--- a/antlr3-maven-archetype/src/main/resources/archetype-resources/pom.xml
+++ b/antlr3-maven-archetype/src/main/resources/archetype-resources/pom.xml
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@
                 <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                 <version>2.0.2</version>
                 <configuration>
-                    <source>1.6</source>
-                    <target>jsr14</target>
+                    <source>1.8</source>
+                    <target>1.8</target>
                     <sourceDirectory>src</sourceDirectory>
                 </configuration>
             </plugin>
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -52,12 +52,10 @@
     -->
     <properties>
         <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
-        <java5.home>${env.JAVA5_HOME}</java5.home>
-        <java6.home>${env.JAVA6_HOME}</java6.home>
-        <bootclasspath.java5>${java5.home}/lib/rt.jar</bootclasspath.java5>
-        <bootclasspath.java6>${java6.home}/lib/rt.jar</bootclasspath.java6>
-        <bootclasspath.compile>${bootclasspath.java5}</bootclasspath.compile>
-        <bootclasspath.testCompile>${bootclasspath.java6}</bootclasspath.testCompile>
+        <java.home>${env.JAVA_HOME}</java.home>
+        <bootclasspath.java>${java.home}/lib/rt.jar</bootclasspath.java>
+        <bootclasspath.compile>${bootclasspath.java}</bootclasspath.compile>
+        <bootclasspath.testCompile>${bootclasspath.java}</bootclasspath.testCompile>
     </properties>
 
     <licenses>
@@ -145,8 +143,8 @@
                             <execution>
                                 <id>default-compile</id>
                                 <configuration>
-                                    <source>1.5</source>
-                                    <target>1.5</target>
+                                    <source>1.8</source>
+                                    <target>1.8</target>
                                     <compilerArgs>
                                         <arg>-Xlint</arg>
                                         <arg>-Xlint:-serial</arg>
@@ -158,8 +156,8 @@
                             <execution>
                                 <id>default-testCompile</id>
                                 <configuration>
-                                    <source>1.6</source>
-                                    <target>1.6</target>
+                                    <source>1.8</source>
+                                    <target>1.8</target>
                                     <compilerArgs>
                                         <arg>-Xlint</arg>
                                         <arg>-Xlint:-serial</arg>
@@ -235,15 +233,15 @@
                     <execution>
                         <id>default-compile</id>
                         <configuration>
-                            <source>1.5</source>
-                            <target>1.5</target>
+                            <source>1.8</source>
+                            <target>1.8</target>
                         </configuration>
                     </execution>
                     <execution>
                         <id>default-testCompile</id>
                         <configuration>
-                            <source>1.6</source>
-                            <target>1.6</target>
+                            <source>1.8</source>
+                            <target>1.8</target>
                         </configuration>
                     </execution>
                 </executions>
@@ -290,6 +288,7 @@
                 <!-- override the version inherited from the parent -->
                 <version>2.9.1</version>
                 <configuration>
+                    <source>8</source>
                     <quiet>true</quiet>
                 </configuration>
             </plugin>
@@ -311,6 +310,9 @@
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId>
                 <version>2.9.1</version>
+                <configuration>
+                    <source>8</source>
+                </configuration>
             </plugin>
 
             <plugin>