Table of Content

• Basic Maven Interview Questions for Freshers
• Maven Interview Questions for Intermediate
• Maven Interview Questions for Experienced

mvn -version 

mvn -v

Feature	Ant	Maven
Tool Type	It is a Build Tool.	It is a Project Management Tool.
Build Structure	It uses XML-based configuration to build scripts for tasks and explicit configuration.	It also uses XML-based scripts but it follows convention-over-configuration.
Dependency Management	It lacks built-in dependency management.	It automates dependency resolution from central repository.
Plugin System	It offers a basic plugin system.	It offers various plugins for different tasks.
Convention	It provides flexibility and naming convention.	It offers convention over configuration.

For more details on Struts please refer to this article: Difference between Maven and Ant

7. How to create a new Maven project using the command line?

To create Maven Project using command line, we need to use the below command:

mvn archetype:generate -DgroupId=your_group_id -DartifactId=your_artifact_id -DarchetypeArtifactId=maven-archetype-quickstart -DinteractiveMode=false

• After running the mvn archetype:generate command, we need to select an archetype for our project.
• For this, we need to provide details such as group ID, artifact ID, and version.
• Then Maven will generate the project structure based on the selections by downloading necessary dependencies.

For more details on Struts please refer to this article: Create a New Maven Project from Command Prompt

8. How does Maven Architecture work?

Maven architecture works in three steps.

• Step 1: Read the pom.xml file.
• Step 2: Then it downloads the dependencies that are defined in pom.xml file into the local repository from the central repository.
• Step 3: After that, it creates and generates the report according to the requirement and executes the lifecycle phases, goals etc.

9. What is Maven Repositories and define the types of Maven Repository?

Maven repositories are the directories of packaged JAR files which contains all the metadata. These are mainly the locations where Maven retrieves dependencies for a project. The metadata refers to the POM files for each project. There are three types of Maven repository, that are:

• Local Repository: Local repository stores the downloaded dependencies and it is created by Maven in the local system when we run any maven command.
• Remote Repository: Remote repositories are accessed over the internet and it can be public or private.
• Central Repository: It is created by Maven Community and it is the default public repository. It contains collection of plugins and open-source libraries.

For more details on Struts please refer to this article: Maven Repositories

10. What is Maven Plugins and Why Maven plugins are used?

Maven plugins are important features of Maven. These are the extensions that provides additional functionality to the Maven build process.

• These are used to reuse the common build logic across various projects.
• The plugins allows customization and enhance the build lifecycle such as compiling code, testing, creating JAR files, packaging applications, and deploying artifacts.

We use Maven plugins to,

• Create JAR or WAR files.
• Compile Code
• Running Tests
• Packaging Application
• Create Project documentation and Reports

Maven Interview Questions for Intermediate

This section on Maven interview questions for intermediates delves deeper into its advanced features, such as custom plugins, lifecycle management, and repository configurations. Mastering these topics will demonstrate your proficiency and readiness to tackle complex project challenges.

11. What is Artifact in Maven?

An Artifact refers to a deployable component of a project in Maven.

• It can be a JAR (Java Archive), WAR (Web Application Archive), or EAR (Enterprise Archive) file produced during build process along with its metadata.
• Artifact is identified by its groupId, artifactId, and version in Maven repository.
• It is used for dependency management and it is stored in Maven repositories.

Example:

<groupId>org.springframework.security</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-security-web</artifactId>
<version>6.2.4.RELEASE</version>

12. Why is the use of the Profile Required in Maven?

In Maven, use of the profile is required to provide portability to projects.

It defines sets of configurations or dependencies that are activated under different environments (e.g. development, testing, production).

Example: We can have a profile for testing dependencies which are only activated when running tests:

<profiles>
    <profile>
        <id>test</id>
        <dependencies>
            <!-- Test dependencies -->
        </dependencies>
    </profile>
</profiles>

13. What is the Command for Offline Maven Project Creation?

The command create maven project in offline mode is:

mvn -o package

14. What is the command to Package a Maven Project?

To package a Maven project, the command is:

mvn package

15. What is the Command to Install JAR Files in the Local Repository in Maven?

To install JAR files in the local repository, the below command is used:

mvn install

To install JAR manually in the local repository, the below plugin is used:

mvn install:install-file-Dfile=<path to file>

16. How to Run the Clean Plugin Automatically during the Build in a Maven project?

To run the clean plugin automatically during the build process, we need to put the clean plugin inside the <execution> tag within the plugin configuration in the pom.xml file.

<build>
    <plugins>
        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
            <artifactId>maven-clean-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>3.1.0</version>
            <executions>
                <execution>
                    <id>auto-clean</id>
                    <phase>clean</phase>
                    <goals>
                        <goal>clean</goal>
                    </goals>
                </execution>
            </executions>
        </plugin>
    </plugins>
</build>

It binds the clean goal of the clean plugin to the clean phase.

17. How to stop the propagation of plugins to child POMs in Maven?

To stop the propagation of plugins to child POMs in Maven, we should set the <inherited> element to “false” within the <plugin> configuration in the parent POM file.

set <inherited> to false.

This defines that the plugin which is defined in the parent POM is not inherited by the child POMs.

Maven Interview Questions for Experienced

If you have some experience in software development and you mastring the basics of Maven, Then in this section, you will get into advanced Maven interview questions to challenge your expertise and demonstrate your in-depth knowledge. These questions will help you showcase your ability to leverage Maven’s full potential in sophisticated project environments.

18. What is the Maven Surefire plugin, and what is its role in the build process?

Maven Surefire plugin is used for running unit tests written in Java at the time of build process.

• It executes test classes and also generates reports on test results.
• The Surefire plugin is useful for automating the testing phase and maintaining the code reliability in Maven projects.

For example, we have a Maven project with JUnit test cases written in Java. To execute these tests using Surefire plugin, we need to include the plugin in the pom.xml file of our project.

<build>
    <plugins>
        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
            <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>3.0.0-M5</version>
        </plugin>
    </plugins>
</build>

After this we can run the below command:

mvn test

The above command will compile the project and execute all the unit tests using JUnit and the Surefire plugin will generate the reports accordingly.

19. What are the Three Build Life Cycles of Maven?

The three built-in build life cycles of Maven are,

• Clean: It removes the files from the previous build and cleans the project.
• Build (Default): It handles the project deployment, compilation, packaging, and installation to the local repository.
• Site: It creates the project’s site documentation and generates reports.

20. What are the different Build Phases in Maven Build Lifecycle?

The Maven Build Lifecycle has different build phases that are mentioned below:

• Validate
• Test-Compile
• Test
• Package
• Integration-test
• Verify
• Install
• Deploy

For more details on Struts please refer to this article: Maven Lifecycle Phases and Basic Maven Commands

21. What are the Maven Dependency Scopes?

Dependency Scope in Maven defines the visibility and accessibility of a dependency which is already declared during different phases of the build lifecycle. Maven provides different dependency scopes to handle the use of dependencies.

• Compile Scope (default)
• Provided Scope
• Runtime Scope
• Test Scope
• System Scope
• Import Scope

22. What are the Dependencies in Maven and how to specify them?

In Maven, dependencies are the external libraries or modules.

• Maven project uses these dependencies to compile, build, and run successfully.
• To specify the dependencies in the project, we need to write them inside the pom.xml file within the <dependencies> tag section by providing the group ID, artifact ID, and version of each dependency.

23. What is Dependency Exclusion in Maven?

In Maven, Dependency Exclusion is a mechanism which is used to exclude specific transitive dependencies from the project’s dependency.

• When we encounter any conflicts or any compatibility issues with dependencies, it would be useful.
• For example, if we have a dependency of older version of a library and that conflicts with the newer version required by another dependency, in this case, we can exclude the older version by using the <exclusions> tag in dependency declaration.

<dependency>
    <groupId>example.group</groupId>
    <artifactId>example-artifact</artifactId>
    <version>1.0.0</version>
    <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
            <groupId>conflicting.group</groupId>
            <artifactId>conflicting-artifact</artifactId>
        </exclusion>
    </exclusions>
</dependency>

24. How to Exclude Dependency in Maven?

In Maven, to exclude dependency, use the <exclusions> tag within the dependency declaration inside the pom.xml file.

25. What is Archetype in Maven?

Archetype refers to a Maven plugin.

• It creates the project structure as per its template.
• These archetypes are only the project templates that are generated by Maven at the time of any new project creation.

Conclusion

This Moven interview questions not only offer a glimpse into what recruiters might ask but also serve as stepping stones for expanding your Maven expertise. So, as you prepare to charm your potential employers, remember to enjoy the process of learning and growing. Each question you tackle brings you one step closer to mastering Maven and carving out a rewarding career path in software development.

Maven Interview Questions and Answers – FAQ

What is Maven and how does it work?

Maven is a build automation tool used primarily for Java projects. It simplifies the build process by providing a standard way to structure a project and manage dependencies. Maven uses a Project Object Model (POM) file to define the project’s structure, dependencies, and build process.

What are the key features of Maven?

Some key features of Maven include dependency management, build lifecycle management, standard project directory layout, and plugin-based architecture. Maven also provides a central repository for commonly used libraries and plugins, making it easy to manage project dependencies.

How can Maven be integrated with other build tools?

Maven can be integrated with other build tools such as Ant and Gradle through plugins. By using the Maven AntRun Plugin, Maven projects can execute Ant tasks, and the Gradle Maven Plugin allows Gradle projects to publish artifacts to Maven repositories.

What are the different phases of the Maven build lifecycle?

The Maven build lifecycle consists of three key phases: the default lifecycle, the clean lifecycle, and the site lifecycle. Each phase includes a set of predefined goals that are executed in a specific order, allowing for consistent and predictable project builds.

How does Maven handle project dependencies?

Maven uses a declarative approach to manage project dependencies. Dependencies are specified in the project’s POM file, and Maven resolves and downloads the required dependencies from remote repositories. This simplifies the build process and ensures consistent dependency management across development environments.

What are some best practices for using Maven in a project?

Some best practices for using Maven in a project include keeping the POM file simple and focused, using specific versions for dependencies, avoiding the use of system scope dependencies, and regularly updating dependencies to newer versions to benefit from bug fixes and improvements.