diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dfe0770
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# Auto detect text files and perform LF normalization
+* text=auto
diff --git a/.github/workflows/checkBuild.yml b/.github/workflows/checkBuild.yml
index 5f58731..3575f38 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/checkBuild.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/checkBuild.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ jobs:
         distribution: [temurin]
 
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       
     - name: Set up JDK
       uses: actions/setup-java@v3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 3df4754..dd7d8ef 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ jobs:
   check_code: # Validates the code (see checkBuild.yml)
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       
     - name: Set up JDK
       uses: actions/setup-java@v3
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
     outputs:
       upload_url: ${{ steps.create_draft.outputs.upload_url }}
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       
     - name: Configure Git
       run: |
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: [prepare_release]
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
     
     - name: Init Git and pull
       run: |
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: [prepare_release]
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       
     - name: Init Git and pull
       run: |
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: [publish_central]
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       
     - name: Init Git and pull
       run: |
@@ -197,8 +197,12 @@ jobs:
         git push origin
     
     - name: pull-request
-      uses: repo-sync/pull-request@v2
-      with:
-        destination_branch: "develop"
-        pr_title: "Sync back"
-        pr_body: "An automated PR to sync changes back"
+      env:
+        GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+      run: |
+        gh_pr_up() { 
+          gh pr create "$@" || gh pr edit "$@" 
+        }
+        gh_pr_up -B "develop" \
+          --title "Sync back" \
+          --body "An automated PR to sync changes back"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/test-deploy.yml
index cc0d6a5..58da4d1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-deploy.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ jobs:
   publish_central: # Publish the code to central
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
     
     - name: Set up JDK OSSRH
       uses: actions/setup-java@v3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-from-template.yml b/.github/workflows/update-from-template.yml
index 8cf1363..6f36e25 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-from-template.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-from-template.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           # Required because otherwise there are always changes detected when executing diff/rev-list
           fetch-depth: 0
@@ -81,12 +81,14 @@ jobs:
           echo "abort=0" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           
       - name: pull-request
-        uses: repo-sync/pull-request@v2
         if: steps.main.outputs.abort == 0
-        with:
-          github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          source_branch: ${{ env.UPDATE_BRANCH }}
-          destination_branch: ${{ steps.main.outputs.current_branch }}
-          pr_title: "Update from template"
-          pr_body: "An automated PR to sync changes from the template into this repo"
-          
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          gh_pr_up() { 
+            gh pr create "$@" || gh pr edit "$@" 
+          }
+          gh_pr_up -B "${{ steps.main.outputs.current_branch }}" \
+            -H "${{ env.UPDATE_BRANCH }}" \
+            --title "Update from template" \
+            --body "An automated PR to sync changes from the template into this repo"
diff --git a/.idea/checkstyle-idea.xml b/.idea/checkstyle-idea.xml
index 14dae16..f68c212 100644
--- a/.idea/checkstyle-idea.xml
+++ b/.idea/checkstyle-idea.xml
@@ -7,14 +7,14 @@
     <copyLibs>true</copyLibs>
     <option name="thirdPartyClasspath" />
     <option name="activeLocationIds">
-      <option value="ad869637-9bf8-480c-9c01-a02a9c158ead" />
+      <option value="1d81ed75-9d2a-4a5a-8852-5fc05c1396b5" />
     </option>
     <option name="locations">
       <list>
         <ConfigurationLocation id="bundled-sun-checks" type="BUNDLED" scope="All" description="Sun Checks">(bundled)</ConfigurationLocation>
         <ConfigurationLocation id="bundled-google-checks" type="BUNDLED" scope="All" description="Google Checks">(bundled)</ConfigurationLocation>
-        <ConfigurationLocation id="ad869637-9bf8-480c-9c01-a02a9c158ead" type="PROJECT_RELATIVE" scope="All" description="XDEV Checks">$PROJECT_DIR$/config/checkstyle/checkstyle.xml</ConfigurationLocation>
+        <ConfigurationLocation id="1d81ed75-9d2a-4a5a-8852-5fc05c1396b5" type="PROJECT_RELATIVE" scope="All" description="XDEV Checks">$PROJECT_DIR$/config/checkstyle/checkstyle.xml</ConfigurationLocation>
       </list>
     </option>
   </component>
-</project>
\ No newline at end of file
+</project>
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index f6f3f84..fcc7a6c 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -1,19 +1,18 @@
 ## Contributing
 
-We would absolutely love to get the community involved, and we welcome any form of contributions – comments and questions on different communication channels, issues and pull request in the repositories, and anything that you build and share using our components.
+We would absolutely love to get the community involved, and we welcome any form of contributions – comments and questions on different communication channels, issues and pull request and anything that you build and share using our components.
 
-### Get in touch with the team
+### Communication channels
+* Communication is primarily done using issues.
+* If you need support as soon as possible and you can't wait for any pull request, feel free to use [our support](https://xdev.software/en/services/support).
+* As a last resort measure or on otherwise important matter you may also [contact us directly](https://xdev.software/en/about-us/contact).
 
-Twitter: https://twitter.com/xdevsoftware 
-<br/>
-Mail: opensource@xdev-software.de
+### Ways to help
+* **Report bugs**<br/>Create an issue or send a pull request
+* **Send pull requests**<br/>If you want to contribute code, check out the development instructions below.
+  * However when contributing new features, please first discuss the change you wish to make via issue with the owners of this repository before making a change. Otherwise your work might be rejected and your effort was pointless.
 
-### Some ways to help:
-
-- **Report bugs**: File issues on GitHub.
-- **Send pull requests**: If you want to contribute code, check out the development instructions below.
-
-We encourage you to read the [contribution instructions by GitHub](https://guides.github.com/activities/contributing-to-open-source/#contributing) also.
+We also encourage you to read the [contribution instructions by GitHub](https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/quickstart/contributing-to-projects).
 
 ## Developing
 
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ You should have the following things installed:
 ### Recommended setup
 * Install ``IntelliJ`` (Community Edition is sufficient)
   * Install the following plugins:
-    * [Save Actions](https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/7642-save-actions) - Provides save actions, like running the formatter or adding ``final`` to fields
+    * [Save Actions](https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/22113) - Provides save actions, like running the formatter or adding ``final`` to fields
     * [SonarLint](https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/7973-sonarlint) - CodeStyle/CodeAnalysis
     * [Checkstyle-IDEA](https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/1065-checkstyle-idea) - CodeStyle/CodeAnalysis
   * Import the project
@@ -42,4 +41,4 @@ Before releasing:
 If the ``develop`` is ready for release, create a pull request to the ``master``-Branch and merge the changes.
 
 When the release is finished do the following:
-* Merge the auto-generated PR (with the incremented version number) back into the ``develop``
\ No newline at end of file
+* Merge the auto-generated PR (with the incremented version number) back into the ``develop``
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 0398503..1bde309 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>com.mycila</groupId>
                 <artifactId>license-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>4.1</version>
+                <version>4.3</version>
                 <configuration>
                     <properties>
                         <email>${project.organization.url}</email>
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>3.5.0</version>
+                <version>3.6.0</version>
                 <executions>
                     <execution>
                         <id>attach-javadocs</id>
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-source-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>3.2.1</version>
+                <version>3.3.0</version>
                 <executions>
                     <execution>
                         <id>attach-sources</id>
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@
                     <plugin>
                         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                         <artifactId>maven-gpg-plugin</artifactId>
-                        <version>3.0.1</version>
+                        <version>3.1.0</version>
                         <executions>
                             <execution>
                                 <id>sign-artifacts</id>