diff --git a/makefiles/Shipkit-main.make b/makefiles/Shipkit-main.make
index a266b70..929aedd 100644
--- a/makefiles/Shipkit-main.make
+++ b/makefiles/Shipkit-main.make
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ uc = $(call _awk_case,toupper,$(1))
 $(BUILD_DIR)::
 	mkdir -p $@
 
-## Make it so
+# Make it so
 ship-it::
 
 
diff --git a/makefiles/gradle-tools.make b/makefiles/gradle-tools.make
index 8428ee8..df0f545 100644
--- a/makefiles/gradle-tools.make
+++ b/makefiles/gradle-tools.make
@@ -9,19 +9,16 @@ gradle_properties ?= gradle.properties
 build_gradle ?= build.gradle
 
 
-## runs codenarc and spotless
+## runs codenarc and spotless with spotlessApply to fix any format issues
 lint::
 	$(gradlew) spotlessApply
 	$(gradlew) codenarcMain
 
-# Run the lint and test suite with ./gradlew check
-# check::
-# 	$(gradlew) spotlessApply
-# 	$(gradlew) check
-
+## clean the build
 clean::
 	$(gradlew) clean
 
+## compile apps. calls ./gradlew classes.
 compile::
 	$(gradlew) classes
 
@@ -31,6 +28,7 @@ build::
 
 testArg := $(if $(tests),--tests *$(tests)*, )
 
+# runs both test and integrationTest.
 test::
 	$(gradlew) test integrationTest
 
@@ -42,24 +40,32 @@ test.unit::
 test.e2e::
 	$(gradlew) integrationTest $(testArg)
 
+## show help list for test targets
+help.test:
+	$(MAKE) help HELP_REGEX="^test.*"
+
+test.help: help.test
+
 # verifies the snapshot is set
 _verify-snapshot: FORCE
 	_=$(if $(IS_SNAPSHOT),,$(error set snapshot=true in version properties))
 
-## publish snapshot(s) jars into you local maven
-publish.snapshot: | _verify-snapshot
-	$(gradlew) snapshot
-
 # here so we can depend on it being there and if not firing assemble
 $(APP_JAR):
 	$(gradlew) assemble
 
-## java runs the APP_JAR
+# java runs the APP_JAR
 start.jar: $(APP_JAR)
 	java -server -Xmx3048m -XX:MaxMetaspaceSize=256m -jar $(APP_JAR)
 
 .PHONY: resolve-dependencies merge-test-results
 
+## show help list for gradle targets
+help.gradle:
+	$(MAKE) help HELP_REGEX="^gradle.*"
+
+gradle.help: help.gradle
+
 # calls `gradlew resolveConfigurations` to download deps without compiling, used mostly for CI cache
 gradle.resolve-dependencies:
 	$(gradlew) resolveConfigurations --no-daemon
@@ -80,14 +86,23 @@ gradle.cache-key-file: | _verify_PROJECT_SUBPROJECTS
 	done
 	$(logr.done)
 
+# publish the library jar, calls gradle publish, alias to publish.libs
+gradle.publish.libs: publish.libs
+
+# publish snapshot(s) jars into you local maven
+gradle.snapshot: | _verify-snapshot
+	$(gradlew) snapshot
+
+## publish snapshot(s) jars into you local maven, alias to gradle.snapshot
+publish.snapshot: gradle.snapshot
+
 # legacy calls with no namespace
 resolve-dependencies: gradle.resolve-dependencies
 
+# alias to gradle.cache-key-file
 cache-key-file: gradle.cache-key-file
 
-merge-test-results: gradle.merge-test-results
-
-## publish the library jar, calls gradle publish
+# publish the library jar, calls gradle publish
 publish.libs:
 	if [ "$(IS_SNAPSHOT)" ]; then $(logr) "publishing SNAPSHOT"; else $(logr) "publishing release"; fi
 	if [ "$(dry_run)" ]; then
diff --git a/makefiles/jbuilder-docker.make b/makefiles/jdk-docker.make
similarity index 88%
rename from makefiles/jbuilder-docker.make
rename to makefiles/jdk-docker.make
index bd58e3f..34c8c72 100644
--- a/makefiles/jbuilder-docker.make
+++ b/makefiles/jdk-docker.make
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ JBUILDER_NAME := $(PROJECT_NAME)_jbuilder
 JBUILDER_COMPOSE_FILE ?= ./jbuilder-compose.yml
 JBUILDER_COMPOSE_CMD := JBUILDER_NAME=$(JBUILDER_NAME) docker compose -p $(JBUILDER_NAME)_servers -f $(JBUILDER_COMPOSE_FILE)
 
-## docker compose for jbuilder-compose.yml, follow with the docker cmd such as up, down, shell or pull
+# docker compose for jbuilder-compose.yml, follow with the docker cmd such as up, down, shell or pull
 docker.jbuilder: | _verify-DOCKER_CMD
 	$(MAKE) jbuilder-$(DOCKER_CMD)
 
diff --git a/makefiles/ship-gh-pages.make b/makefiles/ship-gh-pages.make
index f606724..d5f1217 100644
--- a/makefiles/ship-gh-pages.make
+++ b/makefiles/ship-gh-pages.make
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ docmark.publish-prep: docmark.build git.clone-pages
 		cp -r $(GROOVYDOC_BUILD_DIR) $(PAGES_BUILD_DIR)/groovydocs
 	fi
 
-## Builds and pushes docmark pages to github pages, CI should call publish-docs which calls this
+# Builds and pushes docmark pages to github pages, CI should call publish-docs which calls this
 pages.deploy-github: docmark.publish-prep
 	if [ "$(dry_run)" ]; then
 		echo "🌮 dry_run ->  $(MAKE) git.push-pages"
diff --git a/makefiles/spring-common.make b/makefiles/spring-common.make
index bf67008..6779750 100644
--- a/makefiles/spring-common.make
+++ b/makefiles/spring-common.make
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ include $(SHIPKIT_MAKEFILES)/git-tools.make
 include $(SHIPKIT_MAKEFILES)/docker.make
 include $(SHIPKIT_MAKEFILES)/kubectl-config.make
 include $(SHIPKIT_MAKEFILES)/kube.make
-include $(SHIPKIT_MAKEFILES)/jbuilder-docker.make
+include $(SHIPKIT_MAKEFILES)/jdk-docker.make
 include $(SHIPKIT_MAKEFILES)/gradle-tools.make
 include $(SHIPKIT_MAKEFILES)/spring-docker.make
 include $(SHIPKIT_MAKEFILES)/docmark.make
diff --git a/makefiles/spring-docker.make b/makefiles/spring-docker.make
index 12b0f8b..425052e 100644
--- a/makefiles/spring-docker.make
+++ b/makefiles/spring-docker.make
@@ -50,14 +50,14 @@ build/docker_push_$(APP_KEY): $(BUILD_DIR)/docker_built_$(APP_KEY) | _verify_APP
 	fi
 
 .PHONY: docker.app-push
-## builds and deploys whats in the src/deploy for the APP_DOCKER_URL to docker hub
+# builds and deploys whats in the src/deploy for the APP_DOCKER_URL to docker hub
 docker.app-push: $(BUILD_DIR)/docker_push_$(APP_KEY)
 
 APP_COMPOSE_FILE ?= $(build_docker_dir)/docker-compose.yml
 APP_COMPOSE_CMD := APP_DOCKER_URL=$(APP_DOCKER_URL) APP_NAME=$(APP_NAME) docker compose -p $(APP_NAME)_servers -f $(APP_COMPOSE_FILE)
 APP_COMPOSE_CLEAN_FLAGS ?= --volumes --remove-orphans
 
-## docker compose for the runnable jar, follow with a docker cmd such as up, down, shell or pull
+# docker compose for the runnable jar, follow with a docker cmd such as up, down, shell or pull
 docker.app: | _verify-DOCKER_CMD
 	$(MAKE) docker.app-$(DOCKER_CMD)
 
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ docker.app-up: build/docker_built_$(APP_KEY)
 docker.app-down:
 	$(APP_COMPOSE_CMD) down $(APP_COMPOSE_CLEAN_FLAGS)
 
+# open docker shell for app
 docker.app-shell: docker.app-up
 	docker exec -it $(APP_NAME) bash -l
 
diff --git a/version.properties b/version.properties
index 1552159..786e351 100644
--- a/version.properties
+++ b/version.properties
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@ publishedVersion=2.0.3
 # when this is false will append -SNAPSHOT to version and if on publishable branch will 'publish' to snapshotUrl
 # when true IS_RELEASEBALE will be set and will go through full release process cycle to
 # automatically bump version and push a v tag to github
-release=false
+release=true