diff --git a/.github/project.yml b/.github/project.yml
index c6a326f1..fda65043 100644
--- a/.github/project.yml
+++ b/.github/project.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 release:
-  current-version: 4.0.5.Final
-  next-version: 4.0.6-SNAPSHOT
\ No newline at end of file
+  current-version: 4.1.0.Final
+  next-version: 4.2.0-SNAPSHOT
diff --git a/.github/workflows/maven-verify.yml b/.github/workflows/maven-verify.yml
index 44aba632..e5689513 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/maven-verify.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/maven-verify.yml
@@ -6,18 +6,18 @@ name: sdk-java Verify
 on:
   push:
     branches:
-      - 4.0.*
+      - 4.*
   pull_request:
     branches:
-      - 4.0.*
+      - 4.*
 jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Set up JDK 1.8
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v3
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           distribution: temurin
           java-version: 8
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml b/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
index ce904c75..44f54117 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ jobs:
     name: pre release
 
     steps:
-      - uses: radcortez/project-metadata-action@master
+      - uses: radcortez/project-metadata-action@main
         name: retrieve project metadata
         id: metadata
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 3a188b77..07361f95 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ jobs:
   release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     name: release
-    if: ${{github.event.pull_request.merged == true}}
+    if: ${{ github.event.pull_request.merged == true }}
 
     steps:
       - uses: radcortez/project-metadata-action@main
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ jobs:
           github-token: ${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}
           metadata-file-path: '.github/project.yml'
 
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Import GPG key
         id: import_gpg
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ jobs:
           passphrase: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
 
       - name: Set up JDK 1.8
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v3
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           distribution: temurin
           java-version: 8
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ jobs:
           cat release.properties
           git checkout ${{github.base_ref}}
           git rebase release
-          mvn -B release:perform -Darguments=-DperformRelease -DperformRelease -Prelease
+          mvn -B release:perform -Prelease -Darguments="-DperformRelease"
         env:
           MAVEN_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
           MAVEN_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
 
       - name: Push tags
-        run: git push && git push --tags
+        run: git push && git push --tags
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/api/pom.xml b/api/pom.xml
index 7364be58..4758575b 100644
--- a/api/pom.xml
+++ b/api/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>io.serverlessworkflow</groupId>
         <artifactId>serverlessworkflow-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>4.0.5.Final</version>
+        <version>4.1.0.Final</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>serverlessworkflow-api</artifactId>
@@ -140,26 +140,6 @@
                     </execution>
                 </executions>
             </plugin>
-            <plugin>
-                <groupId>com.coveo</groupId>
-                <artifactId>fmt-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <configuration>
-                    <sourceDirectory>src/main/java</sourceDirectory>
-                    <testSourceDirectory>src/test/java</testSourceDirectory>
-                    <verbose>false</verbose>
-                    <filesNamePattern>.*\.java</filesNamePattern>
-                    <skip>false</skip>
-                    <skipSortingImports>false</skipSortingImports>
-                    <style>google</style>
-                </configuration>
-                <executions>
-                    <execution>
-                        <goals>
-                            <goal>format</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                </executions>
-            </plugin>
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-jar-plugin</artifactId>
diff --git a/api/src/main/resources/schema/events/eventref.json b/api/src/main/resources/schema/events/eventref.json
index 76334993..c0e04a7a 100644
--- a/api/src/main/resources/schema/events/eventref.json
+++ b/api/src/main/resources/schema/events/eventref.json
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
       "description": "Maximum amount of time (ISO 8601 format) to wait for the result event. If not defined it should default to the actionExecutionTimeout"
     },
     "data": {
-      "type": "string",
+      "type": "object",
+      "existingJavaType": "com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonNode",
       "description": "Expression which selects parts of the states data output to become the data of the produced event."
     },
     "contextAttributes": {
diff --git a/api/src/main/resources/schema/produce/produceevent.json b/api/src/main/resources/schema/produce/produceevent.json
index f094824e..fd3ecdb4 100644
--- a/api/src/main/resources/schema/produce/produceevent.json
+++ b/api/src/main/resources/schema/produce/produceevent.json
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@
       "minLength": 1
     },
     "data": {
-      "type": "string",
-      "description": "Workflow expression which selects parts of the states data output to become the data of the produced event"
+      "type": "object",
+      "description": "Workflow expression which selects parts of the states data output to become the data of the produced event",
+      "existingJavaType": "com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonNode"
     },
     "contextAttributes": {
       "type": "object",
diff --git a/diagram/pom.xml b/diagram/pom.xml
index e89a7de5..3ade1f45 100644
--- a/diagram/pom.xml
+++ b/diagram/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>io.serverlessworkflow</groupId>
         <artifactId>serverlessworkflow-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>4.0.5.Final</version>
+        <version>4.1.0.Final</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>serverlessworkflow-diagram</artifactId>
@@ -127,26 +127,6 @@
                     </execution>
                 </executions>
             </plugin>
-            <plugin>
-                <groupId>com.coveo</groupId>
-                <artifactId>fmt-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <configuration>
-                    <sourceDirectory>src/main/java</sourceDirectory>
-                    <testSourceDirectory>src/test/java</testSourceDirectory>
-                    <verbose>false</verbose>
-                    <filesNamePattern>.*\.java</filesNamePattern>
-                    <skip>false</skip>
-                    <skipSortingImports>false</skipSortingImports>
-                    <style>google</style>
-                </configuration>
-                <executions>
-                    <execution>
-                        <goals>
-                            <goal>format</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                </executions>
-            </plugin>
         </plugins>
     </build>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 4a574f0c..29d7fc57 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
   <groupId>io.serverlessworkflow</groupId>
   <artifactId>serverlessworkflow-parent</artifactId>
-  <version>4.0.5.Final</version>
+  <version>4.1.0.Final</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
 
   <name>Serverless Workflow :: Parent</name>
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
     <connection>scm:git:git@github.com:serverlessworkflow/sdk-java.git</connection>
     <developerConnection>scm:git:git@github.com:serverlessworkflow/sdk-java.git</developerConnection>
     <url>https://github.com/serverlessworkflow/sdk-java</url>
-    <tag>4.0.5.Final</tag>
+    <tag>4.1.0.Final</tag>
   </scm>
 
   <modules>
@@ -48,42 +48,42 @@
     <java.version>1.8</java.version>
     <maven.compiler.source>${java.version}</maven.compiler.source>
     <maven.compiler.target>${java.version}</maven.compiler.target>
+    <maven.compiler.release>8</maven.compiler.release>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
-    <version.maven>3.6.2</version.maven>
+    <version.maven>3.9.7</version.maven>
 
     <!-- Plugin versions, please keep in alphabetical order -->
-    <version.buildnumber.plugin>3.2.0</version.buildnumber.plugin>
-    <version.checkstyle.plugin>3.1.1</version.checkstyle.plugin>
-    <version.compiler.plugin>3.8.1</version.compiler.plugin>
-    <version.deploy.plugin>2.8.2</version.deploy.plugin>
-    <version.enforcer.plugin>3.0.0-M2</version.enforcer.plugin>
-    <version.failsafe.plugin>3.1.2</version.failsafe.plugin>
-    <version.fmt-maven-plugin>2.9.1</version.fmt-maven-plugin>
-    <version.gpg.plugin>3.1.0</version.gpg.plugin>
-    <version.jar.plugin>3.2.0</version.jar.plugin>
+    <version.buildnumber.plugin>3.2.1</version.buildnumber.plugin>
+    <version.checkstyle.plugin>3.6.0</version.checkstyle.plugin>
+    <version.compiler.plugin>3.14.0</version.compiler.plugin>
+    <version.deploy.plugin>3.1.4</version.deploy.plugin>
+    <version.enforcer.plugin>3.5.0</version.enforcer.plugin>
+    <version.failsafe.plugin>3.5.3</version.failsafe.plugin>
+    <version.fmt-maven-plugin>2.25</version.fmt-maven-plugin>
+    <version.gpg.plugin>3.2.7</version.gpg.plugin>
+    <version.jar.plugin>3.4.2</version.jar.plugin>
     <version.jdk>${java.version}</version.jdk>
-    <version.jsonschema2pojo-maven-plugin>1.0.1</version.jsonschema2pojo-maven-plugin>
-    <version.javadoc.plugin>3.6.0</version.javadoc.plugin>
-    <version.release.plugin>3.0.1</version.release.plugin>
-    <version.source.plugin>3.3.0</version.source.plugin>
-    <version.surefire.plugin>2.22.0</version.surefire.plugin>
+    <version.jsonschema2pojo-maven-plugin>1.2.2</version.jsonschema2pojo-maven-plugin>
+    <version.javadoc.plugin>3.11.2</version.javadoc.plugin>
+    <version.release.plugin>3.1.1</version.release.plugin>
+    <version.source.plugin>3.3.1</version.source.plugin>
+    <version.surefire.plugin>3.5.3</version.surefire.plugin>
+    <version.nexus.plugin>1.7.0</version.nexus.plugin>
 
 
     <!-- Dependencies versions, please keep in alphabetical order -->
-    <version.ch.qos.logback>1.4.9</version.ch.qos.logback>
-    <version.com.fasterxml.jackson>2.15.3</version.com.fasterxml.jackson>
-    <version.com.networknt>1.0.87</version.com.networknt>
+    <version.ch.qos.logback>1.2.11</version.ch.qos.logback>
+    <version.com.fasterxml.jackson>2.18.3</version.com.fasterxml.jackson>
+    <version.com.networknt>1.5.6</version.com.networknt>
     <version.commons.lang>3.13.0</version.commons.lang>
     <version.graphviz>0.17.0</version.graphviz>
     <version.hamcrest>1.3</version.hamcrest>
     <version.javax.validation>2.0.1.Final</version.javax.validation>
     <version.jsonassert>1.5.0</version.jsonassert>
     <version.org.assertj>3.13.2</version.org.assertj>
-    <version.org.junit.jupiter>${version.org.junit}</version.org.junit.jupiter>
-    <version.org.junit.minor>6.0</version.org.junit.minor>
-    <version.org.junit>5.${version.org.junit.minor}</version.org.junit>
-    <version.org.mockito>5.6.0</version.org.mockito>
-    <version.org.slf4j>1.7.25</version.org.slf4j>
+    <version.org.junit.jupiter>5.12.2</version.org.junit.jupiter>
+    <version.org.mockito>5.17.0</version.org.mockito>
+    <version.org.slf4j>2.0.17</version.org.slf4j>
     <version.plantuml>8059</version.plantuml>
     <version.thymeleaf>3.1.2.RELEASE</version.thymeleaf>
 
@@ -271,6 +271,17 @@
 
     <pluginManagement>
       <plugins>
+        <plugin>
+          <groupId>org.sonatype.plugins</groupId>
+          <artifactId>nexus-staging-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>${version.nexus.plugin}</version>
+          <extensions>true</extensions>
+          <configuration>
+            <serverId>ossrh</serverId>
+            <nexusUrl>https://oss.sonatype.org/</nexusUrl>
+            <autoReleaseAfterClose>true</autoReleaseAfterClose>
+          </configuration>
+        </plugin>
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-gpg-plugin</artifactId>
@@ -383,9 +394,24 @@
           <version>${version.checkstyle.plugin}</version>
         </plugin>
         <plugin>
-          <groupId>com.coveo</groupId>
+          <groupId>com.spotify.fmt</groupId>
           <artifactId>fmt-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-          <version>${version.fmt-maven-plugin}</version>
+          <configuration>
+            <sourceDirectory>src/main/java</sourceDirectory>
+            <testSourceDirectory>src/test/java</testSourceDirectory>
+            <verbose>false</verbose>
+            <filesNamePattern>.*\.java</filesNamePattern>
+            <skip>false</skip>
+            <skipSortingImports>false</skipSortingImports>
+            <style>google</style>
+          </configuration>
+          <executions>
+            <execution>
+              <goals>
+                <goal>format</goal>
+              </goals>
+            </execution>
+          </executions>
         </plugin>
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
diff --git a/spi/pom.xml b/spi/pom.xml
index 5427df00..9cfd93c8 100644
--- a/spi/pom.xml
+++ b/spi/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>io.serverlessworkflow</groupId>
         <artifactId>serverlessworkflow-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>4.0.5.Final</version>
+        <version>4.1.0.Final</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>serverlessworkflow-spi</artifactId>
@@ -99,26 +99,6 @@
                     </execution>
                 </executions>
             </plugin>
-            <plugin>
-                <groupId>com.coveo</groupId>
-                <artifactId>fmt-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <configuration>
-                    <sourceDirectory>src/main/java</sourceDirectory>
-                    <testSourceDirectory>src/test/java</testSourceDirectory>
-                    <verbose>false</verbose>
-                    <filesNamePattern>.*\.java</filesNamePattern>
-                    <skip>false</skip>
-                    <skipSortingImports>false</skipSortingImports>
-                    <style>google</style>
-                </configuration>
-                <executions>
-                    <execution>
-                        <goals>
-                            <goal>format</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                </executions>
-            </plugin>
         </plugins>
     </build>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/utils/pom.xml b/utils/pom.xml
index 4cf5a20f..e8909da8 100644
--- a/utils/pom.xml
+++ b/utils/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>io.serverlessworkflow</groupId>
         <artifactId>serverlessworkflow-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>4.0.5.Final</version>
+        <version>4.1.0.Final</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>serverlessworkflow-util</artifactId>
@@ -99,26 +99,6 @@
                     </execution>
                 </executions>
             </plugin>
-            <plugin>
-                <groupId>com.coveo</groupId>
-                <artifactId>fmt-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <configuration>
-                    <sourceDirectory>src/main/java</sourceDirectory>
-                    <testSourceDirectory>src/test/java</testSourceDirectory>
-                    <verbose>false</verbose>
-                    <filesNamePattern>.*\.java</filesNamePattern>
-                    <skip>false</skip>
-                    <skipSortingImports>false</skipSortingImports>
-                    <style>google</style>
-                </configuration>
-                <executions>
-                    <execution>
-                        <goals>
-                            <goal>format</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                </executions>
-            </plugin>
         </plugins>
     </build>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/utils/src/main/java/io/serverlessworkflow/utils/WorkflowUtils.java b/utils/src/main/java/io/serverlessworkflow/utils/WorkflowUtils.java
index 29b8c7cc..a5673b40 100644
--- a/utils/src/main/java/io/serverlessworkflow/utils/WorkflowUtils.java
+++ b/utils/src/main/java/io/serverlessworkflow/utils/WorkflowUtils.java
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ public static JsonNode mergeNodes(JsonNode mainNode, JsonNode updateNode) {
         if (mainNode instanceof ObjectNode) {
           // Overwrite field
           JsonNode value = updateNode.get(fieldName);
-          ((ObjectNode) mainNode).put(fieldName, value);
+          ((ObjectNode) mainNode).set(fieldName, value);
         }
       }
     }
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ public static JsonNode mergeNodes(JsonNode mainNode, JsonNode updateNode) {
    * @return original, main node with field added
    */
   public static JsonNode addNode(JsonNode mainNode, JsonNode toAddNode, String fieldName) {
-    ((ObjectNode) mainNode).put(fieldName, toAddNode);
+    ((ObjectNode) mainNode).set(fieldName, toAddNode);
     return mainNode;
   }
 
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ public static JsonNode addNode(JsonNode mainNode, JsonNode toAddNode, String fie
    * @return original, main node with array added
    */
   public static JsonNode addArray(JsonNode mainNode, ArrayNode toAddArray, String arrayName) {
-    ((ObjectNode) mainNode).put(arrayName, toAddArray);
+    ((ObjectNode) mainNode).set(arrayName, toAddArray);
     return mainNode;
   }
 
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ public static JsonNode addArray(JsonNode mainNode, ArrayNode toAddArray, String
    */
   public static JsonNode addFieldValue(JsonNode mainNode, Object toAddValue, String fieldName) {
     ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
-    ((ObjectNode) mainNode).put(fieldName, mapper.valueToTree(toAddValue));
+    ((ObjectNode) mainNode).set(fieldName, mapper.valueToTree(toAddValue));
     return mainNode;
   }
 }
diff --git a/validation/pom.xml b/validation/pom.xml
index 193aaf67..e5fea1e1 100644
--- a/validation/pom.xml
+++ b/validation/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>io.serverlessworkflow</groupId>
         <artifactId>serverlessworkflow-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>4.0.5.Final</version>
+        <version>4.1.0.Final</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>serverlessworkflow-validation</artifactId>
@@ -121,26 +121,6 @@
                     </execution>
                 </executions>
             </plugin>
-            <plugin>
-                <groupId>com.coveo</groupId>
-                <artifactId>fmt-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                <configuration>
-                    <sourceDirectory>src/main/java</sourceDirectory>
-                    <testSourceDirectory>src/test/java</testSourceDirectory>
-                    <verbose>false</verbose>
-                    <filesNamePattern>.*\.java</filesNamePattern>
-                    <skip>false</skip>
-                    <skipSortingImports>false</skipSortingImports>
-                    <style>google</style>
-                </configuration>
-                <executions>
-                    <execution>
-                        <goals>
-                            <goal>format</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                    </execution>
-                </executions>
-            </plugin>
         </plugins>
     </build>
 </project>
diff --git a/validation/src/test/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/test/WorkflowValidationTest.java b/validation/src/test/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/test/WorkflowValidationTest.java
index 08237525..6ccef44f 100644
--- a/validation/src/test/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/test/WorkflowValidationTest.java
+++ b/validation/src/test/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/test/WorkflowValidationTest.java
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ public void testWorkflowMissingStatesIdAndKey() {
     Assertions.assertEquals(1, validationErrors.size());
 
     Assertions.assertEquals(
-        "$.id: is missing but it is required", validationErrors.get(0).getMessage());
+        "$: required property 'id' not found", validationErrors.get(0).getMessage());
   }
 
   @Test

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