diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index f4aab97ef..0e392191e 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -2,16 +2,13 @@
 # If you modify this file manually all comments and formatting will be lost.
 
 source "https://rubygems.org"
-gem "logstash-core", "5.0.0.dev", :path => "./logstash-core"
-gem "logstash-core-event-java", "5.0.0.dev", :path => "./logstash-core-event-java"
-gem "logstash-core-plugin-api", "2.0.0", :path => "./logstash-core-plugin-api"
+gem "logstash-core", :path => "./logstash-core"
+gem "logstash-core-event-java", :path => "./logstash-core-event-java"
+gem "logstash-core-plugin-api", :path => "./logstash-core-plugin-api"
 gem "file-dependencies", "0.1.6"
 gem "ci_reporter_rspec", "1.0.0", :group => :development
 gem "simplecov", :group => :development
 gem "coveralls", :group => :development
-# Tins 1.7 requires the ruby 2.0 platform to install,
-# this gem is a dependency of term-ansi-color which is a dependency of coveralls.
-# 1.6 is the last supported version on jruby.
 gem "tins", "1.6", :group => :development
 gem "rspec", "~> 3.1.0", :group => :development
 gem "logstash-devutils", :group => :development
diff --git a/Gemfile.jruby-1.9.lock b/Gemfile.jruby-1.9.lock
deleted file mode 100644
index 709340a19..000000000
--- a/Gemfile.jruby-1.9.lock
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,326 +0,0 @@
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/elastic/logstash-devutils.git
-  revision: e9af3a24824a41d0f19b025ca359e0735e820251
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-devutils (0.0.19-java)
-      fivemat
-      gem_publisher
-      insist (= 1.0.0)
-      kramdown
-      minitar
-      rake
-      rspec (~> 3.1.0)
-      rspec-wait
-      stud (>= 0.0.20)
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-codec-json.git
-  revision: 141d488f3a73706d5ae08dd41468fed285fbbdf9
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-codec-json (2.1.4)
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-codec-json_lines.git
-  revision: f1a3fda4d1affaa6da4b037eec78ee5f10287eb8
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-codec-json_lines (2.1.3)
-      logstash-codec-line (>= 2.1.0)
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-codec-line.git
-  revision: f912b6ca5137bef914ea0e605cb34520b0f172d4
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-codec-line (2.1.2)
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-codec-plain.git
-  revision: 5c5424905d5e06d7f7adc888411057c8a5681194
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-codec-plain (2.0.4)
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-filter-clone.git
-  revision: 4da247817809ff68a47557f022c8049536651564
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-filter-clone (2.0.6)
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-filter-grok.git
-  revision: 284dc6614b0cac6770cda2c18a52f8405146f1eb
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-filter-grok (2.0.5)
-      jls-grok (~> 0.11.1)
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-      logstash-patterns-core
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-filter-multiline.git
-  revision: fd1da31b7d1e0b44319c0f2865c767b36440583d
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-filter-multiline (2.0.5)
-      jls-grok (~> 0.11.0)
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-      logstash-patterns-core
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-filter-mutate.git
-  revision: f9624cc0a05354c308b2d22a5895c737eceaa08b
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-filter-mutate (2.0.6)
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-input-generator.git
-  revision: 2557a4e7da667d6e801cac47e27ff297b6ecc79a
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-input-generator (2.0.4)
-      logstash-codec-plain
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-input-stdin.git
-  revision: cca193c505f931500bd0f6be45afada2af0578ed
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-input-stdin (2.0.4)
-      concurrent-ruby
-      logstash-codec-line
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-input-tcp.git
-  revision: b6f2705d7fc226c08dd0905561ef9373d2801a58
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-input-tcp (3.0.5)
-      logstash-codec-json
-      logstash-codec-json_lines
-      logstash-codec-line
-      logstash-codec-plain
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-output-stdout.git
-  revision: c150cb4f560b047372e15887e8b6bf421af22fc9
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-output-stdout (2.0.6)
-      logstash-codec-line
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-
-GIT
-  remote: git://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-patterns-core.git
-  revision: e039ba2d3db6a01b6501fe0cab8a82453c6dc45f
-  branch: feature/plugin-api-2_0
-  specs:
-    logstash-patterns-core (2.0.5)
-      logstash-core-plugin-api (~> 2.0)
-
-PATH
-  remote: ./logstash-core
-  specs:
-    logstash-core (5.0.0.dev-java)
-      cabin (~> 0.8.0)
-      chronic_duration (= 0.10.6)
-      clamp (~> 0.6.5)
-      concurrent-ruby (= 1.0.0)
-      filesize (= 0.0.4)
-      gems (~> 0.8.3)
-      i18n (= 0.6.9)
-      jrjackson (~> 0.3.7)
-      jruby-monitoring (~> 0.3.1)
-      jruby-openssl (= 0.9.16)
-      logstash-core-event-java (~> 5.0.0.dev)
-      minitar (~> 0.5.4)
-      pry (~> 0.10.1)
-      puma (~> 2.16, >= 2.16.0)
-      rubyzip (~> 1.1.7)
-      sinatra (~> 1.4, >= 1.4.6)
-      stud (~> 0.0.19)
-      thread_safe (~> 0.3.5)
-      treetop (< 1.5.0)
-
-PATH
-  remote: ./logstash-core-event-java
-  specs:
-    logstash-core-event-java (5.0.0.dev-java)
-      jar-dependencies
-      ruby-maven (~> 3.3.9)
-
-PATH
-  remote: ./logstash-core-plugin-api
-  specs:
-    logstash-core-plugin-api (2.0.0-java)
-      logstash-core (= 5.0.0.dev)
-
-GEM
-  remote: https://rubygems.org/
-  specs:
-    addressable (2.3.8)
-    arr-pm (0.0.10)
-      cabin (> 0)
-    backports (3.6.8)
-    benchmark-ips (2.6.1)
-    builder (3.2.2)
-    cabin (0.8.1)
-    childprocess (0.5.9)
-      ffi (~> 1.0, >= 1.0.11)
-    chronic_duration (0.10.6)
-      numerizer (~> 0.1.1)
-    ci_reporter (2.0.0)
-      builder (>= 2.1.2)
-    ci_reporter_rspec (1.0.0)
-      ci_reporter (~> 2.0)
-      rspec (>= 2.14, < 4)
-    clamp (0.6.5)
-    coderay (1.1.1)
-    concurrent-ruby (1.0.0-java)
-    coveralls (0.8.13)
-      json (~> 1.8)
-      simplecov (~> 0.11.0)
-      term-ansicolor (~> 1.3)
-      thor (~> 0.19.1)
-      tins (~> 1.6.0)
-    diff-lcs (1.2.5)
-    docile (1.1.5)
-    faraday (0.9.2)
-      multipart-post (>= 1.2, < 3)
-    ffi (1.9.10-java)
-    file-dependencies (0.1.6)
-      minitar
-    filesize (0.0.4)
-    fivemat (1.3.2)
-    flores (0.0.6)
-    fpm (1.3.3)
-      arr-pm (~> 0.0.9)
-      backports (>= 2.6.2)
-      cabin (>= 0.6.0)
-      childprocess
-      clamp (~> 0.6)
-      ffi
-      json (>= 1.7.7)
-    gem_publisher (1.5.0)
-    gems (0.8.3)
-    i18n (0.6.9)
-    insist (1.0.0)
-    jar-dependencies (0.3.2)
-    jls-grok (0.11.2)
-      cabin (>= 0.6.0)
-    jrjackson (0.3.9-java)
-    jruby-monitoring (0.3.1)
-    jruby-openssl (0.9.16-java)
-    json (1.8.3-java)
-    kramdown (1.10.0)
-    method_source (0.8.2)
-    minitar (0.5.4)
-    multipart-post (2.0.0)
-    numerizer (0.1.1)
-    octokit (3.8.0)
-      sawyer (~> 0.6.0, >= 0.5.3)
-    polyglot (0.3.5)
-    pry (0.10.3-java)
-      coderay (~> 1.1.0)
-      method_source (~> 0.8.1)
-      slop (~> 3.4)
-      spoon (~> 0.0)
-    puma (2.16.0-java)
-    rack (1.6.4)
-    rack-protection (1.5.3)
-      rack
-    rack-test (0.6.3)
-      rack (>= 1.0)
-    rake (11.1.2)
-    rspec (3.1.0)
-      rspec-core (~> 3.1.0)
-      rspec-expectations (~> 3.1.0)
-      rspec-mocks (~> 3.1.0)
-    rspec-core (3.1.7)
-      rspec-support (~> 3.1.0)
-    rspec-expectations (3.1.2)
-      diff-lcs (>= 1.2.0, < 2.0)
-      rspec-support (~> 3.1.0)
-    rspec-mocks (3.1.3)
-      rspec-support (~> 3.1.0)
-    rspec-support (3.1.2)
-    rspec-wait (0.0.8)
-      rspec (>= 2.11, < 3.5)
-    ruby-maven (3.3.10)
-      ruby-maven-libs (~> 3.3.1)
-    ruby-maven-libs (3.3.3)
-    rubyzip (1.1.7)
-    sawyer (0.6.0)
-      addressable (~> 2.3.5)
-      faraday (~> 0.8, < 0.10)
-    simplecov (0.11.2)
-      docile (~> 1.1.0)
-      json (~> 1.8)
-      simplecov-html (~> 0.10.0)
-    simplecov-html (0.10.0)
-    sinatra (1.4.7)
-      rack (~> 1.5)
-      rack-protection (~> 1.4)
-      tilt (>= 1.3, < 3)
-    slop (3.6.0)
-    spoon (0.0.4)
-      ffi
-    stud (0.0.22)
-    term-ansicolor (1.3.2)
-      tins (~> 1.0)
-    thor (0.19.1)
-    thread_safe (0.3.5-java)
-    tilt (2.0.2)
-    tins (1.6.0)
-    treetop (1.4.15)
-      polyglot
-      polyglot (>= 0.3.1)
-
-PLATFORMS
-  java
-
-DEPENDENCIES
-  benchmark-ips
-  ci_reporter_rspec (= 1.0.0)
-  coveralls
-  file-dependencies (= 0.1.6)
-  flores (~> 0.0.6)
-  fpm (~> 1.3.3)
-  gems (~> 0.8.3)
-  logstash-codec-json!
-  logstash-codec-json_lines!
-  logstash-codec-line!
-  logstash-codec-plain!
-  logstash-core (= 5.0.0.dev)!
-  logstash-core-event-java (= 5.0.0.dev)!
-  logstash-core-plugin-api (= 2.0.0)!
-  logstash-devutils!
-  logstash-filter-clone!
-  logstash-filter-grok!
-  logstash-filter-multiline!
-  logstash-filter-mutate!
-  logstash-input-generator!
-  logstash-input-stdin!
-  logstash-input-tcp!
-  logstash-output-stdout!
-  logstash-patterns-core!
-  octokit (= 3.8.0)
-  rack-test
-  rspec (~> 3.1.0)
-  rubyzip (~> 1.1.7)
-  simplecov
-  stud (~> 0.0.22)
-  tins (= 1.6)
diff --git a/lib/bootstrap/bundler.rb b/lib/bootstrap/bundler.rb
index 1a7bb0572..13c04b58a 100644
--- a/lib/bootstrap/bundler.rb
+++ b/lib/bootstrap/bundler.rb
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ module LogStash
     # @return [String, Exception] the installation captured output and any raised exception or nil if none
     def invoke!(options = {})
       options = {:max_tries => 10, :clean => false, :install => false, :update => false, :local => false,
-                 :all => false, :package => false, :without => [:development]}.merge(options)
+                 :jobs => 12, :all => false, :package => false, :without => [:development]}.merge(options)
       options[:without] = Array(options[:without])
       options[:update] = Array(options[:update]) if options[:update]
 
diff --git a/logstash-core-event-java/lib/logstash-core-event-java/version.rb b/logstash-core-event-java/lib/logstash-core-event-java/version.rb
index cfc6a1624..ceaa49b47 100644
--- a/logstash-core-event-java/lib/logstash-core-event-java/version.rb
+++ b/logstash-core-event-java/lib/logstash-core-event-java/version.rb
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@
 # Note to authors: this should not include dashes because 'gem' barfs if
 # you include a dash in the version string.
 
-LOGSTASH_CORE_EVENT_JAVA_VERSION = "5.0.0.dev"
+LOGSTASH_CORE_EVENT_JAVA_VERSION = "5.0.0"
diff --git a/logstash-core-event-java/lib/logstash-core-event-java_jars.rb b/logstash-core-event-java/lib/logstash-core-event-java_jars.rb
index 143d7a3e0..d45036714 100644
--- a/logstash-core-event-java/lib/logstash-core-event-java_jars.rb
+++ b/logstash-core-event-java/lib/logstash-core-event-java_jars.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 # this is a generated file, to avoid over-writing it just delete this comment
-require 'jar_dependencies'
+begin
+  require 'jar_dependencies'
+rescue LoadError
+  require 'com/fasterxml/jackson/core/jackson-core/2.7.1/jackson-core-2.7.1.jar'
+  require 'com/fasterxml/jackson/core/jackson-annotations/2.7.0/jackson-annotations-2.7.0.jar'
+  require 'com/fasterxml/jackson/core/jackson-databind/2.7.1-1/jackson-databind-2.7.1-1.jar'
+end
 
-require_jar( 'com.fasterxml.jackson.core', 'jackson-core', '2.7.1' )
-require_jar( 'com.fasterxml.jackson.core', 'jackson-annotations', '2.7.0' )
-require_jar( 'com.fasterxml.jackson.core', 'jackson-databind', '2.7.1-1' )
+if defined? Jars
+  require_jar( 'com.fasterxml.jackson.core', 'jackson-core', '2.7.1' )
+  require_jar( 'com.fasterxml.jackson.core', 'jackson-annotations', '2.7.0' )
+  require_jar( 'com.fasterxml.jackson.core', 'jackson-databind', '2.7.1-1' )
+end
diff --git a/logstash-core-event/lib/logstash-core-event/version.rb b/logstash-core-event/lib/logstash-core-event/version.rb
index e1e0774da..04253b622 100644
--- a/logstash-core-event/lib/logstash-core-event/version.rb
+++ b/logstash-core-event/lib/logstash-core-event/version.rb
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@
 # Note to authors: this should not include dashes because 'gem' barfs if
 # you include a dash in the version string.
 
-LOGSTASH_CORE_EVENT_VERSION = "5.0.0.dev"
+LOGSTASH_CORE_EVENT_VERSION = "5.0.0"
diff --git a/logstash-core-plugin-api/lib/logstash-core-plugin-api/version.rb b/logstash-core-plugin-api/lib/logstash-core-plugin-api/version.rb
index ced593939..9e4e415bd 100644
--- a/logstash-core-plugin-api/lib/logstash-core-plugin-api/version.rb
+++ b/logstash-core-plugin-api/lib/logstash-core-plugin-api/version.rb
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 # encoding: utf-8
-LOGSTASH_CORE_PLUGIN_API = "2.0.0"
+LOGSTASH_CORE_PLUGIN_API = "2.1.7"
diff --git a/logstash-core-plugin-api/logstash-core-plugin-api.gemspec b/logstash-core-plugin-api/logstash-core-plugin-api.gemspec
index 8764ad5b2..f7787f65a 100644
--- a/logstash-core-plugin-api/logstash-core-plugin-api.gemspec
+++ b/logstash-core-plugin-api/logstash-core-plugin-api.gemspec
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |gem|
   gem.homepage      = "http://www.elastic.co/guide/en/logstash/current/index.html"
   gem.license       = "Apache License (2.0)"
 
-  gem.files         = Dir.glob(["logstash-core-event.gemspec", "lib/**/*.rb", "spec/**/*.rb"])
+  gem.files         = Dir.glob(["logstash-core-plugin-api.gemspec", "lib/**/*.rb", "spec/**/*.rb"])
   gem.test_files    = gem.files.grep(%r{^(test|spec|features)/})
   gem.name          = "logstash-core-plugin-api"
   gem.require_paths = ["lib"]
   gem.version       = LOGSTASH_CORE_PLUGIN_API
 
-  gem.add_runtime_dependency "logstash-core", "5.0.0.dev"
+  gem.add_runtime_dependency "logstash-core", "5.0.0"
 
   # Make sure we dont build this gem from a non jruby
   # environment.
diff --git a/logstash-core/lib/logstash-core/version.rb b/logstash-core/lib/logstash-core/version.rb
index 737441c5a..ad8cbbd34 100644
--- a/logstash-core/lib/logstash-core/version.rb
+++ b/logstash-core/lib/logstash-core/version.rb
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@
 # Note to authors: this should not include dashes because 'gem' barfs if
 # you include a dash in the version string.
 
-LOGSTASH_CORE_VERSION = "5.0.0.dev"
+LOGSTASH_CORE_VERSION = "5.0.0"
diff --git a/logstash-core/lib/logstash/api/commands/system/basicinfo_command.rb b/logstash-core/lib/logstash/api/commands/system/basicinfo_command.rb
index 7a3207399..30e74f692 100644
--- a/logstash-core/lib/logstash/api/commands/system/basicinfo_command.rb
+++ b/logstash-core/lib/logstash/api/commands/system/basicinfo_command.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # encoding: utf-8
 require 'logstash/api/commands/base'
 require "logstash/util/duration_formatter"
+require 'logstash/build'
 
 module LogStash
   module Api
@@ -11,9 +12,7 @@ module LogStash
           def run
             {
               "hostname" => hostname,
-              "version" => {
-                "number" => LOGSTASH_VERSION
-              }
+              "version" => { "number" => LOGSTASH_VERSION }.merge(BUILD_INFO)
             }
           end
         end
diff --git a/logstash-core/lib/logstash/build.rb b/logstash-core/lib/logstash/build.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fb2132c22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/logstash-core/lib/logstash/build.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+
+# DO NOT EDIT
+# this file acts as a placeholder for build information when executing
+# logstash in dev mode (outside of a package build)
+BUILD_INFO = {}
diff --git a/logstash-core/lib/logstash/version.rb b/logstash-core/lib/logstash/version.rb
index 676dde5ac..c2d7b8d14 100644
--- a/logstash-core/lib/logstash/version.rb
+++ b/logstash-core/lib/logstash/version.rb
@@ -11,4 +11,4 @@
 #       eventually this file should be in the root logstash lib fir and dependencies in logstash-core should be
 #       fixed.
 
-LOGSTASH_VERSION = "5.0.0.dev"
+LOGSTASH_VERSION = "5.0.0"
diff --git a/logstash-core/logstash-core.gemspec b/logstash-core/logstash-core.gemspec
index f63617656..938612d4e 100644
--- a/logstash-core/logstash-core.gemspec
+++ b/logstash-core/logstash-core.gemspec
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |gem|
   gem.require_paths = ["lib"]
   gem.version       = LOGSTASH_CORE_VERSION
 
-  gem.add_runtime_dependency "logstash-core-event-java", "~> 5.0.0.dev"
+  gem.add_runtime_dependency "logstash-core-event-java", "5.0.0"
 
   gem.add_runtime_dependency "cabin", "~> 0.8.0" #(Apache 2.0 license)
   gem.add_runtime_dependency "pry", "~> 0.10.1"  #(Ruby license)
diff --git a/rakelib/artifacts.rake b/rakelib/artifacts.rake
index 581d8c798..877b9ef82 100644
--- a/rakelib/artifacts.rake
+++ b/rakelib/artifacts.rake
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ require "logstash/version"
 
 namespace "artifact" do
 
+  SNAPSHOT_BUILD = ENV["RELEASE"] != "1"
+  PACKAGE_SUFFIX = SNAPSHOT_BUILD ? "-SNAPSHOT" : ""
+
   def package_files
     [
       "LICENSE",
@@ -13,6 +16,13 @@ namespace "artifact" do
       "lib/bootstrap/**/*",
       "lib/pluginmanager/**/*",
       "lib/systeminstall/**/*",
+      "logstash-core/lib/**/*",
+      "logstash-core/locales/**/*",
+      "logstash-core/*.gemspec",
+      "logstash-core-event-java/lib/**/*",
+      "logstash-core-event-java/*.gemspec",
+      "logstash-core-plugin-api/lib/**/*",
+      "logstash-core-plugin-api/*.gemspec",
       "patterns/**/*",
       "vendor/??*/**/*",
       # To include ruby-maven's hidden ".mvn" directory, we need to
@@ -55,18 +65,75 @@ namespace "artifact" do
     end.flatten.uniq
   end
 
-  task "all" => ["prepare"] do
+  desc "Generate rpm, deb, tar and zip artifacts"
+  task "all" => ["prepare", "build"]
+
+  desc "Build a tar.gz of default logstash plugins with all dependencies"
+  task "tar" => ["prepare", "generate_build_metadata"] do
+    puts("[artifact:tar] Building tar.gz of default plugins")
+    build_tar
+  end
+
+  desc "Build a zip of default logstash plugins with all dependencies"
+  task "zip" => ["prepare", "generate_build_metadata"] do
+    puts("[artifact:zip] Building zip of default plugins")
+    build_zip
+  end
+
+  desc "Build an RPM of logstash with all dependencies"
+  task "rpm" => ["prepare", "generate_build_metadata"] do
+    puts("[artifact:rpm] building rpm package")
+    package("centos", "5")
+  end
+
+  desc "Build a DEB of logstash with all dependencies"
+  task "deb" => ["prepare", "generate_build_metadata"] do
+    puts("[artifact:deb] building deb package")
+    package("ubuntu", "12.04")
+  end
+
+  desc "Generate logstash core gems"
+  task "gems" => ["prepare"] do
+    Rake::Task["artifact:build-logstash-core"].invoke
+    Rake::Task["artifact:build-logstash-core-event"].invoke
+    Rake::Task["artifact:build-logstash-core-plugin-api"].invoke
+  end
+
+  # "all-plugins" version of tasks
+  desc "Generate rpm, deb, tar and zip artifacts (\"all-plugins\" version)"
+  task "all-all-plugins" => ["prepare-all", "build"]
+
+  desc "Build a zip of all logstash plugins from logstash-plugins github repo"
+  task "zip-all-plugins" => ["prepare-all", "generate_build_metadata"] do
+    puts("[artifact:zip] Building zip of all plugins")
+    build_zip "-all-plugins"
+  end
+
+  desc "Build a tar.gz of all logstash plugins from logstash-plugins github repo"
+  task "tar-all-plugins" => ["prepare-all", "generate_build_metadata"] do
+    puts("[artifact:tar] Building tar.gz of all plugins")
+    build_tar "-all-plugins"
+  end
+
+  # Auxiliary tasks
+  task "build" => [:generate_build_metadata] do
+    Rake::Task["artifact:gems"].invoke unless SNAPSHOT_BUILD
     Rake::Task["artifact:deb"].invoke
     Rake::Task["artifact:rpm"].invoke
     Rake::Task["artifact:zip"].invoke
     Rake::Task["artifact:tar"].invoke
   end
 
-  task "all-all-plugins" => ["prepare-all"] do
-    Rake::Task["artifact:deb"].invoke
-    Rake::Task["artifact:rpm"].invoke
-    Rake::Task["artifact:zip"].invoke
-    Rake::Task["artifact:tar"].invoke
+  task "generate_build_metadata" do
+    return if defined?(BUILD_METADATA_FILE)
+    BUILD_METADATA_FILE = Tempfile.new('build.rb')
+    build_info = {
+      "build_date" => Time.now.iso8601,
+      "build_sha" => `git rev-parse HEAD`.chomp,
+      "build_snapshot" => SNAPSHOT_BUILD
+    }
+    metadata = [ "# encoding: utf-8", "BUILD_INFO = #{build_info}" ]
+    IO.write(BUILD_METADATA_FILE.path, metadata.join("\n"))
   end
 
   # We create an empty bundle config file
@@ -78,8 +145,8 @@ namespace "artifact" do
   end
 
   # locate the "gem "logstash-core" ..." line in Gemfile, and if the :path => "..." option if specified
-  # build and install the local logstash-core gem otherwise just do nothing, bundler will deal with it.
-  task "install-logstash-core" do
+  # build the local logstash-core gem otherwise just do nothing, bundler will deal with it.
+  task "build-logstash-core" do
     # regex which matches a Gemfile gem definition for the logstash-core gem and captures the :path option
     gem_line_regex = /^\s*gem\s+["']logstash-core["'](?:\s*,\s*["'][^"^']+["'])?(?:\s*,\s*:path\s*=>\s*["']([^"^']+)["'])?/i
 
@@ -90,15 +157,16 @@ namespace "artifact" do
     path = matches.first[gem_line_regex, 1]
 
     if path
-      Rake::Task["plugin:install-local-core-gem"].invoke("logstash-core", path)
+      Rake::Task["plugin:build-local-core-gem"].invoke("logstash-core", path)
     else
-      puts("[artifact:install-logstash-core] using logstash-core from Rubygems")
+      puts "The Gemfile should reference \"logstash-core\" gem locally through :path, but found instead: #{matches}"
+      exit(1)
     end
   end
 
   # # locate the "gem "logstash-core-event*" ..." line in Gemfile, and if the :path => "." option if specified
-  # # build and install the local logstash-core-event* gem otherwise just do nothing, bundler will deal with it.
-  task "install-logstash-core-event" do
+  # # build the local logstash-core-event* gem otherwise just do nothing, bundler will deal with it.
+  task "build-logstash-core-event" do
     # regex which matches a Gemfile gem definition for the logstash-core-event* gem and captures the gem name and :path option
     gem_line_regex = /^\s*gem\s+["'](logstash-core-event[^"^']*)["'](?:\s*,\s*["'][^"^']+["'])?(?:\s*,\s*:path\s*=>\s*["']([^"^']+)["'])?/i
 
@@ -110,15 +178,16 @@ namespace "artifact" do
     path = matches.first[gem_line_regex, 2]
 
     if path
-      Rake::Task["plugin:install-local-core-gem"].invoke(name, path)
+      Rake::Task["plugin:build-local-core-gem"].invoke(name, path)
     else
-      puts("[artifact:install-logstash-core] using #{name} from Rubygems")
+      puts "The Gemfile should reference \"logstash-core-event\" gem locally through :path, but found instead: #{matches}"
+      exit(1)
     end
   end
 
   # locate the "gem "logstash-core-plugin-api" ..." line in Gemfile, and if the :path => "..." option if specified
-  # build and install the local logstash-core-plugin-api gem otherwise just do nothing, bundler will deal with it.
-  task "install-logstash-core-plugin-api" do
+  # build the local logstash-core-plugin-api gem otherwise just do nothing, bundler will deal with it.
+  task "build-logstash-core-plugin-api" do
     # regex which matches a Gemfile gem definition for the logstash-core gem and captures the :path option
     gem_line_regex = /^\s*gem\s+["']logstash-core-plugin-api["'](?:\s*,\s*["'][^"^']+["'])?(?:\s*,\s*:path\s*=>\s*["']([^"^']+)["'])?/i
 
@@ -129,86 +198,87 @@ namespace "artifact" do
     path = matches.first[gem_line_regex, 1]
 
     if path
-      Rake::Task["plugin:install-local-core-gem"].invoke("logstash-core-plugin-api", path)
+      Rake::Task["plugin:build-local-core-gem"].invoke("logstash-core-plugin-api", path)
     else
-      puts("[artifact:install-logstash-core-plugin-api] using logstash-core from Rubygems")
+      puts "The Gemfile should reference \"logstash-core-plugin-api\" gem locally through :path, but found instead: #{matches}"
+      exit(1)
     end
   end
 
-  task "prepare" => ["bootstrap", "plugin:install-default", "install-logstash-core", "install-logstash-core-event", "install-logstash-core-plugin-api", "clean-bundle-config"]
-
-  task "prepare-all" => ["bootstrap", "plugin:install-all", "install-logstash-core", "install-logstash-core-event", "install-logstash-core-plugin-api", "clean-bundle-config"]
-
-  desc "Build a tar.gz of default logstash plugins with all dependencies"
-  task "tar" => ["prepare"] do
-    puts("[artifact:tar] Building tar.gz of default plugins")
-    build_tar
+  task "prepare" do
+    if ENV['SKIP_PREPARE'] != "1"
+      ["bootstrap", "plugin:install-default", "artifact:clean-bundle-config"].each {|task| Rake::Task[task].invoke }
+    end
   end
 
-  desc "Build a tar.gz of all logstash plugins from logstash-plugins github repo"
-  task "tar-all-plugins" => ["prepare-all"] do
-    puts("[artifact:tar] Building tar.gz of all plugins")
-    build_tar "-all-plugins"
+  task "prepare-all" do
+    if ENV['SKIP_PREPARE'] != "1"
+      ["bootstrap", "plugin:install-all", "artifact:clean-bundle-config"].each {|task| Rake::Task[task].invoke }
+    end
   end
 
   def build_tar(tar_suffix = nil)
     require "zlib"
     require "archive/tar/minitar"
     require "logstash/version"
-    tarpath = "build/logstash#{tar_suffix}-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}.tar.gz"
+    tarpath = "build/logstash#{tar_suffix}-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}#{PACKAGE_SUFFIX}.tar.gz"
     puts("[artifact:tar] building #{tarpath}")
     gz = Zlib::GzipWriter.new(File.new(tarpath, "wb"), Zlib::BEST_COMPRESSION)
     tar = Archive::Tar::Minitar::Output.new(gz)
     files.each do |path|
-      stat = File.lstat(path)
-      path_in_tar = "logstash-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}/#{path}"
-      opts = {
-        :size => stat.size,
-        :mode => stat.mode,
-        :mtime => stat.mtime
-      }
-      if stat.directory?
-        tar.tar.mkdir(path_in_tar, opts)
-      else
-        tar.tar.add_file_simple(path_in_tar, opts) do |io|
-          File.open(path,'rb') do |fd|
-            chunk = nil
-            size = 0
-            size += io.write(chunk) while chunk = fd.read(16384)
-            if stat.size != size
-              raise "Failure to write the entire file (#{path}) to the tarball. Expected to write #{stat.size} bytes; actually write #{size}"
-            end
-          end
-        end
-      end
+      write_to_tar(tar, path, "logstash-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}#{PACKAGE_SUFFIX}/#{path}")
     end
+
+    # add build.rb to tar
+    metadata_file_path_in_tar = File.join("logstash-core", "lib", "logstash", "build.rb")
+    path_in_tar = File.join("logstash-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}#{PACKAGE_SUFFIX}", metadata_file_path_in_tar)
+    write_to_tar(tar, BUILD_METADATA_FILE.path, path_in_tar)
+
     tar.close
     gz.close
     puts "Complete: #{tarpath}"
   end
 
-  desc "Build a zip of default logstash plugins with all dependencies"
-  task "zip" => ["prepare"] do
-    puts("[artifact:zip] Building zip of default plugins")
-    build_zip
-  end
-
-  desc "Build a zip of all logstash plugins from logstash-plugins github repo"
-  task "zip-all-plugins" => ["prepare-all"] do
-    puts("[artifact:zip] Building zip of all plugins")
-    build_zip "-all-plugins"
+  def write_to_tar(tar, path, path_in_tar)
+    stat = File.lstat(path)
+    opts = {
+      :size => stat.size,
+      :mode => stat.mode,
+      :mtime => stat.mtime
+    }
+    if stat.directory?
+      tar.tar.mkdir(path_in_tar, opts)
+    else
+      tar.tar.add_file_simple(path_in_tar, opts) do |io|
+        File.open(path,'rb') do |fd|
+          chunk = nil
+          size = 0
+          size += io.write(chunk) while chunk = fd.read(16384)
+          if stat.size != size
+            raise "Failure to write the entire file (#{path}) to the tarball. Expected to write #{stat.size} bytes; actually write #{size}"
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   def build_zip(zip_suffix = "")
     require 'zip'
-    zippath = "build/logstash#{zip_suffix}-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}.zip"
+    zippath = "build/logstash#{zip_suffix}-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}#{PACKAGE_SUFFIX}.zip"
     puts("[artifact:zip] building #{zippath}")
     File.unlink(zippath) if File.exists?(zippath)
     Zip::File.open(zippath, Zip::File::CREATE) do |zipfile|
       files.each do |path|
-        path_in_zip = "logstash-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}/#{path}"
+        path_in_zip = "logstash-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}#{PACKAGE_SUFFIX}/#{path}"
         zipfile.add(path_in_zip, path)
       end
+
+      # add build.rb to zip
+      metadata_file_path_in_zip = File.join("logstash-core", "lib", "logstash", "build.rb")
+      path_in_zip = File.join("logstash-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}#{PACKAGE_SUFFIX}", metadata_file_path_in_zip)
+      path = BUILD_METADATA_FILE.path
+      Zip.continue_on_exists_proc = true
+      zipfile.add(path_in_zip, path)
     end
     puts "Complete: #{zippath}"
   end
@@ -221,6 +291,10 @@ namespace "artifact" do
 
     dir = FPM::Package::Dir.new
 
+    metadata_file_path = File.join("logstash-core", "lib", "logstash", "build.rb")
+    metadata_source_file_path = BUILD_METADATA_FILE.path
+    dir.input("#{metadata_source_file_path}=/usr/share/logstash/#{metadata_file_path}")
+
     files.each do |path|
       next if File.directory?(path)
       # Omit any config dir from /usr/share/logstash for packages, since we're
@@ -246,7 +320,7 @@ namespace "artifact" do
 
     # produce: logstash-5.0.0-alpha1.deb"
     # produce: logstash-5.0.0-alpha1.rpm
-    package_filename = "logstash-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}.TYPE"
+    package_filename = "logstash-#{LOGSTASH_VERSION}#{PACKAGE_SUFFIX}.TYPE"
 
     case platform
       when "redhat", "centos"
@@ -350,15 +424,4 @@ namespace "artifact" do
     end
   end # def package
 
-  desc "Build an RPM of logstash with all dependencies"
-  task "rpm" => ["prepare"] do
-    puts("[artifact:rpm] building rpm package")
-    package("centos", "5")
-  end
-
-  desc "Build a DEB of logstash with all dependencies"
-  task "deb" => ["prepare"] do
-    puts("[artifact:deb] building deb package")
-    package("ubuntu", "12.04")
-  end
 end
diff --git a/rakelib/build.rake b/rakelib/build.rake
index 2b443add8..45aec1f9b 100644
--- a/rakelib/build.rake
+++ b/rakelib/build.rake
@@ -4,3 +4,6 @@ end
 directory "build/bootstrap" => "build" do |task, args|
   mkdir_p task.name unless File.directory?(task.name)
 end
+directory "build/gems" => "build" do |task, args|
+  mkdir_p task.name unless File.directory?(task.name)
+end
diff --git a/rakelib/plugin.rake b/rakelib/plugin.rake
index 0bc1b7089..79be84172 100644
--- a/rakelib/plugin.rake
+++ b/rakelib/plugin.rake
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ namespace "plugin" do
     task.reenable # Allow this task to be run again
   end
 
-  task "build-local-core-gem", [:name, :path]  do |task, args|
+  task "build-local-core-gem", [:name, :path] => ["build/gems"]  do |task, args|
     name = args[:name]
     path = args[:path]
 
@@ -89,10 +89,12 @@ namespace "plugin" do
 
     puts("[plugin:build-local-core-gem] Building #{File.join(path, name)}.gemspec")
 
+    gem_path = nil
     Dir.chdir(path) do
       spec = Gem::Specification.load("#{name}.gemspec")
-      Gem::Package.build(spec)
+      gem_path = Gem::Package.build(spec)
     end
+    FileUtils.cp(File.join(path, gem_path), "build/gems/")
 
     task.reenable # Allow this task to be run again
   end
diff --git a/rakelib/version.rake b/rakelib/version.rake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..45655cd33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rakelib/version.rake
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+require 'yaml'
+
+def get_versions
+  yaml_versions = YAML.safe_load(IO.read("versions.yml"))
+  {
+    "logstash" => {
+      "location" => File.join("logstash-core", "lib", "logstash", "version.rb"),
+      "yaml_version" => yaml_versions["logstash"],
+      "current_version" => get_version(File.join("logstash-core", "lib", "logstash", "version.rb")),
+    },
+    "logstash-core" => {
+      "location" => File.join("logstash-core", "lib", "logstash-core", "version.rb"),
+      "yaml_version" => yaml_versions["logstash-core"],
+      "current_version" => get_version(File.join("logstash-core", "lib", "logstash-core", "version.rb")),
+    },
+    "logstash-core-event" => {
+      "location" => File.join("logstash-core-event", "lib", "logstash-core-event", "version.rb"),
+      "yaml_version" => yaml_versions["logstash-core-event"],
+      "current_version" => get_version(File.join("logstash-core-event", "lib", "logstash-core-event", "version.rb")),
+    },
+    "logstash-core-event-java" => {
+      "location" => File.join("logstash-core-event-java", "lib", "logstash-core-event-java", "version.rb"),
+      "yaml_version" => yaml_versions["logstash-core-event-java"],
+      "current_version" => get_version(File.join("logstash-core-event-java", "lib", "logstash-core-event-java", "version.rb")),
+    },
+    "logstash-core-plugin-api" => {
+      "location" => File.join("logstash-core-plugin-api", "lib", "logstash-core-plugin-api", "version.rb"),
+      "yaml_version" => yaml_versions["logstash-core-plugin-api"],
+      "current_version" => get_version(File.join("logstash-core-plugin-api", "lib", "logstash-core-plugin-api", "version.rb")),
+    }
+  }
+end
+
+def get_version(file)
+  text = IO.read(file)
+  version = text.match(/^[A-Z_]+ = "(.+?)"/)
+  version[1]
+end
+
+namespace :version do
+
+  desc "check if the versions.yml is out of sync with .gemspecs and other references"
+  task :check do
+    out_of_sync = get_versions.select do |component, metadata|
+      metadata["yaml_version"] != metadata["current_version"]
+    end
+    if out_of_sync.any?
+      out_of_sync.each do |component, metadata|
+        puts "#{component} is out of sync. CURRENT: #{metadata['current_version']} | YAML: #{metadata['yaml_version']}"
+      end
+      exit(1)
+    end
+  end
+
+  desc "push versions found in versions.yml to all component version locations"
+  task :sync do
+    versions = get_versions
+    # update version.rb files
+    versions.select do |component, metadata|
+      next if metadata["yaml_version"] == metadata["current_version"]
+      puts "Updating \"#{component}\" from \"#{metadata['current_version']}\" to \"#{metadata['yaml_version']}\""
+      text = IO.read(metadata["location"])
+      IO.write(metadata["location"], text.gsub(metadata["current_version"], metadata["yaml_version"]))
+    end
+
+    # update dependencies
+    #
+    # logstash-core depends on logstash-core-event-java
+    # ./logstash-core/logstash-core.gemspec:  gem.add_runtime_dependency "logstash-core-event-java", "~> 5.0.0.dev"
+    logstash_core_gemspec = File.join("logstash-core", "logstash-core.gemspec")
+    logstash_core_event_java_version = versions['logstash-core-event-java']['yaml_version']
+    text = IO.read(logstash_core_gemspec)
+    IO.write(logstash_core_gemspec, text.sub(
+      /  gem.add_runtime_dependency \"logstash-core-event-java\", \".+?\"/,
+      "  gem.add_runtime_dependency \"logstash-core-event-java\", \"#{logstash_core_event_java_version}\""))
+
+    # logstash-core-event-java depends on logstash-code
+    # ./logstash-core-plugin-api/logstash-core-plugin-api.gemspec:  gem.add_runtime_dependency "logstash-core", "5.0.0.dev"
+    logstash_core_plugin_api_gemspec = File.join("logstash-core-plugin-api", "logstash-core-plugin-api.gemspec")
+    logstash_core_version = versions['logstash-core']['yaml_version']
+    text = IO.read(logstash_core_plugin_api_gemspec)
+    IO.write(logstash_core_plugin_api_gemspec, text.sub(
+      /  gem.add_runtime_dependency \"logstash-core\", \".+?\"/,
+      "  gem.add_runtime_dependency \"logstash-core\", \"#{logstash_core_version}\""))
+  end
+
+  desc "show version of core components"
+  task :show do
+    Rake::Task["version:sync"].invoke; Rake::Task["version:sync"].reenable
+    get_versions.each do |component, metadata|
+      puts "#{component}: #{metadata['yaml_version']}"
+    end
+  end
+
+  desc "set version of logstash, logstash-core, logstash-core-event, logstash-core-event-java"
+  task :set, [:version] => [:validate] do |t, args|
+    hash = {}
+    get_versions.each do |component, metadata|
+      # we just assume that, usually, all components except
+      # "logstash-core-plugin-api" will be versioned together
+      # so let's skip this one and have a separate task for it
+      if component == "logstash-core-plugin-api"
+        hash[component] = metadata["yaml_version"]
+      else
+        hash[component] = args[:version]
+      end
+    end
+    IO.write("versions.yml", hash.to_yaml)
+    Rake::Task["version:sync"].invoke; Rake::Task["version:sync"].reenable
+  end
+
+  desc "set version of logstash-core-plugin-api"
+  task :set_plugin_api, [:version] => [:validate] do |t, args|
+    hash = {}
+    get_versions.each do |component, metadata|
+      if component == "logstash-core-plugin-api"
+        hash[component] = args[:version]
+      else
+        hash[component] = metadata["yaml_version"]
+      end
+    end
+    IO.write("versions.yml", hash.to_yaml)
+    Rake::Task["version:sync"].invoke; Rake::Task["version:sync"].reenable
+  end
+
+  task :validate, :version do |t, args|
+    unless Regexp.new('^\d+\.\d+\.\d+(?:-\w+\d+)?$').match(args[:version])
+      abort("Invalid version argument: \"#{args[:version]}\". Aborting...")
+    end
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/versions.yml b/versions.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a7e6c26df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/versions.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+logstash: 5.0.0
+logstash-core: 5.0.0
+logstash-core-event: 5.0.0
+logstash-core-event-java: 5.0.0
+logstash-core-plugin-api: 2.1.7