diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index d838d859..e5e77eb4 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -36,23 +36,23 @@
         <version.junit-jupiter-api>5.10.2</version.junit-jupiter-api>
         <version.junit-jupiter-params>5.10.2</version.junit-jupiter-params>
         <version.mockito-junit-jupiter>4.11.0</version.mockito-junit-jupiter>
-        <version.assertj-core>3.25.3</version.assertj-core>
-        <version.json-io>4.21.0</version.json-io>
-        <version.agrona>1.21.1</version.agrona>
+        <version.assertj-core>3.26.0</version.assertj-core>
+        <version.json-io>4.24.0</version.json-io>
+        <version.agrona>1.21.2</version.agrona>
 
         <!-- Build maven-***-plugins -->
-        <version.maven-jar-plugin>3.4.1</version.maven-jar-plugin>
+        <version.maven-jar-plugin>3.4.2</version.maven-jar-plugin>
         <version.maven-gpg-plugin>3.2.4</version.maven-gpg-plugin>
         <version.maven-compiler-plugin>3.13.0</version.maven-compiler-plugin>
-        <version.maven-javadoc-plugin>3.6.3</version.maven-javadoc-plugin>
-        <version.maven-surefire-plugin>3.2.5</version.maven-surefire-plugin>
+        <version.maven-javadoc-plugin>3.7.0</version.maven-javadoc-plugin>
+        <version.maven-surefire-plugin>3.3.0</version.maven-surefire-plugin>
         <version.maven-source-plugin>3.3.1</version.maven-source-plugin>
         <version.maven-scr-plugin>1.26.4</version.maven-scr-plugin>
         <version.maven-bundle-plugin>5.1.9</version.maven-bundle-plugin>
         <version.moditect-maven-plugin>1.2.1.Final</version.moditect-maven-plugin>
 
         <!-- release to Maven Central via Sonatype Nexus -->
-        <version.nexus-staging-maven-plugin>1.6.13</version.nexus-staging-maven-plugin>
+        <version.nexus-staging-maven-plugin>1.7.0</version.nexus-staging-maven-plugin>
 
     </properties>
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/cedarsoftware/util/convert/StringConversionsTests.java b/src/test/java/com/cedarsoftware/util/convert/StringConversionsTests.java
index 32ebc62c..6aec6c8d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/cedarsoftware/util/convert/StringConversionsTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/cedarsoftware/util/convert/StringConversionsTests.java
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.MethodSource;
 
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNull;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue;
 
 class StringConversionsTests {
 
@@ -35,8 +38,8 @@ public void beforeEach() {
     void testClassCompliance() throws Exception {
         Class<?> c = StringConversions.class;
 
-        assertThat(ClassUtilities.isClassFinal(c)).isTrue();
-        assertThat(ClassUtilities.areAllConstructorsPrivate(c)).isTrue();
+        assertTrue(ClassUtilities.isClassFinal(c));
+        assertTrue(ClassUtilities.areAllConstructorsPrivate(c));
     }
 
     private static Stream<Arguments> toYear_withParseableParams() {
@@ -66,7 +69,7 @@ private static Stream<Arguments> toYear_nullReturn() {
     @MethodSource("toYear_nullReturn")
     void toYear_withNullableStrings_returnsNull(String source) {
         Year year = this.converter.convert(source, Year.class);
-        assertThat(year).isNull();
+        assertNull(year);
     }
 
     private static Stream<Arguments> toYear_extremeParams() {
@@ -86,7 +89,7 @@ private static Stream<Arguments> toYear_extremeParams() {
     void toYear_withExtremeParams_returnsValue(String source, int value) {
         Year expected = Year.of(value);
         Year actual = this.converter.convert(source, Year.class);
-        assertThat(actual).isEqualTo(expected);
+        assertEquals(expected, actual);
     }
 
     private static Stream<Arguments> toCharParams() {