diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto-update-otel-sdk.yml b/.github/workflows/auto-update-otel-sdk.yml
index 49704a30ba..6c43070505 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/auto-update-otel-sdk.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto-update-otel-sdk.yml
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Setup Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-common.yml b/.github/workflows/build-common.yml
index 050618de56..7af992781d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-common.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-common.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Setup Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Setup Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Increase gradle daemon heap size
         run: |
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       # vaadin 14 tests fail with node 18
       - name: Set up Node
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Set up Gradle cache
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Setup Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Set up Gradle cache
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 6adc60782d..e97be25c00 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Setup Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql-daily.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql-daily.yml
index 9f5487abb7..490325cc91 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql-daily.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql-daily.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Initialize CodeQL
         uses: github/codeql-action/init@b7cec7526559c32f1616476ff32d17ba4c59b2d6 # v3.25.5
diff --git a/.github/workflows/owasp-dependency-check-daily.yml b/.github/workflows/owasp-dependency-check-daily.yml
index 98239795df..9706da73c3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/owasp-dependency-check-daily.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/owasp-dependency-check-daily.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Increase gradle daemon heap size
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-smoke-test-fake-backend-images.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-smoke-test-fake-backend-images.yml
index 52da4d8000..f8143b98e7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-smoke-test-fake-backend-images.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-smoke-test-fake-backend-images.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Setup Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Setup Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-smoke-test-servlet-images.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-smoke-test-servlet-images.yml
index d74e1a3155..50880664b2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-smoke-test-servlet-images.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-smoke-test-servlet-images.yml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Set up Gradle cache
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-smoke-test-fake-backend-images.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-smoke-test-fake-backend-images.yml
index 5ff323e1c5..29a620e0a7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-smoke-test-fake-backend-images.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-smoke-test-fake-backend-images.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Login to GitHub package registry
         uses: docker/login-action@v3
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Login to GitHub package registry
         uses: azure/docker-login@v1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-smoke-test-servlet-images.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-smoke-test-servlet-images.yml
index 95c304549f..a192a3b610 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-smoke-test-servlet-images.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-smoke-test-servlet-images.yml
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Login to GitHub package registry
         uses: docker/login-action@e92390c5fb421da1463c202d546fed0ec5c39f20 # v3.1.0
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 8fccfceba8..58fe2621dd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Setup Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-muzzle.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-muzzle.yml
index c1033b4d4f..56e140c21a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-muzzle.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-muzzle.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Setup Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@db19848a5fa7950289d3668fb053140cf3028d43 # v3.3.2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-native-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-native-tests.yml
index 7f2e99429e..a655656f77 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-native-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-native-tests.yml
@@ -13,10 +13,12 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@44c2b7a8a4ea60a981eaca3cf939b5f4305c123b # v4.1.5
+      - id: read-java
+        run: echo "version=$(cat .java-version)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
       - uses: graalvm/setup-graalvm@2f25c0caae5b220866f732832d5e3e29ff493338 # v1.2.1.1
         with:
           version: "latest"
-          java-version: "21"
+          java-version: "${{ steps.read-java.outputs.version }}"
           components: "native-image"
       - name: Running test
         env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-smoke-test-images.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-smoke-test-images.yml
index b72af52e56..66123991b5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-smoke-test-images.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-smoke-test-images.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Login to GitHub package registry
         if: inputs.publish
diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-test-indy.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-test-indy.yml
index 6045802006..62258a6b98 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-test-indy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-test-indy.yml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Increase gradle daemon heap size
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-test-latest-deps.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-test-latest-deps.yml
index f2fc335130..8207653f5f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-test-latest-deps.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-test-latest-deps.yml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@99b8673ff64fbf99d8d325f52d9a5bdedb8483e9 # v4.2.1
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: 21
+          java-version-file: .java-version
 
       - name: Increase gradle daemon heap size
         run: |
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6eb86aa731..d5e39e5b25 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ out/
 /workspace
 java-agent/benchmark-integration/perf-test-settings.rc
 derby.log
-.java-version
 hs_err_pid*
 replay_pid*
 .attach_pid*
diff --git a/.java-version b/.java-version
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b5045cc404
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.java-version
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+21
\ No newline at end of file