diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 15fbb8de5..7aca7aa4d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,10 +21,19 @@ EMAP [your root emap directory]
 
 ## Developer onboarding
 
-- How to [configure IntelliJ](docs/intellij.md) to build emap and run tests.
+- How to [configure IntelliJ](docs/dev/intellij.md) to build emap and run tests.
 - [Onboarding](docs/dev/onboarding.md) gives details on how data items are processed and the test strategies used.
 
 
 # Monorepo migration
 
-How were [old repos migrated into this repo?](docs/migration.md)
+How were [old repos migrated into this repo?](docs/dev/migration.md)
+
+
+# Branching strategy
+
+`main` should always be usable in production, having gone through a validation run as well as the "standard" checks
+of code review and GHA tests using synthetic data.
+
+The `develop` branch is a pre-release branch intended to bring together one or more PRs. The standard checks
+ are performed when merging into here, but we can delay the full validation run until we're ready to merge to `main`.
diff --git a/docs/dev/core.md b/docs/dev/core.md
index 3980c9c5b..3a02f9179 100644
--- a/docs/dev/core.md
+++ b/docs/dev/core.md
@@ -156,3 +156,4 @@ manages the multiple repositories and configuration files.
 
 Ports which are allocated per project are listed on the [GAE port log](https://liveuclac.sharepoint.com/sites/RITS-EMAP/_layouts/OneNote.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2FRITS-EMAP%2FSiteAssets%2FInform%20-%20Emap%20Notebook&wd=target%28_Collaboration%20Space%2FOrganisation%20Notes.one%7C3BDBA82E-CB01-45FF-B073-479542EA6D7E%2FGAE%20Port%20Log%7C1C87DFDC-7FCF-4B63-BC51-2BA497BA8DBF%2F%29)
 
+Reserve an Emap DB schema on the GAE using the [load times spreadsheet](https://liveuclac.sharepoint.com/:x:/r/sites/RITS-EMAP-EmapDevChatter/Shared%20Documents/Emap%20Dev%20Chatter/load_times.xlsx?d=w20bdbe908b0f4e309caeb62590e890a0&csf=1&web=1&e=ZiUVZB):
diff --git a/core/img/annotation_processor.png b/docs/dev/img/annotation_processor.png
similarity index 100%
rename from core/img/annotation_processor.png
rename to docs/dev/img/annotation_processor.png
diff --git a/docs/dev/intellij.md b/docs/dev/intellij.md
index 9b962ba0b..4718604c6 100644
--- a/docs/dev/intellij.md
+++ b/docs/dev/intellij.md
@@ -76,12 +76,25 @@ These setup instructions are aimed at developing in [IntelliJ IDEA](https://www.
 </details>
 
 7. <details>
+    <summary>Point to correct Java versions</summary>
+
+    There are several places in IntelliJ that relate to the java version used.
+    These settings are sometimes correctly set from the maven config but you may want to double check in case of errors.
+    `Project Structure | Project Settings | Project` (SDK to use and default language level)
+    `Project Structure | Project Settings | Modules` (per module language levels)
+    `Preferences | Build, Execution, Deployment | Compiler | Java Compiler` (Project bytecode version and per-module bytecode version)
+    `Preferences | Build, Execution, Deployment | Build Tools | Maven | Importing` (JDK for importer)
+
+    At the time of writing, hoover uses java 11 and all other modules use java 17.
+</details>
+
+8. <details>
     <summary>Add lombok and checkstyle plugins</summary>
 
    Go to <b>File > Settings > search for plugins</b>, search lombok and checkstyle and install them
 </details>
 
-8. <details>
+9. <details>
     <summary>Setup checkstyle</summary>
 
    To allow checkstyle to be run go to <b>File > settings > search for checkstyle</b>
diff --git a/emap-interchange/pom.xml b/emap-interchange/pom.xml
index 5df2cdb0d..9f14b62d9 100644
--- a/emap-interchange/pom.xml
+++ b/emap-interchange/pom.xml
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>${maven-compiler-plugin.version}</version>
           <configuration>
+            <source>${java.version}</source>
+            <target>${java.version}</target>
             <forceJavacCompilerUse>true</forceJavacCompilerUse>
           </configuration>
         </plugin>
diff --git a/emap-star/emap-star-annotations/pom.xml b/emap-star/emap-star-annotations/pom.xml
index 4a2a2c46c..68986ae90 100644
--- a/emap-star/emap-star-annotations/pom.xml
+++ b/emap-star/emap-star-annotations/pom.xml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
   </parent>
 
   <properties>
+    <java.version>17</java.version>
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <auto-service.version>1.0.1</auto-service.version>
   </properties>
@@ -39,6 +40,11 @@
         <!-- Needed for annotation processing -->
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
+        <configuration>
+          <source>${java.version}</source>
+          <target>${java.version}</target>
+          <forceJavacCompilerUse>true</forceJavacCompilerUse>
+        </configuration>
         <executions>
           <execution>
             <id>default-compile</id>