diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index d6e778c02..2158b3be5 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
   <groupId>org.springframework.samples</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-petclinic</artifactId>
-  <version>3.1.4</version>
+  <version>3.1.4-SNAPSHOT</version>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
   <distributionManagement>
     <snapshotRepository>
diff --git a/pom.xml.releaseBackup b/pom.xml.releaseBackup
deleted file mode 100644
index d619273eb..000000000
--- a/pom.xml.releaseBackup
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,473 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 https://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
-  <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
-  <groupId>org.springframework.samples</groupId>
-  <artifactId>spring-petclinic</artifactId>
-  <version>3.1.4-SNAPSHOT</version>
-  <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <distributionManagement>
-    <snapshotRepository>
-      <id>nexus-snapshots</id>
-      <url>http://localhost:8080/repository/maven-snapshots/</url>
-    </snapshotRepository>
-    <repository>
-      <id>nexus-releases</id>
-      <url>http://localhost:8080/repository/maven-releases/</url>
-    </repository>
-  </distributionManagement>
-  <parent>
-    <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-    <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>3.1.3</version>
-  </parent>
-  <name>petclinic</name>
-  <properties>
-
-    <!-- Generic properties -->
-    <java.version>17</java.version>
-    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
-    <project.reporting.outputEncoding>UTF-8</project.reporting.outputEncoding>
-    <!-- Important for reproducible builds. Update using e.g. ./mvnw versions:set -DnewVersion=... -->
-    <project.build.outputTimestamp>2023-10-27T10:26:47Z</project.build.outputTimestamp>
-
-    <!-- Web dependencies -->
-    <webjars-bootstrap.version>5.2.3</webjars-bootstrap.version>
-    <webjars-font-awesome.version>4.7.0</webjars-font-awesome.version>
-
-    <checkstyle.version>10.11.0</checkstyle.version>
-    <jacoco.version>0.8.10</jacoco.version>
-    <libsass.version>0.2.29</libsass.version>
-    <lifecycle-mapping>1.0.0</lifecycle-mapping>
-    <maven-checkstyle.version>3.2.2</maven-checkstyle.version>
-    <!-- <nohttp-checkstyle.version>0.0.11</nohttp-checkstyle.version> -->
-    <spring-format.version>0.0.39</spring-format.version>
-
-  </properties>
-
-  <dependencies>
-    <!-- Spring and Spring Boot dependencies -->
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-actuator</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-cache</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-data-jpa</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-validation</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-thymeleaf</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-
-    <!-- Databases - Uses H2 by default -->
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>com.h2database</groupId>
-      <artifactId>h2</artifactId>
-      <scope>runtime</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>com.mysql</groupId>
-      <artifactId>mysql-connector-j</artifactId>
-      <scope>runtime</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.postgresql</groupId>
-      <artifactId>postgresql</artifactId>
-      <scope>runtime</scope>
-    </dependency>
-
-    <!-- caching -->
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>javax.cache</groupId>
-      <artifactId>cache-api</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>com.github.ben-manes.caffeine</groupId>
-      <artifactId>caffeine</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
-
-    <!-- webjars -->
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.webjars.npm</groupId>
-      <artifactId>bootstrap</artifactId>
-      <version>${webjars-bootstrap.version}</version>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.webjars.npm</groupId>
-      <artifactId>font-awesome</artifactId>
-      <version>${webjars-font-awesome.version}</version>
-    </dependency>
-    <!-- end of webjars -->
-
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-      <artifactId>spring-boot-devtools</artifactId>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-      <artifactId>spring-boot-testcontainers</artifactId>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-      <artifactId>spring-boot-docker-compose</artifactId>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.testcontainers</groupId>
-      <artifactId>junit-jupiter</artifactId>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>org.testcontainers</groupId>
-      <artifactId>mysql</artifactId>
-      <scope>test</scope>
-    </dependency>
-
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>jakarta.xml.bind</groupId>
-      <artifactId>jakarta.xml.bind-api</artifactId>
-    </dependency>
-
-  </dependencies>
-
-  <dependencyManagement>
-    <dependencies>
-      <dependency>
-        <groupId>org.testcontainers</groupId>
-        <artifactId>testcontainers-bom</artifactId>
-        <version>${testcontainers.version}</version>
-        <type>pom</type>
-        <scope>import</scope>
-      </dependency>
-    </dependencies>
-  </dependencyManagement>
-
-  <build>
-    <plugins>
-      <plugin>
-        <artifactId>maven-deploy-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>2.8.1</version>
-        <executions>
-            <execution>
-              <id>default-deploy</id>
-              <phase>deploy</phase>
-              <goals>
-                  <goal>deploy</goal>
-              </goals>
-            </execution>
-        </executions>
-      </plugin>
-      <plugin>
-        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-        <artifactId>maven-enforcer-plugin</artifactId>
-        <executions>
-          <execution>
-            <id>enforce-java</id>
-            <goals>
-              <goal>enforce</goal>
-            </goals>
-            <configuration>
-              <rules>
-                <requireJavaVersion>
-                  <message>This build requires at least Java ${java.version}, update your JVM, and run the build again</message>
-                  <version>${java.version}</version>
-                </requireJavaVersion>
-              </rules>
-            </configuration>
-          </execution>
-        </executions>
-      </plugin>
-      <plugin>
-        <groupId>io.spring.javaformat</groupId>
-        <artifactId>spring-javaformat-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>${spring-format.version}</version>
-        <executions>
-          <execution>
-            <phase>validate</phase>
-            <goals>
-              <goal>validate</goal>
-            </goals>
-          </execution>
-        </executions>
-      </plugin>
-      <plugin>
-        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-        <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>${maven-checkstyle.version}</version>
-        <dependencies>
-          <dependency>
-            <groupId>com.puppycrawl.tools</groupId>
-            <artifactId>checkstyle</artifactId>
-            <version>${checkstyle.version}</version>
-          </dependency>
-          <!-- <dependency>
-            <groupId>io.spring.nohttp</groupId>
-            <artifactId>nohttp-checkstyle</artifactId>
-            <version>${nohttp-checkstyle.version}</version>
-          </dependency> -->
-        </dependencies>
-        <executions>
-          <!-- <execution>
-            <id>nohttp-checkstyle-validation</id>
-            <phase>validate</phase>
-            <configuration>
-              <configLocation>src/checkstyle/nohttp-checkstyle.xml</configLocation>
-              <suppressionsLocation>src/checkstyle/nohttp-checkstyle-suppressions.xml</suppressionsLocation>
-              <sourceDirectories>${basedir}</sourceDirectories>
-              <includes>**/*</includes>
-              <excludes>**/.git/**/*,**/.idea/**/*,**/target/**/,**/.flattened-pom.xml,**/*.class</excludes>
-            </configuration>
-            <goals>
-              <goal>check</goal>
-            </goals>
-          </execution> -->
-        </executions>
-      </plugin>
-      <plugin>
-        <groupId>org.graalvm.buildtools</groupId>
-        <artifactId>native-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-      </plugin>
-      <plugin>
-        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-        <artifactId>spring-boot-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-        <executions>
-          <execution>
-            <!-- Spring Boot Actuator displays build-related information
-              if a META-INF/build-info.properties file is present -->
-            <goals>
-              <goal>build-info</goal>
-            </goals>
-            <configuration>
-              <additionalProperties>
-                <encoding.source>${project.build.sourceEncoding}</encoding.source>
-                <encoding.reporting>${project.reporting.outputEncoding}</encoding.reporting>
-                <java.source>${java.version}</java.source>
-                <java.target>${java.version}</java.target>
-              </additionalProperties>
-            </configuration>
-          </execution>
-        </executions>
-      </plugin>
-      <plugin>
-        <groupId>org.jacoco</groupId>
-        <artifactId>jacoco-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>${jacoco.version}</version>
-        <executions>
-          <execution>
-            <goals>
-              <goal>prepare-agent</goal>
-            </goals>
-          </execution>
-          <execution>
-            <id>report</id>
-            <phase>prepare-package</phase>
-            <goals>
-              <goal>report</goal>
-            </goals>
-          </execution>
-        </executions>
-      </plugin>
-
-      <!-- Spring Boot Actuator displays build-related information if a git.properties
-        file is present at the classpath -->
-      <plugin>
-        <groupId>io.github.git-commit-id</groupId>
-        <artifactId>git-commit-id-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-        <configuration>
-          <failOnNoGitDirectory>false</failOnNoGitDirectory>
-          <failOnUnableToExtractRepoInfo>false</failOnUnableToExtractRepoInfo>
-        </configuration>
-      </plugin>
-
-    </plugins>
-  </build>
-
-  <licenses>
-    <license>
-      <name>Apache License, Version 2.0</name>
-      <url>https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0</url>
-    </license>
-  </licenses>
-
-  <repositories>
-    <repository>
-      <id>spring-snapshots</id>
-      <name>Spring Snapshots</name>
-      <url>https://repo.spring.io/snapshot</url>
-      <snapshots>
-        <enabled>true</enabled>
-      </snapshots>
-    </repository>
-    <repository>
-      <id>spring-milestones</id>
-      <name>Spring Milestones</name>
-      <url>https://repo.spring.io/milestone</url>
-      <snapshots>
-        <enabled>false</enabled>
-      </snapshots>
-    </repository>
-  </repositories>
-
-  <pluginRepositories>
-    <pluginRepository>
-      <id>spring-snapshots</id>
-      <name>Spring Snapshots</name>
-      <url>https://repo.spring.io/snapshot</url>
-      <snapshots>
-        <enabled>true</enabled>
-      </snapshots>
-    </pluginRepository>
-    <pluginRepository>
-      <id>spring-milestones</id>
-      <name>Spring Milestones</name>
-      <url>https://repo.spring.io/milestone</url>
-      <snapshots>
-        <enabled>false</enabled>
-      </snapshots>
-    </pluginRepository>
-  </pluginRepositories>
-
-  <profiles>
-    <profile>
-      <id>css</id>
-      <build>
-        <plugins>
-          <plugin>
-            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-            <artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId>
-            <executions>
-              <execution>
-                <id>unpack</id>
-                <?m2e execute onConfiguration,onIncremental?>
-                <phase>generate-resources</phase>
-                <goals>
-                  <goal>unpack</goal>
-                </goals>
-                <configuration>
-                  <artifactItems>
-                    <artifactItem>
-                      <groupId>org.webjars.npm</groupId>
-                      <artifactId>bootstrap</artifactId>
-                      <version>${webjars-bootstrap.version}</version>
-                    </artifactItem>
-                  </artifactItems>
-                  <outputDirectory>${project.build.directory}/webjars</outputDirectory>
-                </configuration>
-              </execution>
-            </executions>
-          </plugin>
-          <plugin>
-            <groupId>com.gitlab.haynes</groupId>
-            <artifactId>libsass-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-            <version>${libsass.version}</version>
-            <executions>
-              <execution>
-                <phase>generate-resources</phase>
-                <?m2e execute onConfiguration,onIncremental?>
-                <goals>
-                  <goal>compile</goal>
-                </goals>
-              </execution>
-            </executions>
-            <configuration>
-              <inputPath>${basedir}/src/main/scss/</inputPath>
-              <outputPath>${basedir}/src/main/resources/static/resources/css/</outputPath>
-              <includePath>${project.build.directory}/webjars/META-INF/resources/webjars/bootstrap/${webjars-bootstrap.version}/scss/</includePath>
-            </configuration>
-          </plugin>
-        </plugins>
-      </build>
-    </profile>
-    <profile>
-      <id>m2e</id>
-      <activation>
-        <property>
-          <name>m2e.version</name>
-        </property>
-      </activation>
-      <build>
-        <pluginManagement>
-          <plugins>
-            <!-- This plugin's configuration is used to store Eclipse m2e settings
-   only. It has no influence on the Maven build itself. -->
-            <plugin>
-              <groupId>org.eclipse.m2e</groupId>
-              <artifactId>lifecycle-mapping</artifactId>
-              <version>${lifecycle-mapping}</version>
-              <configuration>
-                <lifecycleMappingMetadata>
-                  <pluginExecutions>
-                    <pluginExecution>
-                      <pluginExecutionFilter>
-                        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-                        <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
-                        <versionRange>[1,)</versionRange>
-                        <goals>
-                          <goal>check</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                      </pluginExecutionFilter>
-                      <action>
-                        <ignore />
-                      </action>
-                    </pluginExecution>
-                    <pluginExecution>
-                      <pluginExecutionFilter>
-                        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
-                        <artifactId>spring-boot-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                        <versionRange>[1,)</versionRange>
-                        <goals>
-                          <goal>build-info</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                      </pluginExecutionFilter>
-                      <action>
-                        <ignore />
-                      </action>
-                    </pluginExecution>
-                    <pluginExecution>
-                      <pluginExecutionFilter>
-                        <groupId>io.spring.javaformat</groupId>
-                        <artifactId>spring-javaformat-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-                        <versionRange>[0,)</versionRange>
-                        <goals>
-                          <goal>validate</goal>
-                        </goals>
-                      </pluginExecutionFilter>
-                      <action>
-                        <ignore />
-                      </action>
-                    </pluginExecution>
-                  </pluginExecutions>
-                </lifecycleMappingMetadata>
-              </configuration>
-            </plugin>
-          </plugins>
-        </pluginManagement>
-      </build>
-    </profile>
-  </profiles>
-  <scm>
-      <connection>scm:git:file://localhost:8080/repository/maven-snapshots</connection>
-      <developerConnection>scm:git:file://localhost:8080/repository/maven-snapshots</developerConnection>
-      <url>http://localhost:8080/repository/maven-snapshots</url>
-  </scm>
-
-</project>
diff --git a/release.properties b/release.properties
deleted file mode 100644
index 4a2eb791b..000000000
--- a/release.properties
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-#release configuration
-#Fri Oct 27 13:43:46 EEST 2023
-completedPhase=scm-commit-release
-exec.activateProfiles=nexus
-exec.pomFileName=pom.xml
-exec.snapshotReleasePluginAllowed=false
-pinExternals=false
-preparationGoals=clean verify
-project.dev.org.springframework.samples\:spring-petclinic=3.1.5-SNAPSHOT
-project.rel.org.springframework.samples\:spring-petclinic=3.1.4
-project.scm.org.springframework.samples\:spring-petclinic.connection=scm\:git\:http\://localhost\:8080/repository/maven-snapshots
-project.scm.org.springframework.samples\:spring-petclinic.developerConnection=scm\:git\:http\://localhost\:8080/repository/maven-snapshots
-project.scm.org.springframework.samples\:spring-petclinic.tag=spring-petclinic-3.1.4
-project.scm.org.springframework.samples\:spring-petclinic.url=https\://github.com/surtexx/spring-petclinic.git
-projectVersionPolicyConfig=<projectVersionPolicyConfig>${projectVersionPolicyConfig}</projectVersionPolicyConfig>\n
-projectVersionPolicyId=default
-pushChanges=true
-releaseStrategyId=default
-remoteTagging=true
-scm.branchCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare branch @{releaseLabel}
-scm.commentPrefix=[maven-release-plugin] 
-scm.developmentCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare for next development iteration
-scm.releaseCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare release @{releaseLabel}
-scm.rollbackCommitComment=@{prefix} rollback the release of @{releaseLabel}
-scm.tag=spring-petclinic-3.1.4
-scm.tagNameFormat=@{project.artifactId}-@{project.version}
-scm.url=scm\:git\:http\://localhost\:8080/repository/maven-snapshots