diff --git a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
index 37a565e8700c56..ba120bb7d1119b 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
+++ b/.devcontainer/Dockerfile
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ RUN mkdir -p ~/.terraform \
     && printf "terraform -install-autocomplete 2> /dev/null\n" >>~/.bashrc
 
 ## Java
-ENV JAVA_VERSION=11.0.27.fx-zulu
+ENV JAVA_VERSION=21.0.3.fx-zulu
 RUN curl -fsSL "https://get.sdkman.io" | bash \
     && bash -c ". /root/.sdkman/bin/sdkman-init.sh \
     && sed -i 's/sdkman_selfupdate_enable=true/sdkman_selfupdate_enable=false/g' /root/.sdkman/etc/config \
diff --git a/.gitpod.yml b/.gitpod.yml
index 2ddaf4e6090a08..d6d6e52d548a93 100644
--- a/.gitpod.yml
+++ b/.gitpod.yml
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ tasks:
       exit 0
   - name: Java
     command: |
+      java --version
       if [ -z "$RUN_GRADLE_TASK" ]; then
         read -r -p "Press enter to continue Java gradle task"
       fi
diff --git a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/BUILD.yaml b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/BUILD.yaml
index 4cb3cc99b9de1d..d392a9e5af607c 100644
--- a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/BUILD.yaml
+++ b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/BUILD.yaml
@@ -149,11 +149,19 @@ packages:
       - JB_QUALIFIER=stable-rider
       # Force skip plugin verification for Rider
       - NO_VERIFY_JB_PLUGIN=true
+      - SDKMAN_DIR=/home/gitpod/.sdkman
     config:
       commands:
-        - ["rm", "-rf", "src/main/kotlin/io/gitpod/jetbrains/remote/GitpodMetricControlProvider.kt"]
-        - ["mv", "build.gradle-stable.kts", "build.gradle.kts"]
-        - ["./build.sh", "${__git_commit}"]
+        - - "bash"
+          - "-c"
+          - >
+            >
+            echo java=11.0.27.fx-zulu > .sdkmanrc
+            && source "$SDKMAN_DIR/bin/sdkman-init.sh"
+            && sdk env install
+            && rm -rf src/main/kotlin/io/gitpod/jetbrains/remote/GitpodMetricControlProvider.kt
+            && mv build.gradle-stable.kts build.gradle.kts
+            && ./build.sh ${__git_commit}
   - name: plugin-latest-rider
     type: generic
     argdeps:
diff --git a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/gradle-latest.properties b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/gradle-latest.properties
index b226927c9c0409..9af13a6a1cfd19 100644
--- a/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/gradle-latest.properties
+++ b/components/ide/jetbrains/backend-plugin/gradle-latest.properties
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 # See https://plugins.jetbrains.com/docs/intellij/build-number-ranges.html
 # for insight into build numbers and IntelliJ Platform versions.
 # revert pluginSinceBuild if it's unnecessary
-pluginSinceBuild=252.18003
+pluginSinceBuild=252.23309
 pluginUntilBuild=252.*
 # Plugin Verifier integration -> https://github.com/JetBrains/gradle-intellij-plugin#plugin-verifier-dsl
 # See https://jb.gg/intellij-platform-builds-list for available build versions.
 pluginVerifierIdeVersions=2025.2
 # Version from "com.jetbrains.intellij.idea" which can be found at https://www.jetbrains.com/updates/updates.xml or exec `./gradlew printProductsReleases`
-platformVersion=252.18003.27
+platformVersion=252.23309.22
diff --git a/dev/image/Dockerfile b/dev/image/Dockerfile
index 0ecc002209c918..90dcea59a399a7 100644
--- a/dev/image/Dockerfile
+++ b/dev/image/Dockerfile
@@ -123,6 +123,17 @@ RUN install-packages netcat
 
 USER gitpod
 
+# Set up SDKMAN for gitpod user and ensure Java 21.0.3.fx-zulu is available
+RUN curl -s "https://get.sdkman.io" | bash \
+    && bash -c "source /home/gitpod/.sdkman/bin/sdkman-init.sh \
+    && sdk install java 21.0.3.fx-zulu \
+    && sdk default java 21.0.3.fx-zulu \
+    && sdk use java 21.0.3.fx-zulu"
+
+# Set Java environment variables for gitpod user
+ENV JAVA_HOME=/home/gitpod/.sdkman/candidates/java/current
+ENV PATH=$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH
+
 # Fix node version we develop against
 ARG GITPOD_NODE_VERSION=22.15.1
 RUN bash -c ". .nvm/nvm.sh \
@@ -133,6 +144,9 @@ ENV PATH=/home/gitpod/.nvm/versions/node/v${GITPOD_NODE_VERSION}/bin:$PATH
 ## Register leeway autocompletion in bashrc
 RUN bash -c "echo . \<\(leeway bash-completion\) >> ~/.bashrc"
 
+## Register SDKMAN initialization in bashrc
+RUN bash -c "echo 'source \"\$HOME/.sdkman/bin/sdkman-init.sh\"' >> ~/.bashrc"
+
 ### Google Cloud ###
 # not installed via repository as then 'docker-credential-gcr' is not available
 ARG GCS_DIR=/opt/google-cloud-sdk