diff --git a/README.adoc b/README.adoc
index c6cdb97..899e962 100644
--- a/README.adoc
+++ b/README.adoc
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ This guide walks you through the process of building a https://docker.com[Docker
 https://docker.com[Docker] is a Linux container management toolkit with a "social" aspect, allowing users to publish container images and consume those published by others. A Docker image is a recipe for running a containerized process, and in this guide we will build one for a simple Spring boot application.
 
 == What you'll need
-:java_version: 1.7
+:java_version: 1.8
 include::https://raw.githubusercontent.com/spring-guides/getting-started-macros/master/prereq_editor_jdk_buildtools.adoc[]
 
 If you are NOT using a Linux machine, you will need a virtualized server. By installing VirtualBox, other tools like the Mac's boot2docker, can seamlessly manage it for you. Visit https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads[VirtualBox's download site] and pick the version for your machine. Download and install. Don't worry about actually running it.
diff --git a/complete/build.gradle b/complete/build.gradle
index c2838f6..8d963bc 100644
--- a/complete/build.gradle
+++ b/complete/build.gradle
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ repositories {
     mavenCentral()
 }
 
-sourceCompatibility = 1.7
-targetCompatibility = 1.7
+sourceCompatibility = 1.8
+targetCompatibility = 1.8
 
 dependencies {
     compile("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web") 
diff --git a/complete/pom.xml b/complete/pom.xml
index c7cd68f..7b173b5 100644
--- a/complete/pom.xml
+++ b/complete/pom.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
     <properties>
     	<docker.image.prefix>springio</docker.image.prefix>
-        <java.version>1.7</java.version>
+        <java.version>1.8</java.version>
     </properties>
 
     <build>
diff --git a/initial/build.gradle b/initial/build.gradle
index 6dd3a94..7873abd 100644
--- a/initial/build.gradle
+++ b/initial/build.gradle
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ repositories {
     mavenCentral()
 }
 
-sourceCompatibility = 1.7
-targetCompatibility = 1.7
+sourceCompatibility = 1.8
+targetCompatibility = 1.8
 
 dependencies {
     compile("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web") 
diff --git a/initial/pom.xml b/initial/pom.xml
index 98c1f1c..4cd50b6 100644
--- a/initial/pom.xml
+++ b/initial/pom.xml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
-        <java.version>1.7</java.version>
+        <java.version>1.8</java.version>
     </properties>
 
     <dependencies>