven>
-  </prerequisites>
-
   <organization>
     <name>OPS4J - Open Participation Software for Java</name>
     <url>http://www.ops4j.org/</url>
@@ -47,8 +43,14 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <project.reporting.outputEncoding>UTF-8</project.reporting.outputEncoding>
+    <maven.compiler.source>1.6</maven.compiler.source>
+    <maven.compiler.target>1.6</maven.compiler.target>
+
     <sonatypeOssDistMgmtSnapshotsUrl>https://oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/ops4j-snapshots</sonatypeOssDistMgmtSnapshotsUrl>
     <arguments />
+
+    <!-- versions -->
+    <version.surefire>3.0.0</version.surefire>
   </properties>
 
   <scm>
@@ -94,56 +96,43 @@
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-resources-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.7</version>
-          <!-- Note: maven-filtering 1.3 version is defined because it contains
-               fix for http://jira.codehaus.org/browse/MSHARED-325 issue 
-               and newer maven-resources-plugin than 2.7 version that references 
-               patched maven-filtering version is not available at the moment. 
-               Defined dependency version should be removed during the upgrade to 
-               new version -->
-          <dependencies>
-            <dependency>
-                <groupId>org.apache.maven.shared</groupId>
-                <artifactId>maven-filtering</artifactId>
-                <version>1.3</version>
-            </dependency>
-          </dependencies>
+          <version>3.3.1</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-jar-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.6</version>
+          <version>3.3.0</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-clean-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>3.0.0</version>
+          <version>3.2.0</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-install-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.5.2</version>
+          <version>3.1.1</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.10</version>
+          <version>3.5.0</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.6</version>
+          <version>3.5.0</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-release-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.5.3</version>
+          <version>3.0.0</version>
           <configuration>
             <autoVersionSubmodules>true</autoVersionSubmodules>
             <preparationGoals>clean install javadoc:jar</preparationGoals>
@@ -156,65 +145,61 @@
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>3.3</version>
-          <configuration>
-            <source>1.6</source>
-            <target>1.6</target>
-          </configuration>
+          <version>3.11.0</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.19</version>
+          <version>${version.surefire}</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-          <artifactId>maven-failsafe-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.19</version>
+          <artifactId>maven-surefire-report-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>${version.surefire}</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-          <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.16</version>
+          <artifactId>maven-failsafe-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>${version.surefire}</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
-          <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
-          <artifactId>retrotranslator-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>1.0-alpha-4</version>
+          <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+          <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>3.2.1</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-deploy-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.8.2</version>
+          <version>3.1.1</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-source-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.4</version>
+          <version>3.2.1</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-gpg-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>1.6</version>
+          <version>3.0.1</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-site-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>3.4</version>
+          <version>3.12.1</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.10.3</version>
+          <version>3.5.0</version>
           <configuration>
             <minmemory>128m</minmemory>
             <maxmemory>512m</maxmemory>
@@ -222,58 +207,83 @@
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
-          <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
-          <artifactId>build-helper-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>1.10</version>
+          <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+          <artifactId>maven-war-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>3.3.2</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-          <artifactId>maven-war-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.6</version>
+          <artifactId>maven-enforcer-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>3.3.0</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-          <artifactId>maven-enforcer-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>1.4.1</version>
+          <artifactId>maven-pmd-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>3.20.0</version>
+        </plugin>
+
+        <plugin>
+          <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+          <artifactId>maven-project-info-reports-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>3.4.2</version>
+        </plugin>
+
+        <plugin>
+          <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+          <artifactId>maven-jxr-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>3.3.0</version>
+        </plugin>
+
+        <plugin>
+          <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
+          <artifactId>build-helper-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>3.3.0</version>
+        </plugin>
+
+        <plugin>
+          <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
+          <artifactId>versions-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>2.15.0</version>
+        </plugin>
+
+        <plugin>
+          <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
+          <artifactId>jaxb2-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>3.1.0</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.felix</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-bundle-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>3.0.1</version>
+          <version>3.5.1</version>
           <extensions>true</extensions>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.jacoco</groupId>
           <artifactId>jacoco-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>0.7.2.201409121644</version>
-        </plugin>
-
-        <plugin>
-          <groupId>org.sonatype.plugins</groupId>
-          <artifactId>nexus-staging-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>1.6.6</version>
+          <version>0.8.9</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.asciidoctor</groupId>
           <artifactId>asciidoctor-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>1.5.2.1</version>
+          <version>2.2.3</version>
         </plugin>
 
         <plugin>
-          <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
+          <groupId>org.sonarsource.scanner.maven</groupId>
           <artifactId>sonar-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>2.7.1</version>
+          <version>3.9.1.2184</version>
         </plugin>
 
+        <!-- TODO: This is dead plugin; remove it -->
         <plugin>
-          <groupId>org.jvnet.jaxb2.maven2</groupId>
-          <artifactId>maven-jaxb2-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>0.12.3</version>
+          <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
+          <artifactId>retrotranslator-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>1.0-alpha-4</version>
         </plugin>
 
       </plugins>
@@ -281,27 +291,39 @@
 
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
-        <!-- This seems to have to be defined here for the above configuration 
-          to be picked up during report generation -->
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-        <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
+        <artifactId>maven-enforcer-plugin</artifactId>
+        <executions>
+          <execution>
+            <id>enforce-environment</id>
+            <goals>
+              <goal>enforce</goal>
+            </goals>
+            <configuration>
+              <rules>
+                <requireMavenVersion>
+                  <version>3.8</version>
+                </requireMavenVersion>
+                <requireJavaVersion>
+                  <version>1.8</version>
+                </requireJavaVersion>
+              </rules>
+            </configuration>
+          </execution>
+        </executions>
       </plugin>
       <plugin>
-        <groupId>org.sonatype.plugins</groupId>
-        <artifactId>nexus-staging-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-        <extensions>true</extensions>
-        <configuration>
-          <serverId>ossrh</serverId>
-          <nexusUrl>https://oss.sonatype.org/</nexusUrl>
-          <autoReleaseAfterClose>false</autoReleaseAfterClose>
-        </configuration>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+        <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
       </plugin>
     </plugins>
+
     <extensions>
+      <!-- TODO: why is this needed? -->
       <extension>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.wagon</groupId>
         <artifactId>wagon-ssh-external</artifactId>
-        <version>1.0</version>
+        <version>3.5.3</version>
       </extension>
     </extensions>
 
@@ -313,47 +335,35 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.10.3</version>
-        <configuration>
-          <minmemory>128m</minmemory>
-          <maxmemory>512m</maxmemory>
-        </configuration>
       </plugin>
 
       <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-pmd-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.3</version>
         <configuration>
           <targetJdk>1.5</targetJdk>
-          <sourceEncoding>utf-8</sourceEncoding>
           <minimumTokens>100</minimumTokens>
         </configuration>
       </plugin>
 
       <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-project-info-reports-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.7</version>
       </plugin>
 
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.16</version>
       </plugin>
 
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-jxr-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.4</version>
-        <configuration>
-          <aggregate>true</aggregate>
-        </configuration>
       </plugin>
 
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-surefire-report-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.19</version>
         <configuration>
           <aggregate>true</aggregate>
         </configuration>
@@ -362,7 +372,6 @@
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
         <artifactId>versions-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2</version>
       </plugin>
 
     </plugins>
@@ -382,7 +391,6 @@
     </repository>
   </repositories>
 
-
   <distributionManagement>
     <snapshotRepository>
       <id>ossrh</id>
@@ -396,8 +404,6 @@
     </repository>
   </distributionManagement>
 
-
-
   <profiles>
     <profile>
       <id>sonatype-oss-release</id>