diff --git a/.github/workflows/re-release.yml b/.github/workflows/re-release.yml
index 598f84e3739..bbf2929b5e4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/re-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/re-release.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ on:
     inputs:
       version_tag:
         type: string
-        description: ''
+        description: 'version or tag to release it again'
         required: true
 
 jobs:
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       contents: write
 
-    env:
-      MVNCMD: mvn -B -X -ntp
-
     steps:
     - name: Checkout Repository
       uses: actions/checkout@v5
@@ -44,20 +41,14 @@ jobs:
         git config user.name "ScyllaDB Promoter"
         git config user.email "github-promoter@scylladb.com"
 
-    - name: Clean project
-      run: $MVNCMD clean
-
-    - name: Clean release
-      run: $MVNCMD release:clean
-
     - name: Prepare release
       env:
         GPG_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
-      run: $MVNCMD release:prepare -DskipTests -Darguments="-DskipTests" -DpushChanges=false -Dgpg.passphrase=${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
+      run: make release-prepare
 
     - name: Perform release
       env:
         GPG_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
         OSSRH_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
         OSSRH_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
-      run: $MVNCMD release:perform -DscmSkip=true -Dgpg.passphrase=${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
+      run: make release
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 36076c9cfff..49a964cbe81 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ on:
     inputs:
       dryrun:
         type: boolean
-        description: 'dryrun: run without pushing SCM changes to upstream'
+        description: 'dryrun: run without publishing the package'
         default: true
 
 jobs:
@@ -47,18 +47,26 @@ jobs:
     - name: Prepare release
       env:
         GPG_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
-      run: $MVNCMD release:prepare -DpushChanges=false -Dgpg.passphrase=${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
+      run: make release-prepare
 
     - name: Perform release
       env:
         GPG_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
         OSSRH_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
         OSSRH_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
-      if: ${{ github.event.inputs.dryrun == 'false' }}
-      run: $MVNCMD release:perform -Dgpg.passphrase=${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
+      if: ${{ github.event.inputs.dryrun == false }}
+      run: make release
+
+    - name: Perform dry-run release
+      env:
+        GPG_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
+        OSSRH_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
+        OSSRH_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
+      if: ${{ github.event.inputs.dryrun == true }}
+      run: make release-dry-run
 
     - name: Push changes to SCM
-      if: ${{ github.event.inputs.dryrun == 'false' }}
+      if: ${{ github.event.inputs.dryrun == false }}
       run: |
         git status && git log -3
         git push origin --follow-tags -v
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests@v1.yml b/.github/workflows/tests@v1.yml
index 20f37acaa7d..fafd4bab49c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests@v1.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests@v1.yml
@@ -61,19 +61,12 @@ jobs:
           path: ~/.m2/repository
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.java-version }}-maven-${{ steps.get-pom-hash.outputs.value }}
 
-      - name: Install guava-shaded
-        run: mvn install -pl guava-shaded
-
       - name: Compile source and tests
-        run: mvn -B compile test-compile -Dfmt.skip=true -Dclirr.skip=true -Danimal.sniffer.skip=true
+        run: make compile-all
 
       - name: Download test dependencies
         if: steps.java-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: mvn -B test -Dtest=TestThatDoesNotExists -Dfmt.skip=true -Dclirr.skip=true -Danimal.sniffer.skip=true || true
-
-      - name: Download verify dependencies
-        if: steps.java-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: mvn -B verify -DskipTests || true
+        run: make download-all-dependencies
 
       - name: Save maven repository cache
         uses: actions/cache/save@v4
@@ -109,8 +102,7 @@ jobs:
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.java-version }}-maven-${{ hashFiles('**/pom.xml') }}
 
       - name: Full verify
-        run: mvn -B verify -DskipTests
-
+        run: make check
 
   unit-tests:
     name: Unit tests
@@ -138,11 +130,8 @@ jobs:
           path: ~/.m2/repository
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.java-version }}-maven-${{ hashFiles('**/pom.xml') }}
 
-      - name: Install guava-shaded
-        run: mvn install -pl guava-shaded
-
       - name: Run unit tests
-        run: mvn -B test -Dfmt.skip=true -Dclirr.skip=true -Danimal.sniffer.skip=true
+        run: make test-unit
 
       - name: Copy test results
         if: always()
@@ -192,7 +181,7 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        cassandra-version: [RELEASE-3.X, RELEASE-4.X]
+        cassandra-version: [3-LATEST, 4-LATEST]
         java-version: [8]
       fail-fast: false
 
@@ -218,19 +207,13 @@ jobs:
           python-version: '3.13'
 
       - name: Setup environment
-        run: |
-          pip3 install https://github.com/scylladb/scylla-ccm/archive/master.zip
+        run: make install-cassandra-ccm
 
       - name: Get cassandra version
         id: cassandra-version
-        run: |
-          if [[ "${{ matrix.cassandra-version }}" == "RELEASE-3.X" ]]; then
-            echo "value=$(python3 ci/version_fetch.py --version-index 1 cassandra3-stable:1 | tr -d '\"')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          elif [[ "${{ matrix.cassandra-version }}" == "RELEASE-4.X" ]]; then
-            echo "value=$(python3 ci/version_fetch.py --version-index 1 cassandra4-stable:1 | tr -d '\"')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          else
-            echo "Unknown cassandra version name `${{ matrix.cassandra-version }}`"
-          fi
+        env:
+          CASSANDRA_VERSION: ${{ matrix.cassandra-version }}
+        run: make resolve-cassandra-version
 
       - name: Pull CCM image from the cache
         uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
@@ -241,11 +224,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Download Cassandra (${{ steps.cassandra-version.outputs.value }}) image
         if: steps.ccm-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: |
-          rm -rf /tmp/download.ccm || true 
-          mkdir /tmp/download.ccm || true
-          ccm create ccm_1 -i 127.0.1. -n 3:0 -v "${{ steps.cassandra-version.outputs.value }}" --config-dir=/tmp/download.ccm
-          rm -rf /tmp/download.ccm
+        env:
+          CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED: ${{ steps.cassandra-version.outputs.value }}
+        run: make download-cassandra
 
       - name: Save CCM image into the cache
         if: steps.ccm-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
@@ -256,7 +237,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Run integration tests on Cassandra (${{ steps.cassandra-version.outputs.value }})
         id: run-integration-tests
-        run: mvn -B -e verify -Dccm.version=${{ steps.cassandra-version.outputs.value }} -Dfmt.skip=true -Dclirr.skip=true -Danimal.sniffer.skip=true
+        env:
+          CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED: ${{ steps.cassandra-version.outputs.value }}
+        run: make test-integration-cassandra
 
       - name: Copy test results
         if: steps.run-integration-tests.outcome == 'failure'
@@ -299,7 +282,7 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        scylla-version: [ENTERPRISE-RELEASE, ENTERPRISE-PRIOR-RELEASE, OSS-RELEASE, OSS-PRIOR-RELEASE]
+        scylla-version: [LTS-LATEST, LTS-PRIOR, LATEST]
         java-version: [8]
       fail-fast: false
 
@@ -324,30 +307,12 @@ jobs:
         with:
           python-version: '3.13'
 
-      - name: Setup environment
-        run: |
-          pip3 install https://github.com/scylladb/scylla-ccm/archive/master.zip
-          sudo sh -c "echo 2097152 > /proc/sys/fs/aio-max-nr"
+      - name: Install CCM
+        run: make install-scylla-ccm
 
       - name: Get scylla version
         id: scylla-version
-        run: |
-          if [[ "${{ matrix.scylla-version }}" == "ENTERPRISE-RELEASE" ]]; then
-            echo "value=$(python3 ci/version_fetch.py --version-index 1 scylla-enterprise-stable:1 | tr -d '\"')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          elif [[ "${{ matrix.scylla-version }}" == "ENTERPRISE-PRIOR-RELEASE" ]]; then
-            echo "value=$(python3 ci/version_fetch.py --version-index 2 scylla-enterprise-stable:2 | tr -d '\"')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          elif [[ "${{ matrix.scylla-version }}" == "ENTERPRISE-RC" ]]; then
-            echo "value=$(python3 ci/version_fetch.py --version-index 1 scylla-enterprise-rc | tr -d '\"')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          elif [[ "${{ matrix.scylla-version }}" == "OSS-RELEASE" ]]; then
-            echo "value=$(python3 ci/version_fetch.py --version-index 1 scylla-oss-stable:1 | tr -d '\"')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          elif [[ "${{ matrix.scylla-version }}" == "OSS-PRIOR-RELEASE" ]]; then
-            echo "value=$(python3 ci/version_fetch.py --version-index 2 scylla-oss-stable:2 | tr -d '\"')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          elif [[ "${{ matrix.scylla-version }}" == "OSS-RC" ]]; then
-            echo "value=$(python3 ci/version_fetch.py --version-index 1 scylla-oss-rc | tr -d '\"')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          else
-            echo "Unknown scylla version name `${{ matrix.scylla-version }}`"
-            exit 1
-          fi
+        run: make resolve-scylla-version
 
       - name: Pull CCM image from the cache
         uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
@@ -358,11 +323,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Download Scylla (${{ steps.scylla-version.outputs.value }}) image
         if: steps.ccm-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: |
-          rm -rf /tmp/download.ccm || true 
-          mkdir /tmp/download.ccm || true
-          ccm create ccm_1 -i 127.0.1. -n 3:0 -v "release:${{ steps.scylla-version.outputs.value }}" --scylla --config-dir=/tmp/download.ccm
-          rm -rf /tmp/download.ccm
+        env:
+          SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED: ${{ steps.scylla-version.outputs.value }}
+        run: make download-scylla
 
       - name: Save CCM image into the cache
         uses: actions/cache/save@v4
@@ -373,7 +336,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Run integration tests on Scylla (${{ steps.scylla-version.outputs.value }})
         id: run-integration-tests
-        run: mvn -B verify -Dccm.version=${{ steps.scylla-version.outputs.value }} -Dccm.distribution=scylla -Dfmt.skip=true -Dclirr.skip=true -Danimal.sniffer.skip=true
+        env:
+          SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED: ${{ steps.scylla-version.outputs.value }}
+        run: make test-integration-scylla
 
       - name: Copy test results
         if: steps.run-integration-tests.outcome == 'failure'
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index cabb55d5a44..4a090ef1a84 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ docs/_build
 docs/_source
 html
 latex
+bin/
 
 .java-version
 .flattened-pom.xml
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d97d58ce665
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,269 @@
+SHELL := bash
+.ONESHELL:
+
+MAKEFILE_PATH := $(abspath $(dir $(abspath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))))
+SCYLLA_VERSION ?= LATEST
+CASSANDRA_VERSION ?= 4-LATEST
+
+CCM_CASSANDRA_REPO ?= github.com/apache/cassandra-ccm
+CCM_CASSANDRA_VERSION ?= 3ef48de49e428e27653f5639f492a99851e2282d
+
+CCM_SCYLLA_REPO ?= github.com/scylladb/scylla-ccm
+CCM_SCYLLA_VERSION ?= master
+
+SCYLLA_EXT_OPTS ?= --smp=2 --memory=4G
+MVNCMD ?= mvn -B -X -ntp
+GPG_PASSPHRASE ?=
+OSSRH_USERNAME ?=
+MAVEN_OPTS ?=
+
+ifeq (${CCM_CONFIG_DIR},)
+	CCM_CONFIG_DIR = ~/.ccm
+endif
+CCM_CONFIG_DIR := $(shell readlink --canonicalize ${CCM_CONFIG_DIR})
+
+export SCYLLA_EXT_OPTS
+export SCYLLA_VERSION
+export PATH := $(MAKEFILE_PATH)/bin:$(PATH)
+
+.install-guava-shaded:
+	$(MVNCMD) install -pl guava-shaded
+
+.download-test-dependencies:
+	$(MVNCMD) test -Dtest=TestThatDoesNotExists -Dfmt.skip=true -Dclirr.skip=true -Danimal.sniffer.skip=true || true
+
+.download-verify-dependencies:
+	$(MVNCMD) verify -DskipTests || true
+
+.prepare-bin:
+	@[[ -d "$(MAKEFILE_PATH)/bin" ]] || mkdir "$(MAKEFILE_PATH)/bin"
+
+.prepare-get-version: .prepare-bin
+	@if [[ ! -f "$(MAKEFILE_PATH)/bin/get-version" ]]; then
+		echo "bin/get-version is not found, installing it"
+		curl -sSLo /tmp/get-version.zip https://github.com/scylladb-actions/get-version/releases/download/v0.3.0/get-version_0.3.0_linux_amd64v3.zip
+		unzip /tmp/get-version.zip get-version -d "$(MAKEFILE_PATH)/bin" >/dev/null
+	fi
+
+.prepare-scylla-ccm:
+	@ccm --help 2>/dev/null 1>&2
+	if [[ $$? -lt 127 ]] \
+		&& grep SCYLLA ${CCM_CONFIG_DIR}/ccm-type 2>/dev/null 1>&2 \
+		&& grep ${CCM_SCYLLA_VERSION} ${CCM_CONFIG_DIR}/ccm-version 2>/dev/null 1>&2; then
+		echo "ScyllaDB CCM ${CCM_SCYLLA_VERSION} is already installed"
+	else \
+  		$(MAKE) install-scylla-ccm
+	fi
+
+.prepare-cassandra-ccm:
+	@ccm --help 2>/dev/null 1>&2
+	if [[ $$? -lt 127 ]] \
+		&& grep CASSANDRA ${CCM_CONFIG_DIR}/ccm-type 2>/dev/null 1>&2 \
+		&& grep ${CCM_CASSANDRA_VERSION} ${CCM_CONFIG_DIR}/ccm-version 2>/dev/null 1>&2; then
+		echo "Cassandra CCM ${CCM_CASSANDRA_VERSION} is already installed"
+	else \
+  		$(MAKE) install-cassandra-ccm
+	fi
+
+.prepare-environment-update-aio-max-nr:
+	@if (( $$(< /proc/sys/fs/aio-max-nr) < 2097152 )); then
+		echo 2097152 | sudo tee /proc/sys/fs/aio-max-nr >/dev/null
+	fi
+
+install-cassandra-ccm:
+	@echo "Install CCM ${CCM_CASSANDRA_VERSION}"
+	pip install "git+https://${CCM_CASSANDRA_REPO}.git@${CCM_CASSANDRA_VERSION}"
+	mkdir ${CCM_CONFIG_DIR} 2>/dev/null || true
+	echo CASSANDRA > ${CCM_CONFIG_DIR}/ccm-type
+	echo ${CCM_CASSANDRA_VERSION} > ${CCM_CONFIG_DIR}/ccm-version
+
+install-scylla-ccm:
+	@echo "Installing ScyllaDB CCM ${CCM_SCYLLA_VERSION}"
+	pip install "git+https://${CCM_SCYLLA_REPO}.git@${CCM_SCYLLA_VERSION}"
+	mkdir ${CCM_CONFIG_DIR} 2>/dev/null || true
+	echo SCYLLA > ${CCM_CONFIG_DIR}/ccm-type
+	echo ${CCM_SCYLLA_VERSION} > ${CCM_CONFIG_DIR}/ccm-version
+
+download-all-dependencies: compile-all .download-test-dependencies .download-verify-dependencies
+
+CASSANDRA_VERSION_FILE=/tmp/cassandra-version-${CASSANDRA_VERSION}.resolved
+resolve-cassandra-version: .prepare-get-version
+	@find "${CASSANDRA_VERSION_FILE}" -mtime +0 -delete 2>/dev/null 1>&1
+	if [[ -f "${CASSANDRA_VERSION_FILE}" ]]; then
+		echo "Resolved Cassandra ${CASSANDRA_VERSION} to $$(cat ${CASSANDRA_VERSION_FILE})"
+		exit 0
+	fi
+
+	if [[ "${CASSANDRA_VERSION}" == "4-LATEST" ]]; then
+		CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED=$$(get-version -source github-tag -repo apache/cassandra -prefix "cassandra-" -out-no-prefix -filters "^[0-9]+$$.^[0-9]+$$.^[0-9]+$$ and 4.LAST.LAST" | tr -d '\"')
+	elif [[ "${CASSANDRA_VERSION}" == "3-LATEST" ]]; then
+		CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED=$$(get-version -source github-tag -repo apache/cassandra -prefix "cassandra-" -out-no-prefix -filters "^[0-9]+$$.^[0-9]+$$.^[0-9]+$$ and 3.LAST.LAST" | tr -d '\"')
+	elif echo "${CASSANDRA_VERSION}" | grep -P '^[0-9\.]+'; then
+		CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED=${CASSANDRA_VERSION}
+	else
+		echo "Unknown Cassandra version name '${CASSANDRA_VERSION}'"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+
+	if [[ -z "$${CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" ]]; then
+		echo "Failed to resolve Cassandra ${CASSANDRA_VERSION}"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+
+	echo "Resolved Cassandra ${CASSANDRA_VERSION} to $${CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED}"
+	if [[ -n "${GITHUB_OUTPUT}" ]]; then
+		echo "value=$${CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" >>$${GITHUB_OUTPUT}
+	fi
+	echo "$${CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" >${CASSANDRA_VERSION_FILE}
+
+SCYLLA_VERSION_FILE=/tmp/scylla-version-${SCYLLA_VERSION}.resolved
+resolve-scylla-version: .prepare-get-version
+	@find "${SCYLLA_VERSION_FILE}" -mtime +0 -delete 2>/dev/null 1>&1
+	if [[ -f "${SCYLLA_VERSION_FILE}" ]]; then
+		echo "Resolved ScyllaDB ${SCYLLA_VERSION} to $$(cat ${SCYLLA_VERSION_FILE})"
+		exit 0
+	fi
+
+	if [[ "${SCYLLA_VERSION}" == "LTS-LATEST" ]]; then
+		SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED=$$(get-version --source dockerhub-imagetag --repo scylladb/scylla -filters "^[0-9]{4}$$.^[0-9]+$$.^[0-9]+$$ and LAST.1.LAST" | tr -d '\"')
+	elif [[ "${SCYLLA_VERSION}" == "LTS-PRIOR" ]]; then
+		SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED=$$(get-version --source dockerhub-imagetag --repo scylladb/scylla -filters "^[0-9]{4}$$.^[0-9]+$$.^[0-9]+$$ and LAST-1.1.LAST" | tr -d '\"')
+		if [[ -z "$${SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" ]]; then
+			SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED=$$(get-version --source dockerhub-imagetag --repo scylladb/scylla-enterprise -filters "^[0-9]{4}$.^[0-9]+$.^[0-9]+$ and LAST-1.1.LAST" | tr -d '\"')
+		fi
+	elif [[ "${SCYLLA_VERSION}" == "LATEST" ]]; then
+		SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED=$$(get-version --source dockerhub-imagetag --repo scylladb/scylla -filters "^[0-9]{4}$$.^[0-9]+$$.^[0-9]+$$ and LAST.LAST.LAST" | tr -d '\"')
+	elif [[ "${SCYLLA_VERSION}" == "PRIOR" ]]; then
+		SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED=$$(get-version --source dockerhub-imagetag --repo scylladb/scylla -filters "^[0-9]{4}$$.^[0-9]+$$.^[0-9]+$$ and LAST.LAST.LAST-1" | tr -d '\"')
+	elif echo "${SCYLLA_VERSION}" | grep -P '^[0-9\.]+'; then
+		SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED=${SCYLLA_VERSION}
+	else
+		echo "Unknown ScyllaDB version name '${SCYLLA_VERSION}'"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+
+	if [[ -z "$${SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" ]]; then
+		echo "Failed to resolve ScyllaDB '${SCYLLA_VERSION}'"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+
+	echo "Resolved ScyllaDB ${SCYLLA_VERSION} to $${SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED}"
+	if [[ -n "${GITHUB_OUTPUT}" ]]; then
+		echo "value=$${SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" >>$${GITHUB_OUTPUT}
+	fi
+	echo "$${SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" >${SCYLLA_VERSION_FILE}
+
+download-cassandra: .prepare-scylla-ccm resolve-cassandra-version
+	@if [[ -z "$${CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" ]]; then
+		CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED=$$(cat '${CASSANDRA_VERSION_FILE}')
+	fi
+	if [[ -z "$${CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" ]]; then
+		echo "Cassandra version ${CASSANDRA_VERSION} was not resolved"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+	rm -rf /tmp/download.ccm || true
+	mkdir /tmp/download.ccm || true
+	ccm create ccm_1 -i 127.0.254. -n 1:0 -v "$${CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" --config-dir=/tmp/download.ccm
+	rm -rf /tmp/download.ccm
+
+download-scylla: .prepare-scylla-ccm resolve-scylla-version
+	@if [[ -z "$${SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" ]]; then
+		SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED=$$(cat '${SCYLLA_VERSION_FILE}')
+	fi
+	if [[ -z "$${SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" ]]; then
+		echo "ScyllaDB version ${SCYLLA_VERSION} was not resolved"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+	rm -rf /tmp/download.ccm || true
+	mkdir /tmp/download.ccm || true
+	ccm create ccm_1 -i 127.0.254. -n 1:0 -v "$${SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" --scylla --config-dir=/tmp/download.ccm
+	rm -rf /tmp/download.ccm
+
+.require-release-prepare-env:
+	@if [[ -z "${GPG_PASSPHRASE}" ]]; then
+		echo "GPG_PASSPHRASE is empty"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+
+.require-release-env:
+	@if [[ -z "${GPG_PASSPHRASE}" ]]; then
+		echo "GPG_PASSPHRASE is empty"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+	if [[ -z "${OSSRH_USERNAME}" ]]; then
+		echo "OSSRH_USERNAME is empty"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+	if [[ -z "${OSSRH_PASSWORD}" ]]; then
+		echo "OSSRH_PASSWORD is empty"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+
+release-prepare: .require-release-prepare-env
+	@if [[ -n "${RELEASE_SKIP_TESTS}" ]]; then
+		export MAVEN_OPTS="${MAVEN_OPTS} -DskipTests=true -DskipITs=true"
+	fi
+	$(MVNCMD) release:prepare -DpushChanges=false -Dgpg.passphrase=${GPG_PASSPHRASE}
+
+release: .require-release-env
+	@if [[ -n "${RELEASE_SKIP_TESTS}" ]]; then
+		export MAVEN_OPTS="${MAVEN_OPTS} -DskipTests=true -DskipITs=true"
+	fi
+	$(MVNCMD) release:perform -Drelease.autopublish=true -Dgpg.passphrase=${GPG_PASSPHRASE} > >(tee /tmp/logs-stdout.log) 2> >(tee /tmp/logs-stderr.log)
+
+release-dry-run: .require-release-env
+	@if [[ -n "${RELEASE_SKIP_TESTS}" ]]; then
+		export MAVEN_OPTS="${MAVEN_OPTS} -DskipTests=true -DskipITs=true"
+	fi
+	$(MVNCMD) release:perform -Dgpg.passphrase=${GPG_PASSPHRASE} > >(tee /tmp/logs-stdout.log) 2> >(tee /tmp/logs-stderr.log)
+
+compile-all: .install-guava-shaded
+	mvn -B compile test-compile -Dfmt.skip=true -Dclirr.skip=true -Danimal.sniffer.skip=true
+
+check:
+	$(MVNCMD) verify -DskipTests
+
+fix:
+	$(MVNCMD) fmt:format
+
+test-unit: .install-guava-shaded
+	$(MVNCMD) test -Dfmt.skip=true -Dclirr.skip=true -Danimal.sniffer.skip=true
+
+test-integration-scylla: .install-guava-shaded .prepare-scylla-ccm resolve-scylla-version .prepare-environment-update-aio-max-nr
+	@if [[ -z "$${SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" ]]; then
+		SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED=`cat '${SCYLLA_VERSION_FILE}'`
+	fi
+	if [[ -z "$${SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" ]]; then
+		echo "ScyllaDB version ${SCYLLA_VERSION} was not resolved"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+	mvn -B -e verify -Dccm.version=$${SCYLLA_VERSION_RESOLVED} -Dccm.distribution=scylla -Dfmt.skip=true -Dclirr.skip=true -Danimal.sniffer.skip=true
+
+test-integration-cassandra: .install-guava-shaded .prepare-scylla-ccm resolve-cassandra-version
+	@if [[ -z "$${CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" ]]; then
+		CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED=`cat '${CASSANDRA_VERSION_FILE}'`
+	fi
+	if [[ -z "$${CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED}" ]]; then
+		echo "Cassandra version ${CASSANDRA_VERSION} was not resolved"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+	mvn -B -e verify -Dccm.version=$${CASSANDRA_VERSION_RESOLVED} -Dfmt.skip=true -Dclirr.skip=true -Danimal.sniffer.skip=true
+
+check-no-compile-warnings:
+	@$(MAKE) compile-all | grep WARNING >/tmp/all-compile-warnings.log || true
+	if [ -s /tmp/all-compile-warnings.log ]; then
+		echo "Found warnings in while compiling code:"
+		cat /tmp/all-compile-warnings.log
+		exit 1
+	fi
+
+clean:
+	@mvn clean
+	find -name 'pom.xml.releaseBackup' -delete
+	find -name 'pom.xml.tag' -delete
+	find -name 'pom.xml.next' -delete
+	find -name 'target' -exec rm -rf {} +
+	find -name 'dependency-reduced-pom.xml' -exec rm -f {} +
+	for dir in driver-core driver-examples driver-extras driver-mapping driver-tests driver-dist testing; do
+		rm -rf $$dir 2>/dev/null
+	done
diff --git a/README-dev.md b/README-dev.md
index 71234332fcf..5b8c85c6f92 100644
--- a/README-dev.md
+++ b/README-dev.md
@@ -14,3 +14,17 @@ Once you have installed the above software, you can build and preview the docume
 ## Custom commands
 
 To generate the reference documentation of the driver, run the command `make javadoc`. This command generates the reference documentation using the Javadoc tool in the `_build/dirhtml/<VERSION>/api` directory.
+
+## Using the Makefile
+
+Most day-to-day tasks are wrapped in the top-level `Makefile` so you do not have to remember long Maven invocations. Common targets include:
+
+- `make download-all-dependencies` pre-fetches all Maven artifacts to warm local caches.
+- `make compile-all` compiles main and test sources without running tests, skipping format, clirr, and animal-sniffer checks for speed.
+- `make test-unit` runs the fast unit-test suite; use `MVNCMD` to tweak the underlying Maven command if needed.
+- `make test-integration-scylla` and `make test-integration-cassandra` execute CCM-backed integration suites. Export `SCYLLA_VERSION` or `CASSANDRA_VERSION` to pin specific server versions before invoking.
+- `make check` executes `mvn verify -DskipTests` for static analysis, while `make fix` applies code formatters via `mvn fmt:format`.
+- `make fix` executes `mvn fmt:format` to format the code.
+- `make clean` removes Maven targets, shaded artifacts, and release backups to reset the tree.
+
+The Makefile automatically installs the shaded Guava dependency and, for integration tests, bootstraps the appropriate CCM toolchain and raises kernel `aio-max-nr` when required. If a target fails because the toolchain is missing, rerun after installing the prerequisites highlighted in the target output.