diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-build.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-build.yml
index e0a8e6c57..3524b5732 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-build.yml
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/setup-java@b843ebf9b913146b38da2eaa7aeddf76074ae1ad # v6.1.0
       with:
         distribution: 'temurin'
-        java-version: 17
+        java-version: 21
         cache: 'maven'
     - name: Build camel-kamelets
       run: ./mvnw -V -ntp clean install
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/setup-java@b843ebf9b913146b38da2eaa7aeddf76074ae1ad # v6.1.0
       with:
         distribution: 'temurin'
-        java-version: 17
+        java-version: 21
     - name: Deploy to ASF Snapshots Repository
       # Deploy both artifacts and sources (maybe required by Camel K)
       run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/generate-sbom-main.yml b/.github/workflows/generate-sbom-main.yml
index 3eedf9552..f9e7b04a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/generate-sbom-main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/generate-sbom-main.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
     timeout-minutes: 30
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        java: [ '17' ]
+        java: [ '21' ]
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/integration-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/integration-tests.yaml
index bdd3d693f..d4144871e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/integration-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/integration-tests.yaml
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/setup-java@b843ebf9b913146b38da2eaa7aeddf76074ae1ad # v6.1.0
       with:
         distribution: 'temurin'
-        # 25 for the Camel JBang launcher the tests run (//JAVA 21+ since CAMEL-23112), linked into JBang below instead
-        # of downloaded (that download fails now and then); 17, listed last, stays the default for the Maven build and
-        # the Citrus tests. With the Camel apps on 21 JiraIT failed in every run; it passed when JBang downloaded 27
+        # 25 for the Camel JBang launcher the tests run, linked into JBang below instead of downloaded (that download
+        # fails now and then); 21, listed last, stays the default for the Maven build (the Java baseline) and the Citrus
+        # tests. With the Camel apps on 21 JiraIT failed in every run; it passed when JBang downloaded 27
         java-version: |
           25
-          17
+          21
         cache: 'maven'
     - name: Build Kamelet libraries
       run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/java-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/java-tests.yaml
index b90697d56..0b41659e9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/java-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/java-tests.yaml
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@b843ebf9b913146b38da2eaa7aeddf76074ae1ad # v6.1.0
         with:
           distribution: 'temurin'
-          java-version: 17
+          java-version: 21
           cache: 'maven'
       - name: Build catalog 1st Run
         run: ./mvnw clean install -DskipTests -DskipITs
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main-push-regen.yaml b/.github/workflows/main-push-regen.yaml
index fb047545e..5691e9952 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main-push-regen.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main-push-regen.yaml
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@b843ebf9b913146b38da2eaa7aeddf76074ae1ad # v6.1.0
         with:
           distribution: 'temurin'
-          java-version: 17
+          java-version: 21
           cache: 'maven'
       - name: Build catalog 1st Run
         run: ./mvnw clean install -DskipTests
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate.yaml b/.github/workflows/validate.yaml
index 2a335448d..b22312075 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate.yaml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/setup-java@b843ebf9b913146b38da2eaa7aeddf76074ae1ad # v6.1.0
       with:
         distribution: 'temurin'
-        java-version: 17
+        java-version: 21
         cache: 'maven'
     - name: Run Validator
       run: |
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 4d7014b0d..fb450b03d 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Camel, Camel K, Camel Quarkus and Camel Spring Boot.
 
 - Version: 4.20.0
 - Camel: 4.20.0
-- Java: 17+
+- Java: 21+
 - Build: Maven (`mvn verify`); Go is required for the `crds/` generator
 - Issue tracker: GitHub — https://github.com/apache/camel-kamelets/issues
 - Related repository: `apache/camel` (Camel core — the Kamelet **runtime**
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 20b17ce2b..3be03ec41 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 
 [Full Changelog](https://github.com/apache/camel-kamelets/compare/v4.22.1...HEAD)
 
+**Breaking changes:**
+
+- Raise the minimal Java version from 17 to 21, following Camel core \(CAMEL-22996\): the Kamelet libraries are now built for Java 21 and can no longer be used with Java 17
+
 **Closed issues:**
 
 - Remove camel:core from the Kamelet dependencies: every Camel runtime has it [\#3096](https://github.com/apache/camel-kamelets/issues/3096)
diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.deploy b/Jenkinsfile.deploy
index 76714d120..c79843646 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.deploy
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.deploy
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 def LOCAL_REPOSITORY = env.LOCAL_REPOSITORY ?: '/home/jenkins/jenkins-slave/maven-repositories/0'
 def AGENT_LABEL = env.AGENT_LABEL ?: 'ubuntu'
-def JDK_NAME = env.JDK_NAME ?: 'jdk_17_latest'
+def JDK_NAME = env.JDK_NAME ?: 'jdk_21_latest'
 
 def MAVEN_PARAMS = '-U -B -e -fae -V -Dmaven.repo.local=/home/jenkins/.m2/repository -Dmaven.compiler.fork=true'
 
diff --git a/Jenkinsfile.ppc64le b/Jenkinsfile.ppc64le
index 9bc4c280c..3c7c9619e 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile.ppc64le
+++ b/Jenkinsfile.ppc64le
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 def LOCAL_REPOSITORY = env.LOCAL_REPOSITORY ?: '/home/jenkins/jenkins-slave/maven-repositories/0'
 def AGENT_LABEL = env.AGENT_LABEL ?: 'power9'
-def JDK_NAME = env.JDK_NAME ?: 'jdk_17_latest'
+def JDK_NAME = env.JDK_NAME ?: 'jdk_21_latest'
 
 def MAVEN_PARAMS = '-U -B -e -fae -V -Dmaven.repo.local=/home/jenkins/.m2/repository -Dmaven.compiler.fork=true'
 
diff --git a/jitpack.yml b/jitpack.yml
index efde7bf25..727c9abd3 100644
--- a/jitpack.yml
+++ b/jitpack.yml
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 jdk:
-  - openjdk17
+  - openjdk21
diff --git a/library/camel-kamelets-catalog/pom.xml b/library/camel-kamelets-catalog/pom.xml
index 08796eca4..e6a9cb0c3 100644
--- a/library/camel-kamelets-catalog/pom.xml
+++ b/library/camel-kamelets-catalog/pom.xml
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                 <configuration>
-                    <source>17</source>
-                    <target>17</target>
+                    <source>21</source>
+                    <target>21</target>
                 </configuration>
             </plugin>
         </plugins>
diff --git a/library/camel-kamelets-crds/pom.xml b/library/camel-kamelets-crds/pom.xml
index 02383ca7c..85a332bed 100644
--- a/library/camel-kamelets-crds/pom.xml
+++ b/library/camel-kamelets-crds/pom.xml
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@
   <properties>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
 
-    <maven.compiler.release>17</maven.compiler.release>
-    <maven.compiler.source>17</maven.compiler.source>
-    <maven.compiler.target>17</maven.compiler.target>
+    <maven.compiler.release>21</maven.compiler.release>
+    <maven.compiler.source>21</maven.compiler.source>
+    <maven.compiler.target>21</maven.compiler.target>
 
     <fabric8-version>8.0.0</fabric8-version>
     <maven-surefire-plugin-version>3.5.0</maven-surefire-plugin-version>
diff --git a/library/kamelets-maven-plugin/pom.xml b/library/kamelets-maven-plugin/pom.xml
index 1e90cb74b..84c502c51 100644
--- a/library/kamelets-maven-plugin/pom.xml
+++ b/library/kamelets-maven-plugin/pom.xml
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                 <configuration>
-                    <source>17</source>
-                    <target>17</target>
+                    <source>21</source>
+                    <target>21</target>
                 </configuration>
             </plugin>
         </plugins>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index da45971bc..50ca776a7 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@
     </modules>
 
     <properties>
-        <maven.compiler.source>17</maven.compiler.source>
-        <maven.compiler.target>17</maven.compiler.target>
-        <maven.compiler.release>17</maven.compiler.release>
+        <maven.compiler.source>21</maven.compiler.source>
+        <maven.compiler.target>21</maven.compiler.target>
+        <maven.compiler.release>21</maven.compiler.release>
 
         <failIfNoTests>false</failIfNoTests>
         <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
@@ -301,8 +301,8 @@
                     <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                     <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                     <configuration>
-                        <source>17</source>
-                        <target>17</target>
+                        <source>21</source>
+                        <target>21</target>
                     </configuration>
                 </plugin>
             </plugins>
diff --git a/tests/camel-kamelets-itest/README.md b/tests/camel-kamelets-itest/README.md
index 4d522f8d3..ce8d2b8f9 100644
--- a/tests/camel-kamelets-itest/README.md
+++ b/tests/camel-kamelets-itest/README.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 This folder contains a suite of integration tests for Kamelets
 
 You need the following tools to run the tests:
-- Java 17
+- Java 21
 - [JBang](https://www.jbang.dev/)
 - [Camel JBang](https://camel.apache.org/manual/camel-jbang.html)
 - [Citrus JBang App](https://citrusframework.org/citrus/reference/html/index.html#runtime-jbang-install)