diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 5c4117fb575..3df795fbf06 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -24,23 +24,30 @@
 // Top-level build file where you can add configuration options common to all sub-projects/modules.
 
 buildscript {
-    ext.kotlin_version = '1.6.21'
+    ext {
+        agp_version1 = '8.6.1'
+        agp_version = '8.0.0'
+    }
+    ext.kotlin_version = '1.8.22'
     ext.koin_version = '2.1.6'
     ext.lifecycle_version = '2.2.0'
     ext.jacoco_core_version = '0.8.7'
+
     repositories {
         google()
         mavenCentral()
         maven { url "https://developer.huawei.com/repo/" }
+        gradlePluginPortal() // Required for Gradle plugins
     }
 
     dependencies {
         // NOTE: Do not place your application dependencies here; they belong
         // in the individual module build.gradle files
-        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:7.4.2'
+        classpath "com.android.tools.build:gradle:$agp_version1"
         classpath "org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-gradle-plugin:$kotlin_version"
         classpath "org.jacoco:org.jacoco.core:$jacoco_core_version"
         classpath 'com.huawei.agconnect:agcp:1.4.2.300'
+        classpath 'com.github.ben-manes:gradle-versions-plugin:0.51.0' // Add the plugin here
     }
 }
 
@@ -51,4 +58,13 @@ allprojects {
         mavenCentral()
         maven { url "https://developer.huawei.com/repo/" }
     }
+
+    configurations.all {
+        resolutionStrategy {
+            force 'org.xerial:sqlite-jdbc:3.34.0'
+        }
+    }
 }
+
+// Apply the plugin explicitly to the root project
+apply plugin: 'com.github.ben-manes.versions'
diff --git a/catroid/gradle/code_quality_tasks.gradle b/catroid/gradle/code_quality_tasks.gradle
index 572a0cce017..90da52e8213 100644
--- a/catroid/gradle/code_quality_tasks.gradle
+++ b/catroid/gradle/code_quality_tasks.gradle
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ task pmd(type: Pmd) {
 
     reports {
         xml.required = true
-        html.enabled = false
+        html.required = false
         xml.destination file("build/reports/pmd.xml")
     }
 }
diff --git a/catroid/src/catroid/res/values/strings.xml b/catroid/src/catroid/res/values/strings.xml
index b96b3a746a5..735676c1fe9 100644
--- a/catroid/src/catroid/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/catroid/src/catroid/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -24,4 +24,5 @@
 
 <resources>
         <string name="app_name">Pocket Code</string>
+        <string name="project_id">""</string>
 </resources>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/catroid/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/catroid/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 61f06800d87..6f9a6b3d808 100644
--- a/catroid/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/catroid/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BROADCAST_CLOSE_SYSTEM_DIALOGS"
         tools:ignore="ProtectedPermissions" />
 
+    <!-- custom media picker -->
+    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_MEDIA_VISUAL_USER_SELECTED" />
+
     <!-- gps -->
     <uses-feature
         android:name="android.hardware.location.gps"
@@ -92,6 +95,7 @@
         android:icon="${appIcon}"
         android:label="${appName}"
         android:theme="@style/Catroid"
+        tools:targetAPI="34"
         android:supportsRtl="true"
         android:requestLegacyExternalStorage="false"
         tools:ignore="UnusedAttribute"
diff --git a/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/cast/CastManager.java b/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/cast/CastManager.java
index 800677cee16..a6dba11a7aa 100644
--- a/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/cast/CastManager.java
+++ b/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/cast/CastManager.java
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ public void startCastService(final AppCompatActivity activity) {
 						intent,PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE);
 			} else {
 				notificationPendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(activity, 0,
-						intent, 0);
+						intent, PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE);
 			}
 
 
diff --git a/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/ui/recyclerview/fragment/NfcTagListFragment.java b/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/ui/recyclerview/fragment/NfcTagListFragment.java
index 70a03743eab..5c967d8198b 100644
--- a/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/ui/recyclerview/fragment/NfcTagListFragment.java
+++ b/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/ui/recyclerview/fragment/NfcTagListFragment.java
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
 		if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.S) {
 			pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(getActivity(), 0, nfcIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE);
 		} else {
-			pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(getActivity(), 0, nfcIntent, 0);
+			pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(getActivity(), 0, nfcIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE);
 		}
 
 		if (nfcAdapter != null && !nfcAdapter.isEnabled()) {
diff --git a/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/utils/LiveDataExtensions.kt b/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/utils/LiveDataExtensions.kt
index 052bd104225..a7c64c139b6 100644
--- a/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/utils/LiveDataExtensions.kt
+++ b/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/utils/LiveDataExtensions.kt
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ fun <T> LiveData<T>.getOrAwaitValue(
     var data: T? = null
     val latch = CountDownLatch(1)
     val observer = object : Observer<T> {
-        override fun onChanged(o: T?) {
-            data = o
+        override fun onChanged(value: T) {
+            data = value
             latch.countDown()
             this@getOrAwaitValue.removeObserver(this)
         }
diff --git a/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/utils/notifications/StatusBarNotificationManager.java b/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/utils/notifications/StatusBarNotificationManager.java
index b0891816224..751e6a93028 100644
--- a/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/utils/notifications/StatusBarNotificationManager.java
+++ b/catroid/src/main/java/org/catrobat/catroid/utils/notifications/StatusBarNotificationManager.java
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ private NotificationData createAndShowUploadNotification(Context context, String
 					PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT | PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE);
 		} else {
 			pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(context, notificationId,
-					uploadIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT);
+					uploadIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT | PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE);
 		}
 
 		NotificationData data = new NotificationData(R.drawable.ic_stat, programName,
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ public Notification createUploadRejectedNotification(Context context, int status
 							PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT | PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE);
 				} else {
 					pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(context, notificationId,
-							openIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT);
+							openIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_CANCEL_CURRENT | PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE);
 				}
 
 				builder.setContentIntent(pendingIntent);
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index e484fc83bbd..43f821059c2 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -32,3 +32,7 @@ android.useAndroidX=true
 android.enableJetifier=true
 
 org.gradle.caching=false
+android.nonTransitiveRClass=false
+android.nonFinalResIds=false
+android.enableResourceValidation=false
+
diff --git a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index 68ddaeb6203..53c4d53382d 100644
--- a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-#Fri Jun 09 18:08:52 CEST 2023
+#Fri Jan 10 11:36:51 CET 2025
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-7.5-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.7-bin.zip
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 zipStorePath=wrapper/dists