diff --git a/CREATE_RELEASE.MD b/CREATE_RELEASE.MD
index b49c71b42..e7ef678f2 100644
--- a/CREATE_RELEASE.MD
+++ b/CREATE_RELEASE.MD
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@
 
 For WebGoat we use milestone releases first before we release the official version, we use `v8.0.0.M3` while tagging
  and 8.0.0.M3 in the `pom.xml`. When we create the final release we remove the milestone release and use 
- `v8.0.0` and 8.0.0 in the `pom.xml`
+ `v8.0.0` in the `pom.xml`
+ 
+### Release notes:
+Update the release notes with the correct version. Use `git shortlog -s -n --since "SEP 31 2019"` for the list of 
+committers.
 
 At the moment we use Gitflow, for a release you create a new release branch and take the following steps:
 
diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e2b97458b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+# WebGoat release notes 
+
+## Version 8.1.0
+
+### New functionality
+
+- Added new lessons for cryptography and path-traversal
+- Extra content added to the XXE lesson
+- Explanation of the assignments will be part of WebGoat, in this release we added detailed descriptions on how to solve the XXE lesson. In the upcoming releases new explanations will be added. If you want to contribute please create a pull request on Github.
+- Docker improvements + docker stack for complete container with nginx 
+- Included JWT token decoding and generation, since jwt.io does not support None anymore 
+
+### Bug fixes
+
+- [#743 - Character encoding errors](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/743)
+- [#811 -  Flag submission fails](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/811)
+- [#810 - Scoreboard for challenges shows csrf users](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/810)
+- [#788 - strange copy in constructor](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/788) 
+- [#760 - Execution of standalone jar fails (Flyway migration step](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/760)
+- [#766 - Unclear objective of vulnerable components practical assignment](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/766)
+- [#708 - Seems like the home directory of WebGoat always use @project.version@](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/708)
+- [#719 - WebGoat: 'Contact Us' email link in header is not correctly set](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/719)
+ - [#715 - Reset lesson doesn't reset the "HTML lesson" => forms stay succesful](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/715)
+ - [#725 - Vulnerable Components lesson 12 broken due to too new dependency](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/725)
+ - [#716 -  On M26 @project.version@ is not "interpreted" #7](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/716)
+ - [#721 couldn't be able to run CSRF lesson 3: Receive Whitelabel Error Page](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/721)
+ - [#724 - Dead link in VulnerableComponents lesson 11](https://github.com/WebGoat/WebGoat/issues/724)
+ 
+ ## Contributors
+ 
+Special thanks to the following contributors providing us with a pull request:
+
+- Satoshi SAKAO
+- Philippe Lafoucrière
+- Cotonne
+- Tiago Mussi
+- thegoodcrumpets
+- Atharva Vaidya
+- torleif
+- August Detlefsen
+- Choe Hyeong Jin
+
+And everyone who provided feedback through Github.
+
+
+Team WebGoat
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/docker/pom.xml b/docker/pom.xml
index 6c588c39a..69e245cec 100644
--- a/docker/pom.xml
+++ b/docker/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index df4ebeefa..b30e1ee1c 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat</groupId>
     <artifactId>webgoat-parent</artifactId>
     <packaging>pom</packaging>
-    <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>v8.1.0</version>
 
     <name>WebGoat Parent Pom</name>
     <description>Parent Pom for the WebGoat Project. A deliberately insecure Web Application</description>
diff --git a/webgoat-container/pom.xml b/webgoat-container/pom.xml
index b4fa0af55..c00f70101 100644
--- a/webgoat-container/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-container/pom.xml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <build>
diff --git a/webgoat-integration-tests/pom.xml b/webgoat-integration-tests/pom.xml
index 9a3725fe1..10e4e8c21 100644
--- a/webgoat-integration-tests/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-integration-tests/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/auth-bypass/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/auth-bypass/pom.xml
index 0cdc9ef49..00330cae2 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/auth-bypass/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/auth-bypass/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
 </project>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/bypass-restrictions/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/bypass-restrictions/pom.xml
index c1d0102c0..a0b650aed 100755
--- a/webgoat-lessons/bypass-restrictions/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/bypass-restrictions/pom.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 </project>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/challenge/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/challenge/pom.xml
index f4a321fd7..450897532 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/challenge/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/challenge/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
 
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/chrome-dev-tools/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/chrome-dev-tools/pom.xml
index 52921a6f4..bc09ec95a 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/chrome-dev-tools/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/chrome-dev-tools/pom.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/cia/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/cia/pom.xml
index 3e7c95607..40f2a31e7 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/cia/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/cia/pom.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/client-side-filtering/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/client-side-filtering/pom.xml
index aa1d49872..35159e538 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/client-side-filtering/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/client-side-filtering/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
 </project>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/cross-site-scripting/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/cross-site-scripting/pom.xml
index 9deca9f21..9c97bbf03 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/cross-site-scripting/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/cross-site-scripting/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/crypto/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/crypto/pom.xml
index 2e184e5fc..9d6c7a0ab 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/crypto/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/crypto/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
 </project>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/csrf/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/csrf/pom.xml
index 2366e85d3..1255f22c6 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/csrf/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/csrf/pom.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/html-tampering/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/html-tampering/pom.xml
index 2585104ca..3ee335de5 100755
--- a/webgoat-lessons/html-tampering/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/html-tampering/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/http-basics/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/http-basics/pom.xml
index 4a2e3959b..376dc12c0 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/http-basics/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/http-basics/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
 </project>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/http-proxies/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/http-proxies/pom.xml
index 23c24a5dd..2edeb164d 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/http-proxies/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/http-proxies/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/idor/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/idor/pom.xml
index 73e18fbaa..8884a0c17 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/idor/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/idor/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/insecure-deserialization/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/insecure-deserialization/pom.xml
index 08de6cf6a..88d5c3168 100755
--- a/webgoat-lessons/insecure-deserialization/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/insecure-deserialization/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/insecure-login/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/insecure-login/pom.xml
index faf241a51..af35e4e30 100755
--- a/webgoat-lessons/insecure-login/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/insecure-login/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/jwt/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/jwt/pom.xml
index e1856384d..aef4498b7 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/jwt/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/jwt/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/missing-function-ac/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/missing-function-ac/pom.xml
index 7c2359247..d51f5ac03 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/missing-function-ac/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/missing-function-ac/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
 </project>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/password-reset/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/password-reset/pom.xml
index 37c437ce9..13daa589f 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/password-reset/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/password-reset/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/path-traversal/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/path-traversal/pom.xml
index cbe24555e..4a453d324 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/path-traversal/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/path-traversal/pom.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/pom.xml
index 411509f7f..a2389d350 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/pom.xml
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@
     <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
     <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
     <packaging>pom</packaging>
-    <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>v8.1.0</version>
 
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <modules>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/secure-passwords/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/secure-passwords/pom.xml
index 2aeb9b8be..0eb3f5173 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/secure-passwords/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/secure-passwords/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/sql-injection/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/sql-injection/pom.xml
index d2e50488c..1e64d78a5 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/sql-injection/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/sql-injection/pom.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/ssrf/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/ssrf/pom.xml
index aa514c877..203c0214b 100755
--- a/webgoat-lessons/ssrf/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/ssrf/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/vulnerable-components/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/vulnerable-components/pom.xml
index a3defc12c..619487ebf 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/vulnerable-components/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/vulnerable-components/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
     <dependencies>
         <dependency>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/webgoat-introduction/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/webgoat-introduction/pom.xml
index 5e6d2ce7f..fa784cb29 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/webgoat-introduction/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/webgoat-introduction/pom.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/webgoat-lesson-template/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/webgoat-lesson-template/pom.xml
index b8c38c239..eff92807e 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/webgoat-lesson-template/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/webgoat-lesson-template/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
 </project>
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/webwolf-introduction/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/webwolf-introduction/pom.xml
index a268b0602..f285db0a7 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/webwolf-introduction/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/webwolf-introduction/pom.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 </project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/webgoat-lessons/xxe/pom.xml b/webgoat-lessons/xxe/pom.xml
index 6d69be448..ab045edfc 100644
--- a/webgoat-lessons/xxe/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-lessons/xxe/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat.lesson</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-lessons-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>
diff --git a/webgoat-server/pom.xml b/webgoat-server/pom.xml
index 495b365a5..a29e64bbe 100644
--- a/webgoat-server/pom.xml
+++ b/webgoat-server/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/webwolf/pom.xml b/webwolf/pom.xml
index f83649db0..8ab444dad 100644
--- a/webwolf/pom.xml
+++ b/webwolf/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.owasp.webgoat</groupId>
         <artifactId>webgoat-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>v8.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>v8.1.0</version>
     </parent>
 
     <dependencies>