diff --git a/tools/build/bazel/BUILD b/tools/build/bazel/BUILD
index cf20246..57f700d 100644
--- a/tools/build/bazel/BUILD
+++ b/tools/build/bazel/BUILD
@@ -1,15 +1,20 @@
 load("@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:default_java_toolchain.bzl", "default_java_toolchain")
 
-# This is where we define the language source and target values passed to javac
-# when building ONOS. This toolchain should be used when invoking bazel build
+# This is where we define the JDK used to build ONOS, as well as the language
+# source and target values passed to javac. The :default_toolchain and
+# :default_jdk are expected to be passed as arguments when invoking bazel build
 # (see onos/.bazelrc)
 default_java_toolchain(
     name = "default_toolchain",
     source_version = "11",
     target_version = "11",
-    visibility = [
-        "//visibility:public",
-    ],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
+
+alias(
+    name = "default_jdk",
+    actual = "@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:remote_jdk11",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )
 
 py_binary(
diff --git a/tools/build/bazel/checkstyle.bzl b/tools/build/bazel/checkstyle.bzl
index b651dd2..8e6e37f 100644
--- a/tools/build/bazel/checkstyle.bzl
+++ b/tools/build/bazel/checkstyle.bzl
@@ -27,8 +27,11 @@
         need_colon = True
         classpath += file.path
 
+    java_runtime = ctx.attr._jdk[java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo]
+    java_exe_path = java_runtime.java_executable_runfiles_path
+
     cmd = " ".join(
-        ["java -cp %s com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.Main" % classpath] +
+        ["%s -cp %s com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.Main" % (java_exe_path, classpath)] +
         ["-c %s" % ctx.attr._config.files.to_list()[0].path] +
         [src_file.path for src_file in ctx.files.srcs],
     )
@@ -44,7 +47,10 @@
               ctx.attr._suppressions.files.to_list() +
               ctx.attr._java_header.files.to_list())
 
-    runfiles = ctx.runfiles(files = inputs)
+    runfiles = ctx.runfiles(
+        files = inputs,
+        transitive_files = java_runtime.files,
+    )
     return [DefaultInfo(runfiles = runfiles)]
 
 """
@@ -66,6 +72,10 @@
         "_config": attr.label(default = Label("//tools/build/conf:checkstyle_xml")),
         "_suppressions": attr.label(default = Label("//tools/build/conf:suppressions_xml")),
         "_java_header": attr.label(default = Label("//tools/build/conf:onos_java_header")),
+        "_jdk": attr.label(
+            default = Label("@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:current_java_runtime"),
+            providers = [java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo],
+        ),
     },
     implementation = _checkstyle_impl,
 )
diff --git a/tools/build/bazel/java_sources.bzl b/tools/build/bazel/java_sources.bzl
index a45ae60..1381a05 100644
--- a/tools/build/bazel/java_sources.bzl
+++ b/tools/build/bazel/java_sources.bzl
@@ -13,24 +13,28 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 def _impl(ctx):
-    jar = ctx.outputs.jar
+    outjar = ctx.outputs.jar
 
     src_list = ""
     for src in ctx.files.srcs:
         if src.path.endswith(".srcjar"):
             src_list += " " + src.path
 
+    java_runtime = ctx.attr._jdk[java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo]
+    jar_path = "%s/bin/jar" % java_runtime.java_home
+
     cmd = [
-        "for sj in %s; do jar xf $sj; done" % src_list,
+        "for sj in %s; do %s xf $sj; done" % (src_list, jar_path),
         "dir=$(find . -type d -name java)",
-        "[ -n \"$dir\" -a -d \"$dir\" ] && jar cf %s -C $dir ." % jar.path,
+        "[ -n \"$dir\" -a -d \"$dir\" ] && %s cf %s -C $dir ." % (jar_path, outjar.path),
     ]
 
     ctx.action(
         inputs = ctx.files.srcs,
-        outputs = [jar],
+        outputs = [outjar],
         progress_message = "Generating source jar for %s" % ctx.attr.name,
         command = ";\n".join(cmd),
+        tools = java_runtime.files,
     )
 
 def _impl_alt(ctx):
@@ -68,6 +72,10 @@
 java_sources = rule(
     attrs = {
         "srcs": attr.label_list(allow_files = True),
+        "_jdk": attr.label(
+            default = Label("@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:current_java_runtime"),
+            providers = [java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo],
+        ),
     },
     implementation = _impl,
     outputs = {"jar": "%{name}.jar"},
diff --git a/tools/build/bazel/javadoc.bzl b/tools/build/bazel/javadoc.bzl
index 87e5592..c459f7d 100644
--- a/tools/build/bazel/javadoc.bzl
+++ b/tools/build/bazel/javadoc.bzl
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-JAVA_DOCS = "-link https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/"
+JAVA_DOCS = "-link https://docs.oracle.com/javase/11/docs/api/"
 
 def _impl(ctx):
     dir = ctx.label.name
-    jar = ctx.outputs.jar
+    outjar = ctx.outputs.jar
 
     dep_list = []
     for dep in ctx.files.deps:
@@ -26,24 +26,32 @@
     for src in ctx.files.srcs:
         src_list += [src.path]
 
+    java_runtime = ctx.attr._jdk[java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo]
+    jar_exe_path = "%s/bin/jar" % java_runtime.java_home
+
     cmd = [
         "mkdir %s" % dir,
         "javadoc -encoding UTF-8 -quiet -tag onos.rsModel:a:\"onos model\" %s -d %s -cp %s %s" %
         (JAVA_DOCS, dir, ":".join(dep_list), " ".join(src_list)),
-        "jar cf %s -C %s ." % (jar.path, dir),
+        "%s cf %s -C %s ." % (jar_exe_path, outjar.path, dir),
     ]
 
     ctx.action(
         inputs = ctx.files.srcs + ctx.files.deps,
-        outputs = [jar],
+        outputs = [outjar],
         progress_message = "Generating javadocs jar for %s" % ctx.attr.name,
         command = ";\n".join(cmd),
+        tools = java_runtime.files,
     )
 
 javadoc = rule(
     attrs = {
         "deps": attr.label_list(allow_files = True),
         "srcs": attr.label_list(allow_files = True),
+        "_jdk": attr.label(
+            default = Label("@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:current_java_runtime"),
+            providers = [java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo],
+        ),
     },
     implementation = _impl,
     outputs = {"jar": "%{name}.jar"},
diff --git a/tools/build/bazel/jdk_genrule.bzl b/tools/build/bazel/jdk_genrule.bzl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14e5aa2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/build/bazel/jdk_genrule.bzl
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+"""
+ Copyright 2018-present Open Networking Foundation
+
+ Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+ Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ limitations under the License.
+"""
+
+"""
+Extension to genrule that has the JDK bin directory in the PATH, thus allowing
+to invoke commands like jar directly in the genrule "cmd" attribute.
+This allows using JDK-related tools on a host system that does not have the JDK
+installed, instead using the current JDK used by Bazel, e.g. the embedded or
+remote one.
+"""
+
+def jdk_genrule(
+        cmd,
+        tools = [],
+        toolchains = [],
+        **kwargs):
+    new_tools = tools + ["@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:current_java_runtime"]
+    new_toolchains = toolchains + ["@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:current_java_runtime"]
+    new_cmd = "echo \"export PATH=$$PWD/$(JAVABASE)/bin:$$PATH:\" > jdk_genrule_setup.sh; " + \
+              "source jdk_genrule_setup.sh; " + cmd
+
+    native.genrule(
+        cmd = new_cmd,
+        tools = new_tools,
+        toolchains = new_toolchains,
+        **kwargs
+    )
diff --git a/tools/build/bazel/minimal_jar.bzl b/tools/build/bazel/minimal_jar.bzl
index ccc0c65..6615ec9 100644
--- a/tools/build/bazel/minimal_jar.bzl
+++ b/tools/build/bazel/minimal_jar.bzl
@@ -13,19 +13,29 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 def _impl(ctx):
-    jar = ctx.outputs.jar
+    outjar = ctx.outputs.jar
+
+    java_runtime = ctx.attr._jdk[java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo]
+    jar_exe_path = "%s/bin/jar" % java_runtime.java_home
 
     cmd = [
-        "mkdir readme && touch readme/README && jar cf %s readme/README" % (jar.path),
+        "mkdir readme && touch readme/README && %s cf %s readme/README" % (jar_exe_path, outjar.path),
     ]
 
     ctx.action(
-        outputs = [jar],
+        outputs = [outjar],
         progress_message = "Generating minimal jar for %s" % ctx.attr.name,
         command = ";\n".join(cmd),
+        tools = java_runtime.files,
     )
 
 minimal_jar = rule(
+    attrs = {
+        "_jdk": attr.label(
+            default = Label("@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:current_java_runtime"),
+            providers = [java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo],
+        ),
+    },
     implementation = _impl,
     outputs = {"jar": "%{name}.jar"},
 )
diff --git a/tools/build/bazel/osgi_java_library.bzl b/tools/build/bazel/osgi_java_library.bzl
index 8296fcf..0ca2047 100644
--- a/tools/build/bazel/osgi_java_library.bzl
+++ b/tools/build/bazel/osgi_java_library.bzl
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@
         proto_name + "-srcjar",
     ]
     base_deps = [
-        "//lib:com_google_protobuf_protobuf_java",
+        "//deps:com_google_protobuf_protobuf_java",
     ]
     if grpc_proto_lib != None:
         grpc_name = name + "-java-grpc"
@@ -732,9 +732,9 @@
         )
         base_deps.extend([
             "@com_google_guava_guava//jar",
-            "//lib:io_grpc_grpc_api_context",
-            "//lib:io_grpc_grpc_stub",
-            "//lib:io_grpc_grpc_protobuf",
+            "//deps:io_grpc_grpc_api_context",
+            "//deps:io_grpc_grpc_stub",
+            "//deps:io_grpc_grpc_protobuf",
             "@javax_annotation_javax_annotation_api//jar",
         ])
     osgi_jar(
diff --git a/tools/build/bazel/project_javadoc.bzl b/tools/build/bazel/project_javadoc.bzl
index 171b846..7c706d0 100644
--- a/tools/build/bazel/project_javadoc.bzl
+++ b/tools/build/bazel/project_javadoc.bzl
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-JAVA_DOCS = "-link https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/"
+JAVA_DOCS = "-link https://docs.oracle.com/javase/11/docs/api/"
 
 def dump(obj):
     print(dir(obj))
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 def _impl(ctx):
     dir = ctx.label.name
-    jar = ctx.outputs.jar
+    outjar = ctx.outputs.jar
 
     classpath = ""
     for dep in ctx.files.deps:
@@ -39,9 +39,13 @@
             packages += ":" + p
         group_list += " -group \"%s\" %s" % (group, packages.replace(":", "", 1))
 
+    java_runtime = ctx.attr._jdk[java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo]
+    jar_exe_path = "%s/bin/jar" % java_runtime.java_home
+    javadoc_exe_path = "%s/bin/javadoc" % java_runtime.java_home
+
     cmd = [
         "mkdir src; cd src",
-        "for s in %s; do jar xf ../$s; done" % src_list,
+        "for s in %s; do ../%s xf ../$s; done" % (src_list, jar_exe_path),
         "rm -f META-INF/MANIFEST.MF",
         "cd ..",
         "cp -r docs/src/main/javadoc/* .",
@@ -54,17 +58,18 @@
         cmd += ["find src -type f | egrep -v 'src/(OSGI|WEB)-INF' | egrep -v '/(impl|internal)/' >> FILES"]
 
     cmd += [
-        "javadoc -encoding UTF-8 -overview overview.html -doctitle '%s' -windowtitle '%s' %s -d apidocs -classpath %s -sourcepath src %s @FILES" %
-        (ctx.attr.title, ctx.attr.title, group_list, classpath.replace(":", "", 1), JAVA_DOCS),
+        "%s -encoding UTF-8 -overview overview.html -doctitle '%s' -windowtitle '%s' %s -d apidocs -classpath %s -sourcepath src %s @FILES" %
+        (javadoc_exe_path, ctx.attr.title, ctx.attr.title, group_list, classpath.replace(":", "", 1), JAVA_DOCS),
         "cp -r doc-files apidocs/doc-files",
-        "jar cf %s apidocs" % jar.path,
+        "%s cf %s apidocs" % (jar_exe_path, outjar.path),
     ]
 
-    ctx.action(
+    ctx.actions.run_shell(
         inputs = ctx.files.srcs + ctx.files.deps,
-        outputs = [jar],
+        outputs = [outjar],
         progress_message = "Generating javadocs jar for %s" % ctx.attr.name,
         command = ";\n".join(cmd),
+        tools = java_runtime.files,
     )
 
 project_javadoc = rule(
@@ -75,6 +80,10 @@
         "deps": attr.label_list(allow_files = True),
         "srcs": attr.label_list(allow_files = True),
         "internal": attr.bool(default = False),
+        "_jdk": attr.label(
+            default = Label("@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:current_java_runtime"),
+            providers = [java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo],
+        ),
     },
     implementation = _impl,
     outputs = {"jar": "%{name}.jar"},
diff --git a/tools/build/bazel/yang.bzl b/tools/build/bazel/yang.bzl
index 18b60e7..d96000f 100644
--- a/tools/build/bazel/yang.bzl
+++ b/tools/build/bazel/yang.bzl
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@
         executable = ctx.executable._yang_compiler,
     )
 
+    java_runtime = ctx.attr._jdk[java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo]
+    jar_path = "%s/bin/jar" % java_runtime.java_home
+
     ctx.actions.run_shell(
         inputs = [generated_sources],
         outputs = [ctx.outputs.srcjar],
@@ -76,7 +79,8 @@
             ctx.outputs.srcjar.path,
             generated_sources.path,
         ],
-        command = "jar cf $1 -C $2 src",
+        tools = java_runtime.files,
+        command = "%s cf $1 -C $2 src" % jar_path,
         progress_message = "Assembling YANG Java sources: %s" % ctx.attr.name,
     )
 
@@ -87,7 +91,8 @@
             ctx.outputs.schema.path,
             generated_sources.path,
         ],
-        command = "jar cf $1 -C $2 schema",
+        tools = java_runtime.files,
+        command = "%s cf $1 -C $2 schema" % jar_path,
         progress_message = "Assembling YANG compiled schema: %s" % ctx.attr.name,
     )
 
@@ -103,6 +108,10 @@
             allow_files = True,
             default = Label("//tools/build/bazel:onos_yang_compiler"),
         ),
+        "_jdk": attr.label(
+            default = Label("@bazel_tools//tools/jdk:current_java_runtime"),
+            providers = [java_common.JavaRuntimeInfo],
+        ),
     },
     outputs = {
         "srcjar": "model.srcjar",
@@ -139,13 +148,18 @@
     srcs = [name + "-generate"]
 
     if len(java_srcs):
-        srcs += [name + "-srcjar"]
-        native.genrule(
-            name = name + "-srcjar",
-            srcs = java_srcs,
-            outs = [name + ".srcjar"],
-            cmd = "jar cf $(location %s.srcjar) $(SRCS)" % name,
-        )
+        srcs.extend(java_srcs)
+        # FIXME (carmelo): is this genrule really needed?
+        # srcs += [name + "-srcjar"]
+        # native.genrule(
+        #     name = name + "-srcjar",
+        #     srcs = java_srcs,
+        #     outs = [name + ".srcjar"],
+        #     cmd = "$(location //external:jar) cf $(location %s.srcjar) $(SRCS)" % name,
+        #     tools = [
+        #         "//external:jar",
+        #     ]
+        # )
 
     if not custom_registrator:
         srcs += [name + "-registrator"]
diff --git a/tools/build/onos-lib-gen b/tools/build/onos-lib-gen
index 0525438..7e6c951 100755
--- a/tools/build/onos-lib-gen
+++ b/tools/build/onos-lib-gen
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@
     [ -f $JAR ] && printf "Done.\n"
 fi
 
-java -jar $JAR lib/deps.json tools/build/bazel/generate_workspace.bzl --bazel
\ No newline at end of file
+java -jar $JAR deps/deps.json tools/build/bazel/generate_workspace.bzl --bazel
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tools/build/onos-validate-change-version.excludes b/tools/build/onos-validate-change-version.excludes
index 856a1f4..59eb745 100755
--- a/tools/build/onos-validate-change-version.excludes
+++ b/tools/build/onos-validate-change-version.excludes
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 \./drivers/p4runtime
 \./drivers/bmv2
 \./lib/BUCK
-\./lib/deps.json
+\./deps/deps.json
 \./models/openroadm/pom.xml
 \./out
 \./pom.xml.versionsBackup
diff --git a/tools/gui/BUILD b/tools/gui/BUILD
index d559643..0cec9ea 100644
--- a/tools/gui/BUILD
+++ b/tools/gui/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+load("//tools/build/bazel:jdk_genrule.bzl", genrule = "jdk_genrule")
+
 filegroup(
     name = "_tools-gui-gulp-files",
     srcs = [