diff --git a/.ci/java-versions.properties b/.ci/java-versions.properties
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..a0713ce128e6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/java-versions.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# This file is used with all of the non-matrix tests in Jenkins.
+
+# This .properties file defines the versions of Java with which to
+# build and test Elasticsearch for this branch. Valid Java versions
+# are 'java' or 'openjdk' followed by the major release number.
+
+ES_BUILD_JAVA=java10
+ES_RUNTIME_JAVA=java8
diff --git a/.ci/matrix-build-javas.yml b/.ci/matrix-build-javas.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..17aa4b0bf222a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/matrix-build-javas.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# This file is used as part of a matrix build in Jenkins where the
+# values below are included as an axis of the matrix.
+
+# This axis of the build matrix represents the versions of Java with
+# which Elasticsearch will be built.  Valid Java versions are 'java'
+# or 'openjdk' followed by the major release number.
+
+ES_BUILD_JAVA:
+  - java10
diff --git a/.ci/matrix-java-exclusions.yml b/.ci/matrix-java-exclusions.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..e2adf9f0955db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/matrix-java-exclusions.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# This file is used as part of a matrix build in Jenkins where the
+# values below are excluded from the test matrix.
+
+# The yaml mapping below represents a single intersection on the build
+# matrix where a test *should not* be run.  The value of the exclude
+# key is a list of maps.
+
+# In this example all of the combinations defined in the matrix will
+# run except for the test that builds with java10 and runs with java8.
+# exclude:
+#   - ES_BUILD_JAVA: java10
+#     ES_RUNTIME_JAVA: java8
+
+exclude:
diff --git a/.ci/matrix-runtime-javas.yml b/.ci/matrix-runtime-javas.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..72282ca805afd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci/matrix-runtime-javas.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# This file is used as part of a matrix build in Jenkins where the
+# values below are included as an axis of the matrix.
+
+# This axis of the build matrix represents the versions of Java on
+# which Elasticsearch will be tested.  Valid Java versions are 'java'
+# or 'openjdk' followed by the major release number.
+
+ES_RUNTIME_JAVA:
+  - java8
+  - java10