To build a Java application with Maven, put its source code and dependencies in the conventional project structure, describe the project in a root pom.xml, then run a lifecycle phase such as mvn test or mvn package. Maven reads the POM and uses plugins to compile, test, and package the project. This guide walks through creating a project, setting its Java release, choosing commands, and locating the output.
What you need before creating a Maven project
Maven requires Java. Check that both tools are available in your terminal:
mvn --versionThe output reports the Maven and Java environment information Maven detects. If the command is unavailable or reports an unexpected Java installation, resolve that setup issue before building. Maven may also need network access to download dependencies and plugins, particularly on the first build. Follow the current Maven Users Centre for downloads and version-specific guidance.
How to create a first Maven project
You can generate a starter project from an archetype, which is a project template, or follow Apache’s Getting Started Guide. The Maven quick-start archetype creates a small project with a POM, application source, and a test source. Once created, recognize these key locations:
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| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
pom.xml |
Project Object Model (POM): project metadata and build configuration at the project root. |
src/main/java |
Production Java source code. |
src/test/java |
Test source code. |
target |
Generated build output, including compiled files and packaged artifacts. |
Maven’s POM guide explains the project model and standard layout. Keeping production and test code in their respective directories lets Maven apply the appropriate compile and test steps.
What belongs in pom.xml
The POM is an XML file Maven reads from the project directory when running a build. It describes the project and can declare dependencies, build plugins, and plugin configuration. Dependencies are libraries the application or tests need; plugins provide the actions Maven uses to compile, test, and package.
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Set the Java release deliberately rather than assuming Maven’s runtime JDK determines the application’s compatibility target. For example, a project might specify the release property like this:
<properties>
<maven.compiler.release>17</maven.compiler.release>
</properties>Here, 17 is only an example; choose the Java release your project is intended to support. The current Maven Compiler Plugin documentation encourages the release option. Its documented source and target defaults are both 8 independently of the JDK running Maven, so an implicit default may not match your intended compatibility.
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For reproducible builds, give build plugins explicit versions. Apache’s plugin configuration guide recommends managing plugin versions in pluginManagement. Exact versions should be selected against the current plugin documentation and your project’s requirements; examples can become outdated.
Which Maven command should you run?
Maven has three built-in lifecycles: default for building and deployment, clean for removing generated files, and site for project-site documentation. A lifecycle phase is an ordered step. Running a phase also runs the earlier phases in that same lifecycle, so package includes the work leading up to packaging rather than packaging alone. The exact work can depend on the project packaging type and plugin bindings.
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| Command | Use it when | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
mvn clean |
You want to remove generated build files before a fresh build. | Runs the clean lifecycle; generated output such as target is cleared. |
mvn test |
You want to compile and run unit tests. | Runs default-lifecycle phases through testing, including preceding compilation steps. |
mvn package |
You want a distributable artifact after the preceding build phases. | Runs through packaging; a JAR project normally produces a JAR under target. |
mvn verify |
You want the package checked through the verification phase. | Runs phases through verification; checks depend on configured plugins and bindings. |
mvn install |
You want the built artifact available to other local Maven projects. | Runs through installation into your local Maven repository. |
mvn deploy |
You want to publish an artifact to a remote repository. | Runs through deployment when remote repository configuration and credentials are in place. |
A phase names a point in the lifecycle; a goal is a concrete action supplied by a plugin. For example, the Compiler Plugin binds its compile goal to the compile phase and its testCompile goal to test compilation. The Maven lifecycle guide describes phase ordering and bindings.
How to build and inspect the application
- Confirm the environment. Run
mvn --versionand check that Maven detects the Java installation you intend to use. - Review the project layout. Confirm that the root contains
pom.xml, application code is undersrc/main/java, and tests are undersrc/test/java. - Configure the POM. Declare required dependencies, select the Java release, and configure build plugins with explicit versions.
- Choose the phase that matches the goal. Run
mvn testfor the test cycle ormvn packageto create the package after preceding phases. - Inspect the result. Look under
targetfor compiled output and the packaged artifact. The artifact type depends on the project’s packaging configuration; a JAR project has a default JAR package binding.
Build success depends on more than the command: Java and Maven installation, network and repository settings, tests, project packaging, and plugin configuration can all affect the result. If a first run takes longer, Maven may be retrieving dependencies and plugins for the local repository.
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Keeping the build maintainable
- Use the standard source and test directories so Maven’s conventional lifecycle can locate them.
- Specify the intended Java release explicitly, and consult the current Compiler Plugin documentation when changing plugin configuration.
- Pin plugin versions and manage them centrally where practical to make builds more predictable across machines.
- Use
cleanwhen you need to remove previous generated output; use the phase that corresponds to the result you actually need. - Check the current Maven documentation and migration guidance when working across major Maven versions; examples are tied to the versions for which they were written.
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