Backmerge maintenance update from master into develop

Author: ts5746

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md

@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@ about: Please create a bug report to help us solve any problems and improve the
 title: ''
 labels: bug
 assignees: ''
-
 ---
 
+## Issue details
+
 ### Description
 
 Please give a short description of the problem in one or two sentences...

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md

@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@ about: Feel free to suggest an idea for this project
 title: ''
 labels: enhancement
 assignees: ''
-
 ---
 
+## Issue details
+
 ### Description
 
 Please give a short description of the request in one or two sentences...

.github/workflows/java.macos.test.yaml

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: [macos-latest]
-        java-version: [8, 11, 17]
+        java-version: [17, 21, 25]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v2
     - name: Setup JDK ${{ matrix.java-version }}

.github/workflows/java.ubuntu.test.yaml

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: [ubuntu-22.04, ubuntu-latest]
-        java-version: [8, 11, 17]
+        java-version: [17, 21, 25]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v2
     - name: Setup JDK ${{ matrix.java-version }}

.github/workflows/java.windows.test.yaml

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: [windows-latest]
-        java-version: [8, 11, 17]
+        java-version: [17, 21, 25]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v2
     - name: Setup JDK ${{ matrix.java-version }}

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -83,10 +83,10 @@ There are two main branches with infinite lifetime:
 In addition, a number of support branches with the following
 naming conventions may be used:
 
-* `hotfix-<version>` is a branch from `master` in which urgent bugs are fixed
+* `patch/<version>` is a branch from `master` in which urgent bugs are fixed
   and then pulled into `master` for a bugfix release (with the `<version>`
-  being `1.0.z` for example); a hotfix should also be merged into `develop`.
-* `release-<version>` is a branch from `develop` used, as required, for
+  being `1.0.z` for example); a patch should also be merged into `develop`.
+* `rel/<version>` is a branch from `develop` used, as required, for
   integration and testing of a specific major or minor release (with the
   `<version>` being `x.y.0`); upon completion the release is pulled into
   `master` and should also be merged into `develop`.
@@ -139,5 +139,3 @@ Classes should be organised as follows:
     * put logical and concatination operators at the beginning of a new line
 3. Comment your code, but avoid commenting the obvious:
     * modules, classes, and functions must be described using `javadoc`
-
-Further guidance will follow.

README.md

@@ -33,14 +33,14 @@ To use the WFJL, its [GitHub package](https://github.com/WhiteflagProtocol/white
 should be added to your project as a dependency using the following
 "group:artifact:version" information, with the most recently published version:
 
-`org.whiteflagprotocol.java:whiteflag-java:1.1.0`
+`org.whiteflagprotocol.java:whiteflag-java:1.1.1`
 
 For example, when using [Gradle](https://gradle.org/), the following should be
 included in your `build.gradle` file:
 
 ```groovy
 dependencies {
-  implementation 'org.whiteflagprotocol.java:whiteflag-java:1.1.0'
+  implementation 'org.whiteflagprotocol.java:whiteflag-java:1.1.1'
 }
 ```
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ or in your `pom.xml` when using [Maven](https://maven.apache.org/):
 <dependency>
   <groupId>org.whiteflagprotocol.java</groupId>
   <artifactId>whiteflag-java</artifactId>
-  <version>1.1.0</version>
+  <version>1.1.1</version>
 </dependency> 
 ```
 

build.gradle

@@ -2,64 +2,72 @@
  * Gradle build file for the Whiteflag Java Library
  */
 
-// Project information
+/* Plugins */
+plugins {
+    id 'java'
+    id 'java-library'
+    id 'java-library-distribution'
+    id 'distribution'
+    id 'maven-publish'
+}
+/* Project information */
 version = '1.2.0-dev'
 group = 'org.whiteflagprotocol.java'
 
-// Display basic information
+/* Display basic information */
 println  "Configuration for ${project.rootProject}";
 println  "  project:    ${project.name}"
 println  "  group:      ${project.group}"
 println  "  version:    ${project.version}";
 println  "  directory:  ${project.projectDir}";
 
-// Plugins
-apply plugin: 'java'
-apply plugin: 'java-library'
-apply plugin: 'java-library-distribution'
-apply plugin: 'maven-publish'
-
-// Repositories and Dependencies
+/* Repositories and Dependencies */
 repositories {
     mavenCentral()
 }
-
 dependencies {
     testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.13.2'
     implementation 'com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind:2.15.2'
     implementation 'com.networknt:json-schema-validator:1.0.87'
     implementation 'org.bouncycastle:bcprov-jdk18on:1.76'
 }
-
-// Test behaviour
-test {
-    testLogging {
-        events "FAILED", "STANDARD_OUT", "STANDARD_ERROR"
-    }
-}
-
-// Include documentation and source
-java {
-    withJavadocJar()
-    withSourcesJar()
-}
-
-// Metadata
+/* Metadata */
 jar {
     manifest {
         attributes('Implementation-Title': project.name,
                    'Implementation-Version': project.version)
     }
 }
-
-// Distribution
+/* Testing */
+test {
+    testLogging {
+        events "FAILED", "STANDARD_OUT", "STANDARD_ERROR"
+    }
+}
+/* Distribution */
 distributions {
     main {
         distributionBaseName = project.name
     }
 }
-
-// Publishing library as package
+/* Include documentation and source */
+java {
+    withJavadocJar()
+    withSourcesJar()
+}
+/* Documentation */
+javadoc {
+    options.tags = [ 'wfver:a:Whiteflag version:',
+                     'wfref:a:Whiteflag standard x-reference:' ]
+    options.stylesheetFile = project.file("src/main/javadoc/style.css")
+    options.overview = "src/main/javadoc/overview.html"
+}
+task docs(type: Copy) {
+    dependsOn javadoc
+    from "$buildDir/docs/javadoc"
+    into "docs/javadoc"
+}
+/* Publishing library as package */
 publishing {
     repositories {
         maven {
@@ -84,18 +92,3 @@ publishing {
         }
     }
 }
-
-// Javadoc options
-javadoc {
-    options.tags = [ 'wfver:a:Whiteflag version:',
-                     'wfref:a:Whiteflag standard x-reference:' ]
-    options.stylesheetFile = project.file("src/main/javadoc/style.css")
-    options.overview = "src/main/javadoc/overview.html"
-}
-
-// Task to build documentation
-task docs(type: Copy) {
-    dependsOn javadoc
-    from "$buildDir/docs/javadoc"
-    into "docs/javadoc"
-}

docs/index.md

@@ -23,3 +23,37 @@ blockchain, database solution, user interface, etc.
 * [Exception Handling](md/errors.md)
 * [Whiteflag Messages](md/messages.md)
 * [Cryptography](md/crypto.md)
+
+## Installation
+
+To use the WFJL, its [GitHub package](https://github.com/WhiteflagProtocol/whiteflag-java/packages)
+should be added to your project as a dependency using the following
+"group:artifact:version" information, with the most recently published version:
+
+`org.whiteflagprotocol.java:whiteflag-java:1.1.1`
+
+For example, when using [Gradle](https://gradle.org/), the following should be
+included in your `build.gradle` file:
+
+```groovy
+dependencies {
+  implementation 'org.whiteflagprotocol.java:whiteflag-java:1.1.1'
+}
+```
+
+or in your `pom.xml` when using [Maven](https://maven.apache.org/):
+
+```xml
+<dependency>
+  <groupId>org.whiteflagprotocol.java</groupId>
+  <artifactId>whiteflag-java</artifactId>
+  <version>1.1.0</version>
+</dependency> 
+```
+
+Note that you also need to add the GitHub WFJL package repository URL `https://maven.pkg.github.com/whiteflagprotocol/whiteflag-java`
+to your project. Please see the GitHub documentation for detailed information
+about installing packages from the GitHub repository with either
+[Maven](https://docs.github.com/en/packages/guides/configuring-apache-maven-for-use-with-github-packages#installing-a-package)
+or [Gradle](https://docs.github.com/en/packages/guides/configuring-gradle-for-use-with-github-packages#installing-a-package).
+

docs/md/crypto.md

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 # WFJL Whiteflag Messages
 
-Go back to the [WFJL Documentation Home](../index.md) or visit
-the detailed [WFJL Javadoc API Reference](../javadoc)
+| [WFJL Documentation Home](../index.md) | [WFJL Javadoc Reference](../javadoc) | [Whiteflag Specification](https://standard.whiteflagprotocol.org) |
 
 ## Overview