diff --git a/.github/workflows/maven.yml b/.github/workflows/maven.yml
index 2dad3d0a..36311f76 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/maven.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/maven.yml
@@ -16,8 +16,22 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   build:
-
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 15
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        jdk: ['8']
+        # temurin is Eclipse/AdoptOpenJDK/Adoptium
+        # zulu has 2030 EOL for JDK 8
+        # 'liberica' is a preferred Spring SDK
+        distribution: ['zulu']
+        experimental: [false]
+        # include:
+        #   - jdk: '21'
+        #     distribution: zulu
+        #     experimental: false
+    continue-on-error: ${{ matrix.experimental }}
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -27,6 +41,12 @@ jobs:
         java-version: '8'
         distribution: 'zulu'
         cache: maven
+    - uses: actions/cache@v4
+      with:
+        path: ~/.m2/repository
+        key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.jdk }}_${{ matrix.distribution }}-maven-${{ hashFiles('**/pom.xml') }}
+        restore-keys: |
+          ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.jdk }}_${{ matrix.distribution }}-maven-
     - name: Build with Maven
       run: |
         cd backend