diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/FeedGenerator.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/FeedGenerator.java
index fcb98169..7a9019ef 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/FeedGenerator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/FeedGenerator.java
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ public void setLink(final String link) {
      * "rss_0.92", "rss_0.93", "rss_0.94", "rss_1.0", "rss_2.0", "atom_0.3", "atom_1.0"</code>.
      *
      * @param type the feed type to check. May be null.
-     * @return true if if the given type is supported by the rome library, false otherwise.
+     * @return true if the given type is supported by the rome library, false otherwise
      */
     public boolean isSupportedFeedType(final String type) {
         return getSupportedFeedTypes().contains(type);
@@ -177,8 +177,6 @@ public void export(final List<Release> releases, final String feedType, final Wr
         feed.setLink(link);
         feed.setDescription(rbundle.getString("report.changes.text.rssfeed.description"));
         feed.setLanguage(rbundle.getLocale().getLanguage());
-        // feed.setCopyright( );
-        // feed.setEncoding();
         feed.setEntries(getEntries(releases));
 
         try {
@@ -191,7 +189,7 @@ public void export(final List<Release> releases, final String feedType, final Wr
     private List<SyndEntry> getEntries(final List<Release> releases) {
         final List<SyndEntry> entries = new ArrayList<>(1);
 
-        if (releases.size() > 0) {
+        if (!releases.isEmpty()) {
             final Release release = releases.get(0); // TODO: is this guaranteed to be the latest?
 
             final SyndEntry entry = new SyndEntryImpl();
@@ -214,7 +212,7 @@ private static SyndContent getSyndContent(final Release release) {
 
         final String description = release.getDescription();
 
-        if (description != null && description.trim().length() > 0) {
+        if (description != null && !description.trim().isEmpty()) {
             sb.append("<p>").append(description).append("</p>");
         }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ProjectUtils.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ProjectUtils.java
index 1b383d1a..d2c8366a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ProjectUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/ProjectUtils.java
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public static String validateIssueManagement(
         if (project.getIssueManagement() == null) {
             return "No Issue Management set. No " + mojoResult + " will be generated.";
         } else if ((project.getIssueManagement().getUrl() == null)
-                || (project.getIssueManagement().getUrl().trim().equals(""))) {
+                || (project.getIssueManagement().getUrl().trim().isEmpty())) {
             return "No URL set in Issue Management. No " + mojoResult + " will be generated.";
         } else if ((project.getIssueManagement().getSystem() != null)
                 && !(project.getIssueManagement().getSystem().equalsIgnoreCase(issueManagementSystem))) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMailMojo.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMailMojo.java
index 4ab9f761..7a46a643 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMailMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMailMojo.java
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ protected void sendMessage() throws MojoExecutionException {
         final MailSender ms = getActualMailSender();
         final String fromName = ms.getName();
         final String fromAddress = ms.getEmail();
-        if (fromAddress == null || fromAddress.equals("")) {
+        if (fromAddress == null || fromAddress.isEmpty()) {
             throw new MojoExecutionException("Invalid mail sender: name and email is mandatory (" + ms + ").");
         }
         getLog().info("Using this sender for email announcement: " + fromAddress + " < " + fromName + " > ");
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMojo.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMojo.java
index 3fbc6da8..6360d47c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/announcement/AnnouncementMojo.java
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ protected void doGenerate(List<Release> releases, Release release) throws MojoEx
             ToolManager toolManager = new ToolManager(true);
             Context context = toolManager.createContext();
 
-            if (getIntroduction() == null || getIntroduction().equals("")) {
+            if (getIntroduction() == null || getIntroduction().isEmpty()) {
                 setIntroduction(getUrl());
             }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/jira/JqlQueryBuilder.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/jira/JqlQueryBuilder.java
index 6c2717ee..16764447 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/jira/JqlQueryBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/jira/JqlQueryBuilder.java
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ public JqlQueryBuilder(Log log) {
     public String build() {
         try {
             String jqlQuery;
-            // If the user has defined a filter - use that
-            if ((this.filter != null) && (this.filter.length() > 0)) {
+            // If the user has defined a filter, use that
+            if (filter != null && !filter.isEmpty()) {
                 jqlQuery = filter;
             } else {
                 jqlQuery = query.toString() + orderBy.toString();
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ private void addCommaSeparatedValues(String key, String values) {
     }
 
     private void addValues(String key, List<String> values) {
-        if (values != null && values.size() > 0) {
+        if (values != null && !values.isEmpty()) {
             if (query.length() > 0) {
                 query.append(" AND ");
             }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/FeedGeneratorTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/FeedGeneratorTest.java
index 8dc3beeb..006ed6ef 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/FeedGeneratorTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugins/changes/FeedGeneratorTest.java
@@ -83,9 +83,9 @@ public void testExport() throws Exception {
         for (String type : generator.getSupportedFeedTypes()) {
             try (Writer writer = new StringWriter(512)) {
                 generator.export(releases, type, writer);
-                String result = writer.toString(); // TODO: save for inspection?
+                String result = writer.toString();
                 assertNotNull(result);
-                assertTrue(result.length() > 0);
+                assertFalse(result.isEmpty());
             }
         }
     }