diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0f1acf0..9338245 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 ### Added
+- Public `isInDevelopment` project flag
 - Add `-Xjdk-release` key
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index c859c44..97221a5 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ kotlinx-datetime = "0.4.0"
 kotlinx-html = "0.7.5"
 kotlinx-knit = "0.4.0"
 kotlinx-nodejs = "0.0.7"
-kotlinx-serialization = "1.4.0-RC"
-ktor = "2.0.3"
+kotlinx-serialization = "1.4.0"
+ktor = "2.1.0"
 xmlutil = "0.84.2"
 yamlkt = "0.12.0"
 jsBom = "1.0.0-pre.353"
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceProjectPlugin.kt b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceProjectPlugin.kt
index a48a27f..1adff44 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceProjectPlugin.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/KScienceProjectPlugin.kt
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ public open class KScienceProjectPlugin : Plugin<Project> {
         apply<BinaryCompatibilityValidatorPlugin>()
 
         afterEvaluate {
-            if (isSnapshot()) {
+            if (isInDevelopment) {
                 configure<ApiValidationExtension> {
                     validationDisabled = true
                 }
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ public open class KScienceProjectPlugin : Plugin<Project> {
         }
 
         // Disable API validation for snapshots
-        if (isSnapshot()) {
+        if (isInDevelopment) {
             extensions.findByType<ApiValidationExtension>()?.apply {
                 validationDisabled = true
                 logger.warn("API validation is disabled for snapshot or dev version")
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/commonConfigurations.kt b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/commonConfigurations.kt
index 97434e0..cb187ca 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/commonConfigurations.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/commonConfigurations.kt
@@ -19,11 +19,24 @@ import space.kscience.gradle.internal.fromJsDependencies
 private val defaultKotlinJvmArgs: List<String> =
     listOf("-Xjvm-default=all", "-Xlambdas=indy", "-Xjdk-release=${KScienceVersions.JVM_TARGET}")
 
-private fun resolveKotlinVersion():KotlinVersion {
+private fun resolveKotlinVersion(): KotlinVersion {
     val (major, minor, patch) = KScienceVersions.kotlinVersion.split(".", "-")
-    return KotlinVersion(major.toInt(),minor.toInt(),patch.toInt())
+    return KotlinVersion(major.toInt(), minor.toInt(), patch.toInt())
 }
 
+
+/**
+ * Check if this project version has a development tag (`development` property to true, "dev" in the middle or "SNAPSHOT" in the end).
+ */
+public val Project.isInDevelopment: Boolean
+    get() = findProperty("development") == true
+            || "dev" in version.toString()
+            || version.toString().endsWith("SNAPSHOT")
+
+/**
+ * Configure KScience extensions
+ */
+@Suppress("UNUSED_VARIABLE")
 public fun Project.configureKScience(
     kotlinVersion: KotlinVersion = resolveKotlinVersion(),
 ) {
@@ -160,19 +173,40 @@ public fun Project.configureKScience(
                 }
 
                 configuration.nativeConfiguration?.let { nativeConfiguration ->
-                    val nativeTargets: List<KotlinNativeTargetWithHostTests> = nativeConfiguration.targets.values.mapNotNull { nativeTarget ->
-                        when (nativeTarget.preset) {
-                            KotlinNativePreset.linuxX64 -> linuxX64(nativeTarget.targetName, nativeTarget.targetConfiguration)
-                            KotlinNativePreset.mingwX64 -> linuxX64(nativeTarget.targetName, nativeTarget.targetConfiguration)
-                            KotlinNativePreset.macosX64 -> linuxX64(nativeTarget.targetName, nativeTarget.targetConfiguration)
-                            KotlinNativePreset.iosX64 -> linuxX64(nativeTarget.targetName, nativeTarget.targetConfiguration)
-                            KotlinNativePreset.iosArm64 -> linuxX64(nativeTarget.targetName, nativeTarget.targetConfiguration)
-                            else -> {
-                                logger.error("Native preset ${nativeTarget.preset} not recognised.")
-                                null
+                    val nativeTargets: List<KotlinNativeTargetWithHostTests> =
+                        nativeConfiguration.targets.values.mapNotNull { nativeTarget ->
+                            when (nativeTarget.preset) {
+                                KotlinNativePreset.linuxX64 -> linuxX64(
+                                    nativeTarget.targetName,
+                                    nativeTarget.targetConfiguration
+                                )
+
+                                KotlinNativePreset.mingwX64 -> linuxX64(
+                                    nativeTarget.targetName,
+                                    nativeTarget.targetConfiguration
+                                )
+
+                                KotlinNativePreset.macosX64 -> linuxX64(
+                                    nativeTarget.targetName,
+                                    nativeTarget.targetConfiguration
+                                )
+
+                                KotlinNativePreset.iosX64 -> linuxX64(
+                                    nativeTarget.targetName,
+                                    nativeTarget.targetConfiguration
+                                )
+
+                                KotlinNativePreset.iosArm64 -> linuxX64(
+                                    nativeTarget.targetName,
+                                    nativeTarget.targetConfiguration
+                                )
+
+                                else -> {
+                                    logger.error("Native preset ${nativeTarget.preset} not recognised.")
+                                    null
+                                }
                             }
                         }
-                    }
 
                     val nativeMain by creating {
                         dependsOn(commonMain)
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/internal/publishing.kt b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/internal/publishing.kt
index 679bd32..ac69ecf 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/internal/publishing.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/space/kscience/gradle/internal/publishing.kt
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import org.gradle.plugins.signing.SigningPlugin
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.KotlinJsProjectExtension
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.KotlinJvmProjectExtension
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.plugin.mpp.pm20.util.targets
+import space.kscience.gradle.isInDevelopment
 
 internal fun Project.requestPropertyOrNull(propertyName: String): String? = findProperty(propertyName) as? String
     ?: System.getenv(propertyName)
@@ -108,8 +109,6 @@ internal fun Project.setupPublication(mavenPomConfiguration: MavenPom.() -> Unit
     }
 }
 
-internal fun Project.isSnapshot() = "dev" in version.toString() || version.toString().endsWith("SNAPSHOT")
-
 internal fun Project.addGithubPublishing(
     githubOrg: String,
     githubProject: String,
@@ -184,8 +183,8 @@ internal fun Project.addSonatypePublishing() {
         return
     }
 
-    if (isSnapshot()) {
-        logger.info("Sonatype publishing skipped for dev version")
+    if (isInDevelopment) {
+        logger.info("Sonatype publishing skipped for development version")
         return
     }