diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 1f2e6e13..858372b6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -19,40 +19,26 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         # test against
-        # - Java 1.8 (minimum requirement)
-        # - Java 9 (first version with JPMS)
+        # - Java 8 (minimum requirement)
         # - Java LTS versions (11, 17, ...)
         # - lastest Java version(s)
         java:
-          - 1.8
-          - 9
+          - 8
           - 11  # LTS
-          - 14
           - 15
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
 
       - uses: gradle/wrapper-validation-action@v1
-        if: matrix.java == '1.8'
+        if: matrix.java == '8'
 
       - name: Setup Java ${{ matrix.java }}
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v1
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v2
         with:
           java-version: ${{ matrix.java }}
-
-      - name: Cache Gradle wrapper
-        uses: actions/cache@v1
-        with:
-          path: ~/.gradle/wrapper
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-wrapper-${{ hashFiles('gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties') }}
-
-      - name: Cache Gradle cache
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
-        with:
-          path: ~/.gradle/caches
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-${{ hashFiles('**/*.gradle.kts') }}
-          restore-keys: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle
+          distribution: adopt  # Java 8 and 11 are pre-installed on ubuntu-latest
+          cache: gradle
 
       - name: Build with Gradle
         run: ./gradlew build
@@ -80,22 +66,11 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
 
       - name: Setup Java 11
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v1
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v2
         with:
           java-version: 11
-
-      - name: Cache Gradle wrapper
-        uses: actions/cache@v1
-        with:
-          path: ~/.gradle/wrapper
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-wrapper-${{ hashFiles('gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties') }}
-
-      - name: Cache Gradle cache
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
-        with:
-          path: ~/.gradle/caches
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-${{ hashFiles('**/*.gradle.kts') }}
-          restore-keys: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle
+          distribution: adopt  # pre-installed on ubuntu-latest
+          cache: gradle
 
       - name: Publish snapshot to oss.sonatype.org
         run: ./gradlew publish :flatlaf-theme-editor:build -Dorg.gradle.internal.publish.checksums.insecure=true
@@ -127,22 +102,11 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
 
       - name: Setup Java 11
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v1
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v2
         with:
           java-version: 11
-
-      - name: Cache Gradle wrapper
-        uses: actions/cache@v1
-        with:
-          path: ~/.gradle/wrapper
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-wrapper-${{ hashFiles('gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties') }}
-
-      - name: Cache Gradle cache
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
-        with:
-          path: ~/.gradle/caches
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-${{ hashFiles('**/*.gradle.kts') }}
-          restore-keys: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle
+          distribution: adopt  # pre-installed on ubuntu-latest
+          cache: gradle
 
       - name: Release a new stable version to Maven Central
         run: ./gradlew publish :flatlaf-demo:build :flatlaf-theme-editor:build -Drelease=true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/natives.yml b/.github/workflows/natives.yml
index b89ef095..d2058a12 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/natives.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/natives.yml
@@ -27,28 +27,17 @@ jobs:
 
             - uses: gradle/wrapper-validation-action@v1
 
-            - name: Setup Java 1.8
-              uses: actions/setup-java@v1
+            - name: Setup Java 11
+              uses: actions/setup-java@v2
               with:
-                  java-version: 1.8
-
-            - name: Cache Gradle wrapper
-              uses: actions/cache@v1
-              with:
-                  path: ~/.gradle/wrapper
-                  key: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-wrapper-${{ hashFiles('gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties') }}
-
-            - name: Cache Gradle cache
-              uses: actions/cache@v2
-              with:
-                  path: |
-                    ~/.gradle/caches
-                    !~/.gradle/caches/modules-2/modules-2.lock
-                  key: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle-${{ hashFiles('**/*.gradle.kts') }}
-                  restore-keys: ${{ runner.os }}-gradle
+                  java-version: 11
+                  distribution: adopt
+                  cache: gradle
 
             - name: Build with Gradle
-              run: ./gradlew :flatlaf-natives-windows:build
+              # --no-daemon is necessary on Windows otherwise caching Gradle would fail with: 
+              #   tar.exe: Couldn't open ~/.gradle/caches/modules-2/modules-2.lock: Permission denied
+              run: ./gradlew :flatlaf-natives-windows:build --no-daemon
 
             - name: Upload artifacts
               uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2