diff --git a/.github/workflows/cd-badger.yml b/.github/workflows/cd-badger.yml
index 2d6329bcb..626c91b6e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cd-badger.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cd-badger.yml
@@ -13,20 +13,15 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           ref: '${{ github.event.inputs.releasetag }}'
-      - name: Get Go Version
-        run: |
-          #!/bin/bash
-          GOVERSION=$({ [ -f .go-version ] && cat .go-version; })
-          echo "GOVERSION=$GOVERSION" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Set up Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GOVERSION }}
+          go-version-file: go.mod
       - name: Set Badger Release Version
         run: |
           #!/bin/bash
           GIT_TAG_NAME='${{ github.event.inputs.releasetag }}'
-          if [[ "$GIT_TAG_NAME" == "v"* ]]; 
+          if [[ "$GIT_TAG_NAME" == "v"* ]];
           then
             echo "this is a release tag"
           else
@@ -57,20 +52,15 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           ref: '${{ github.event.inputs.releasetag }}'
-      - name: Get Go Version
-        run: |
-          #!/bin/bash
-          GOVERSION=$({ [ -f .go-version ] && cat .go-version; })
-          echo "GOVERSION=$GOVERSION" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Set up Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GOVERSION }}
+          go-version-file: go.mod
       - name: Set Badger Release Version
         run: |
           #!/bin/bash
           GIT_TAG_NAME='${{ github.event.inputs.releasetag }}'
-          if [[ "$GIT_TAG_NAME" == "v"* ]]; 
+          if [[ "$GIT_TAG_NAME" == "v"* ]];
           then
             echo "this is a release tag"
           else
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-badger-bank-tests-nightly.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-badger-bank-tests-nightly.yml
index 7ff04f746..0b3ee894b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-badger-bank-tests-nightly.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-badger-bank-tests-nightly.yml
@@ -17,15 +17,10 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: warp-ubuntu-latest-x64-4x
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Get Go Version
-        run: |
-          #!/bin/bash
-          GOVERSION=$({ [ -f .go-version ] && cat .go-version; })
-          echo "GOVERSION=$GOVERSION" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Setup Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GOVERSION }}
+          go-version-file: go.mod
       - name: Install Dependencies
         run: make dependency
       - name: Install jemalloc
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-badger-bank-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-badger-bank-tests.yml
index 9ff3dc7f3..87813b7fb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-badger-bank-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-badger-bank-tests.yml
@@ -15,15 +15,10 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: warp-ubuntu-latest-x64-4x
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Get Go Version
-        run: |
-          #!/bin/bash
-          GOVERSION=$({ [ -f .go-version ] && cat .go-version; })
-          echo "GOVERSION=$GOVERSION" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Setup Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GOVERSION }}
+          go-version-file: go.mod
       - name: Install Dependencies
         run: make dependency
       - name: Install jemalloc
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-badger-tests-coverage.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-badger-tests-coverage.yml
index c89448128..742540cff 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-badger-tests-coverage.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-badger-tests-coverage.yml
@@ -17,15 +17,10 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4 # checkout merge commit
         with:
           ref: "refs/pull/${{ github.event.number }}/merge"
-      - name: Get Go Version
-        run: |
-          #!/bin/bash
-          GOVERSION=$({ [ -f .go-version ] && cat .go-version; })
-          echo "GOVERSION=$GOVERSION" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Setup Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GOVERSION }}
+          go-version-file: go.mod
       - name: Install Dependencies
         run: make dependency
       - name: Run Badger Tests
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-badger-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-badger-tests.yml
index a1ad355b2..dfb41077c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-badger-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-badger-tests.yml
@@ -15,15 +15,10 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: warp-ubuntu-latest-x64-4x
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Get Go Version
-        run: |
-          #!/bin/bash
-          GOVERSION=$({ [ -f .go-version ] && cat .go-version; })
-          echo "GOVERSION=$GOVERSION" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Setup Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GOVERSION }}
+          go-version-file: go.mod
       - name: Install Dependencies
         run: make dependency
       - name: Run Badger Tests
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-tests.yml
index 2d6f71382..a37cc4f02 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-tests.yml
@@ -18,15 +18,10 @@ jobs:
         with:
           repository: dgraph-io/dgraph
           ref: main
-      - name: Get Go Version
-        run: |
-          #!/bin/bash
-          GOVERSION=$({ [ -f .go-version ] && cat .go-version; })
-          echo "GOVERSION=$GOVERSION" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Set up Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GOVERSION }}
+          go-version-file: go.mod
       - name: Fetch latest Badger version
         run: |
           go get github.com/dgraph-io/badger/v4@main
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-golang-lint.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-golang-lint.yml
index fe3c0f684..d047278c0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-golang-lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-golang-lint.yml
@@ -16,15 +16,10 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: warp-ubuntu-latest-x64-4x
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Get Go Version
-        run: |
-          #!/bin/bash
-          GOVERSION=$({ [ -f .go-version ] && cat .go-version; })
-          echo "GOVERSION=$GOVERSION" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Setup Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GOVERSION }}
+          go-version-file: go.mod
       - name: golang-lint
         uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v6.1.1
         with:
diff --git a/.go-version b/.go-version
deleted file mode 100644
index 193d14030..000000000
--- a/.go-version
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-1.23
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3fd64d768..c0706e49b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ For more details on our version naming schema please read [Choosing a version](#
 ## Getting Started
 
 ### Installing
-To start using Badger, install Go 1.23 or above. Badger v3 and above needs go modules. From your project, run the following command
+To start using Badger, install Go 1.21 or above. Badger v3 and above needs go modules. From your project, run the following command
 
 ```sh
 $ go get github.com/dgraph-io/badger/v4
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 9eb5abf6e..f088f794a 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ toolchain go1.23.2
 
 require (
 	github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.3.0
-	github.com/dgraph-io/ristretto/v2 v2.0.0-rc1
+	github.com/dgraph-io/ristretto/v2 v2.0.0
 	github.com/dustin/go-humanize v1.0.1
 	github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2
 	github.com/golang/protobuf v1.5.4
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index be20234a7..43c599a37 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ github.com/cpuguy83/go-md2man/v2 v2.0.4/go.mod h1:tgQtvFlXSQOSOSIRvRPT7W67SCa46t
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 h1:vj9j/u1bqnvCEfJOwUhtlOARqs3+rkHYY13jYWTU97c=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
-github.com/dgraph-io/ristretto/v2 v2.0.0-rc1 h1:hdTJGtatuthLoGQDw6OtjZEL0PBxgiHZLM1wkKxEOL4=
-github.com/dgraph-io/ristretto/v2 v2.0.0-rc1/go.mod h1:FVFokF2dRqXyPyeMnK1YDy8Fc6aTe0IKgbcd03CYeEk=
+github.com/dgraph-io/ristretto/v2 v2.0.0 h1:l0yiSOtlJvc0otkqyMaDNysg8E9/F/TYZwMbxscNOAQ=
+github.com/dgraph-io/ristretto/v2 v2.0.0/go.mod h1:FVFokF2dRqXyPyeMnK1YDy8Fc6aTe0IKgbcd03CYeEk=
 github.com/dgryski/go-farm v0.0.0-20200201041132-a6ae2369ad13 h1:fAjc9m62+UWV/WAFKLNi6ZS0675eEUC9y3AlwSbQu1Y=
 github.com/dgryski/go-farm v0.0.0-20200201041132-a6ae2369ad13/go.mod h1:SqUrOPUnsFjfmXRMNPybcSiG0BgUW2AuFH8PAnS2iTw=
 github.com/dustin/go-humanize v1.0.1 h1:GzkhY7T5VNhEkwH0PVJgjz+fX1rhBrR7pRT3mDkpeCY=