diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b3f2d63c..5d66f18e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import org.apache.kafka.common.serialization.Serdes.StringSerde;
 import org.apache.kafka.streams.kstream.KStream;
 
-public class MyStreamsApplication extends KafkaStreamsApplication {
+public class MyStreamsApplication extends KafkaStreamsApplication<StreamsApp> {
     public static void main(final String[] args) {
       startApplication(new MyStreamsApplication(), args);
     }
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import org.apache.kafka.clients.producer.Producer;
 import org.apache.kafka.common.serialization.StringSerializer;
 
-public class MyProducerApplication extends KafkaProducerApplication {
+public class MyProducerApplication extends KafkaProducerApplication<ProducerApp> {
     public static void main(final String[] args) {
       startApplication(new MyProducerApplication(), args);
     }
diff --git a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/KafkaProducerApplication.java b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/KafkaProducerApplication.java
index 87b5a53d..cd71f14b 100644
--- a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/KafkaProducerApplication.java
+++ b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/KafkaProducerApplication.java
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@
  * <p>The base class for creating Kafka Producer applications.</p>
  * This class provides all configuration options provided by {@link KafkaApplication}.
  * To implement your Kafka Producer application inherit from this class and add your custom options. Run it by
- * calling {@link #startApplication(KafkaApplication, String[])} with a instance of your class from your main.
+ * calling {@link #startApplication(KafkaApplication, String[])} with an instance of your class from your main.
+ *
+ * @param <T> type of {@link ProducerApp} created by this application
  */
 @ToString(callSuper = true)
 @Getter
@@ -45,10 +47,9 @@
 @RequiredArgsConstructor
 @Slf4j
 @Command(description = "Run a Kafka Producer application")
-public abstract class KafkaProducerApplication extends
-        KafkaApplication<ProducerRunner, ProducerCleanUpRunner, ProducerExecutionOptions,
-                ExecutableProducerApp<ProducerApp>, ConfiguredProducerApp<ProducerApp>, ProducerTopicConfig,
-                ProducerApp> {
+public abstract class KafkaProducerApplication<T extends ProducerApp> extends
+        KafkaApplication<ProducerRunner, ProducerCleanUpRunner, ProducerExecutionOptions, ExecutableProducerApp<T>,
+                ConfiguredProducerApp<T>, ProducerTopicConfig, T> {
 
     /**
      * Delete all output topics associated with the Kafka Producer application.
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ public final ProducerTopicConfig createTopicConfig() {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public final ConfiguredProducerApp<ProducerApp> createConfiguredApp(final ProducerApp app,
+    public final ConfiguredProducerApp<T> createConfiguredApp(final T app,
             final AppConfiguration<ProducerTopicConfig> configuration) {
         return new ConfiguredProducerApp<>(app, configuration);
     }
diff --git a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/KafkaStreamsApplication.java b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/KafkaStreamsApplication.java
index 3095b468..6f561ad5 100644
--- a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/KafkaStreamsApplication.java
+++ b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/KafkaStreamsApplication.java
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@
  *     <li>{@link #volatileGroupInstanceId}</li>
  * </ul>
  * To implement your Kafka Streams application inherit from this class and add your custom options. Run it by calling
- * {@link #startApplication(KafkaApplication, String[])} with a instance of your class from your main.
+ * {@link #startApplication(KafkaApplication, String[])} with an instance of your class from your main.
+ *
+ * @param <T> type of {@link StreamsApp} created by this application
  */
 @ToString(callSuper = true)
 @Getter
@@ -65,9 +67,9 @@
 @RequiredArgsConstructor
 @Slf4j
 @Command(description = "Run a Kafka Streams application.")
-public abstract class KafkaStreamsApplication extends
+public abstract class KafkaStreamsApplication<T extends StreamsApp> extends
         KafkaApplication<StreamsRunner, StreamsCleanUpRunner, StreamsExecutionOptions,
-                ExecutableStreamsApp<StreamsApp>, ConfiguredStreamsApp<StreamsApp>, StreamsTopicConfig, StreamsApp> {
+                ExecutableStreamsApp<T>, ConfiguredStreamsApp<T>, StreamsTopicConfig, T> {
     @CommandLine.Option(names = "--input-topics", description = "Input topics", split = ",")
     private List<String> inputTopics = emptyList();
     @CommandLine.Option(names = "--input-pattern", description = "Input pattern")
@@ -138,9 +140,9 @@ public final StreamsTopicConfig createTopicConfig() {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public final ConfiguredStreamsApp<StreamsApp> createConfiguredApp(final StreamsApp app,
+    public final ConfiguredStreamsApp<T> createConfiguredApp(final T app,
             final AppConfiguration<StreamsTopicConfig> configuration) {
-        final ConfiguredStreamsApp<StreamsApp> configuredApp = new ConfiguredStreamsApp<>(app, configuration);
+        final ConfiguredStreamsApp<T> configuredApp = new ConfiguredStreamsApp<>(app, configuration);
         if (this.applicationId != null && !configuredApp.getUniqueAppId().equals(this.applicationId)) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(
                     "Application ID provided via --application-id does not match StreamsApp#getUniqueAppId()");
diff --git a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/SimpleKafkaProducerApplication.java b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/SimpleKafkaProducerApplication.java
index 3882199e..2d6e77e3 100644
--- a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/SimpleKafkaProducerApplication.java
+++ b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/SimpleKafkaProducerApplication.java
@@ -30,13 +30,15 @@
 
 /**
  * {@code KafkaProducerApplication} without any additional configuration options.
+ *
+ * @param <T> type of {@link ProducerApp} created by this application
  */
 @RequiredArgsConstructor
-public final class SimpleKafkaProducerApplication extends KafkaProducerApplication {
-    private final @NonNull Supplier<ProducerApp> appFactory;
+public final class SimpleKafkaProducerApplication<T extends ProducerApp> extends KafkaProducerApplication<T> {
+    private final @NonNull Supplier<T> appFactory;
 
     @Override
-    public ProducerApp createApp() {
+    public T createApp() {
         return this.appFactory.get();
     }
 }
diff --git a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication.java b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication.java
index 7f3b828b..6ddd7ff7 100644
--- a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication.java
+++ b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/main/java/com/bakdata/kafka/SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication.java
@@ -30,13 +30,15 @@
 
 /**
  * {@code KafkaStreamsApplication} without any additional configuration options.
+ *
+ * @param <T> type of {@link StreamsApp} created by this application
  */
 @RequiredArgsConstructor
-public final class SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication extends KafkaStreamsApplication {
-    private final @NonNull Supplier<StreamsApp> appFactory;
+public final class SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication<T extends StreamsApp> extends KafkaStreamsApplication<T> {
+    private final @NonNull Supplier<T> appFactory;
 
     @Override
-    public StreamsApp createApp() {
+    public T createApp() {
         return this.appFactory.get();
     }
 }
diff --git a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/CliTest.java b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/CliTest.java
index c6cbff75..05060156 100644
--- a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/CliTest.java
+++ b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/CliTest.java
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@
 
 class CliTest {
 
-    private static void runApp(final KafkaStreamsApplication app, final String... args) {
+    private static void runApp(final KafkaStreamsApplication<?> app, final String... args) {
         new Thread(() -> KafkaApplication.startApplication(app, args)).start();
     }
 
     @Test
     @ExpectSystemExitWithStatus(0)
     void shouldExitWithSuccessCode() {
-        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new KafkaStreamsApplication() {
+        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new KafkaStreamsApplication<>() {
             @Override
             public StreamsApp createApp() {
                 return new StreamsApp() {
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public void run() {
     @Test
     @ExpectSystemExitWithStatus(1)
     void shouldExitWithErrorCodeOnRunError() {
-        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication(() -> new StreamsApp() {
+        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication<>(() -> new StreamsApp() {
             @Override
             public void buildTopology(final TopologyBuilder builder) {
                 throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ public SerdeConfig defaultSerializationConfig() {
     @Test
     @ExpectSystemExitWithStatus(1)
     void shouldExitWithErrorCodeOnCleanupError() {
-        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new KafkaStreamsApplication() {
+        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new KafkaStreamsApplication<>() {
             @Override
             public StreamsApp createApp() {
                 return new StreamsApp() {
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ public void clean() {
     @Test
     @ExpectSystemExitWithStatus(2)
     void shouldExitWithErrorCodeOnMissingBootstrapServersParameter() {
-        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new KafkaStreamsApplication() {
+        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new KafkaStreamsApplication<>() {
             @Override
             public StreamsApp createApp() {
                 return new StreamsApp() {
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ public void run() {
     @Test
     @ExpectSystemExitWithStatus(1)
     void shouldExitWithErrorCodeOnInconsistentAppId() {
-        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new KafkaStreamsApplication() {
+        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new KafkaStreamsApplication<>() {
             @Override
             public StreamsApp createApp() {
                 return new StreamsApp() {
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ public SerdeConfig defaultSerializationConfig() {
     void shouldExitWithErrorInTopology() throws InterruptedException {
         final String input = "input";
         try (final EmbeddedKafkaCluster kafkaCluster = newKafkaCluster();
-                final KafkaStreamsApplication app = new SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication(() -> new StreamsApp() {
+                final KafkaStreamsApplication<?> app = new SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication<>(() -> new StreamsApp() {
                     @Override
                     public void buildTopology(final TopologyBuilder builder) {
                         builder.streamInput(Consumed.with(Serdes.ByteArray(), Serdes.ByteArray()))
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ void shouldExitWithSuccessCodeOnShutdown() throws InterruptedException {
         final String input = "input";
         final String output = "output";
         try (final EmbeddedKafkaCluster kafkaCluster = newKafkaCluster();
-                final KafkaStreamsApplication app = new SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication(() -> new StreamsApp() {
+                final KafkaStreamsApplication<?> app = new SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication<>(() -> new StreamsApp() {
                     @Override
                     public void buildTopology(final TopologyBuilder builder) {
                         builder.streamInput(Consumed.with(Serdes.ByteArray(), Serdes.ByteArray()))
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ public SerdeConfig defaultSerializationConfig() {
     @Test
     @ExpectSystemExitWithStatus(1)
     void shouldExitWithErrorOnCleanupError() {
-        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new KafkaStreamsApplication() {
+        KafkaApplication.startApplication(new KafkaStreamsApplication<>() {
             @Override
             public StreamsApp createApp() {
                 return new StreamsApp() {
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ public SerdeConfig defaultSerializationConfig() {
 
     @Test
     void shouldParseArguments() {
-        try (final KafkaStreamsApplication app = new KafkaStreamsApplication() {
+        try (final KafkaStreamsApplication<?> app = new KafkaStreamsApplication<>() {
             @Override
             public StreamsApp createApp() {
                 return new StreamsApp() {
diff --git a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/CloseFlagApp.java b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/CloseFlagApp.java
index 2d00025d..cdd7b0d9 100644
--- a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/CloseFlagApp.java
+++ b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/CloseFlagApp.java
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 @NoArgsConstructor
 @Getter
 @Setter
-public class CloseFlagApp extends KafkaStreamsApplication {
+public class CloseFlagApp extends KafkaStreamsApplication<StreamsApp> {
 
     private boolean closed = false;
     private boolean appClosed = false;
diff --git a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/RunProducerAppTest.java b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/RunProducerAppTest.java
index 2fa17df3..b5b74aa5 100644
--- a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/RunProducerAppTest.java
+++ b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/RunProducerAppTest.java
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ void tearDown() {
     void shouldRunApp() throws InterruptedException {
         final String output = "output";
         this.kafkaCluster.createTopic(TopicConfig.withName(output).useDefaults());
-        try (final KafkaProducerApplication app = new SimpleKafkaProducerApplication(() -> new ProducerApp() {
+        try (final KafkaProducerApplication<?> app = new SimpleKafkaProducerApplication<>(() -> new ProducerApp() {
             @Override
             public ProducerRunnable buildRunnable(final ProducerBuilder builder) {
                 return () -> {
diff --git a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/RunStreamsAppTest.java b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/RunStreamsAppTest.java
index 97db53d9..5657040b 100644
--- a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/RunStreamsAppTest.java
+++ b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/RunStreamsAppTest.java
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ void shouldRunApp() throws InterruptedException {
         final String output = "output";
         this.kafkaCluster.createTopic(TopicConfig.withName(input).useDefaults());
         this.kafkaCluster.createTopic(TopicConfig.withName(output).useDefaults());
-        try (final KafkaStreamsApplication app = new SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication(Mirror::new)) {
+        try (final KafkaStreamsApplication<?> app = new SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication<>(Mirror::new)) {
             app.setBootstrapServers(this.kafkaCluster.getBrokerList());
             app.setKafkaConfig(Map.of(
                     ConsumerConfig.SESSION_TIMEOUT_MS_CONFIG, "10000"
diff --git a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/StreamsCleanUpTest.java b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/StreamsCleanUpTest.java
index 9eadda6b..2f56fc8d 100644
--- a/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/StreamsCleanUpTest.java
+++ b/streams-bootstrap-cli/src/test/java/com/bakdata/kafka/integration/StreamsCleanUpTest.java
@@ -67,12 +67,12 @@ class StreamsCleanUpTest {
     @InjectSoftAssertions
     private SoftAssertions softly;
 
-    private static void runAppAndClose(final KafkaStreamsApplication app) throws InterruptedException {
+    private static void runAppAndClose(final KafkaStreamsApplication<?> app) throws InterruptedException {
         runApp(app);
         app.stop();
     }
 
-    private static void runApp(final KafkaStreamsApplication app) throws InterruptedException {
+    private static void runApp(final KafkaStreamsApplication<?> app) throws InterruptedException {
         // run in Thread because the application blocks indefinitely
         new Thread(app).start();
         // Wait until stream application has consumed all data
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ void tearDown() throws InterruptedException {
 
     @Test
     void shouldClean() throws InterruptedException {
-        try (final KafkaStreamsApplication app = this.createWordCountApplication()) {
+        try (final KafkaStreamsApplication<?> app = this.createWordCountApplication()) {
             final SendValuesTransactional<String> sendRequest =
                     SendValuesTransactional.inTransaction(app.getInputTopics().get(0),
                             List.of("blub", "bla", "blub")).useDefaults();
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ void shouldClean() throws InterruptedException {
 
     @Test
     void shouldReset() throws InterruptedException {
-        try (final KafkaStreamsApplication app = this.createWordCountApplication()) {
+        try (final KafkaStreamsApplication<?> app = this.createWordCountApplication()) {
             final SendValuesTransactional<String> sendRequest =
                     SendValuesTransactional.inTransaction(app.getInputTopics().get(0),
                             List.of("blub", "bla", "blub")).useDefaults();
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ private List<KeyValue<String, Long>> readOutputTopic(final String outputTopic) t
     }
 
     private void runAndAssertContent(final Iterable<? extends KeyValue<String, Long>> expectedValues,
-            final String description, final KafkaStreamsApplication app)
+            final String description, final KafkaStreamsApplication<?> app)
             throws InterruptedException {
         runAppAndClose(app);
 
@@ -189,14 +189,14 @@ private void runAndAssertContent(final Iterable<? extends KeyValue<String, Long>
                 .containsExactlyInAnyOrderElementsOf(expectedValues);
     }
 
-    private KafkaStreamsApplication createWordCountApplication() {
-        final KafkaStreamsApplication application = new SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication(WordCount::new);
+    private KafkaStreamsApplication<?> createWordCountApplication() {
+        final KafkaStreamsApplication<?> application = new SimpleKafkaStreamsApplication<>(WordCount::new);
         application.setOutputTopic("word_output");
         application.setInputTopics(List.of("word_input"));
         return this.configure(application);
     }
 
-    private <T extends KafkaStreamsApplication> T configure(final T application) {
+    private <T extends KafkaStreamsApplication<?>> T configure(final T application) {
         application.setBootstrapServers(this.kafkaCluster.getBrokerList());
         application.setKafkaConfig(Map.of(
                 StreamsConfig.CACHE_MAX_BYTES_BUFFERING_CONFIG, "0",