Apache Maven is a powerful build automation tool mainly used for Java projects. It streamlines the build process by managing project dependencies, compiling source code, running tests, packaging applications, and deploying them.

In this article, we will discuss some common Maven commands and options.

Maven Commands

Maven commands are used to execute various tasks such as building projects, running tests, and generating reports. Some common commands are described below.

mvn clean

mvn clean

The mvn clean command in Maven is used to remove the target directory and all the build artifacts contained within it.

mvn compiler:compile

mvn compiler:compile

The mvn compiler:compile command in Maven is used to compile the source code of a Maven project. It is part of the Maven Compiler Plugin, which handles the task of compiling Java source files.

mvn compiler:testCompile

mvn compiler:testCompile

The mvn compiler:testCompile command in Maven is used to compile the test source code of a Maven project. It is part of the Maven Compiler Plugin, which manages the compilation of both main and test source files.

mvn package

mvn package

The mvn package command in Maven is used to compile the code, run the tests, and package the compiled code and other resources into a distributable format, such as a JAR, WAR, or EAR file. This command is a key part of the Maven build life cycle, typically used to create an artifact that can be deployed or distributed.

Below is the rest logs of mvn package in console.

mvn install

mvn install

The mvn install command in Maven is used to compile the code, run tests, and package the compiled code and other resources into a JAR, WAR, or other artifact, and then install that artifact into the local Maven repository.

Below is the rest logs of mvn install in console.

mvn deploy

mvn deploy

The mvn deploy command in Maven is used to compile the code, run tests, package the artifact, and then deploy the packaged artifact to a remote repository. This remote repository is typically used for sharing the artifact with other developers or systems, and it can be a private repository within an organization or a public repository like Maven Centra.

mvn validate

mvn validate

The mvn validate command in Maven is used to validate the project structure and configuration. This command checks the project for correctness before starting the build process. It ensures that all necessary information is available and correct before proceeding to subsequent phases of the build life cycle.

mvn dependency:tree

mvn dependency:tree

The mvn dependency:tree command in Maven is used to display the dependency tree for a project. This command is part of the Maven Dependency Plugin, and it provides a visual representation of the project’s dependencies, including transitive dependencies, in a tree format.

Below is the rest logs of mvn dependency:tree in console.

mvn dependency:analyze

mvn dependency:analyze

The mvn dependency:analyze command in Maven is used to analyze the dependencies of a project to identify unused declared dependencies and detect used but undeclared dependencies. This command is part of the Maven Dependency Plugin, and it helps ensure that your pom.xml file accurately reflects the actual dependencies of your project.

mvn archetype:generate

mvn archetype:generate

The mvn archetype:generate command in maven is used for generating a new Maven project from an existing project template that is called an archetype.

mvn site:site

mvn site:site

The mvn site:site command in Maven generates the project’s site documentation. This command is part of the Maven Site Plugin, which is used to generate a website or documentation for your project.

mvn test

mvn test

The mvn test command in Maven is used to execute the tests in a Maven project. When you run mvn test, Maven will compile the project’s source code and then execute the test cases present in the project using a testing framework like JUnit or TestNG.

mvn compile

mvn compile

The mvn compile command in Maven is used to compile the source code of a Maven project. When you run mvn compile, Maven compiles the Java source files located in the src/main/java directory of your project.

mvn verify

mvn verify

The mvn verify command in Maven is used to run any checks on the results of integration tests to ensure quality criteria are met. This command is invoked in the integration test phase and is typically used to perform additional checks on the project after the integration tests have been executed.

Below is the rest logs of mvn verify in console.

Maven Options

Maven options are command-line parameters that modify the behavior of Maven commands. They provide flexibility for tasks such as skipping tests, activating profiles, setting system properties, and enabling debug logging, ensuring tailored builds to meet specific requirements. Below are some Maven command-line options.

mvn -help

mvn -help

The mvn -help command in Maven is used to display basic usage information and options available for the Maven command-line interface. It provides a summary of commonly used Maven commands and options.

mvn -X package

mvn -X package

The command mvn -X package invokes Maven in debug mode (-X) and executes the package goal.

mvn -v

mvn -v

The mvn -v command in Maven is used to display version information about Maven itself, including the Maven version, Java version, and operating system information.

mvn -Dmaven.test.skip=true package

mvn -Dmaven.test.skip=true package

The command mvn -Dmaven.test.skip=true package is used to skip running tests during the packaging phase while building a Maven project. The -D option is used to define a system property, and in this case, maven.test.skip is set to true, which instructs Maven to skip executing tests. After skipping the tests, the package goal is executed, which involves compiling the source code and packaging the project into an artifact.

mvn -T 4 clean install

mvn -T 4 clean install

The command mvn -T 4 clean install is used to build a Maven project with multi-threading enabled. Specifically, -T 4 instructs Maven to use four threads for the build process.

These are some commonly used Maven Commands and Options with output screens.