Build Automation Tool

Maven Build Automation Tool

Maven is a build automation tool. The distributed Apache Software Foundation. It is used for java projects. It makes build consistent with another project.




Maven is also used to manage the dependencies. It works a very number of Jar files with different versions.

What is a build tool?

Build tool use to setup everything. Which need to run java code. This can apply to entire java project. It generates source code, compiling code, packaging code to a jar. Maven provides a common platform to perform these activities. This makes programmer’s life easier while handling the huge project.




The Maven provides pom.xml which is the core of any project. This is the configuration file where all required information’s are kept. Many of the IDEs are available which makes it easy to use. IDEs are available for tools like Eclipse, NetBeans, and IntelliJ etc.




Maven stores all project jars. Library jar is in the place called repository. This could be a central, local or remote repository. Maven downloads the dependency jar from the central repository.




Downloaded libraries stored in the local repository called m2. The Maven uses the libraries available in the m2 folder. If new dependency added then maven downloads from the central repository to local repository. The libraries are not available in the central repository. Then maven looks for the remote repository. To configure the remote repository in pom.xml to download from the remote repository.

General Phrases used in Maven:

 

• groupId:

    Generally groupId refers to domain id. For best practices company name use as groupId. It identifies the project.

• artifactId:

   It is the name of the Jar without version.

• version:

   This tag use to create a version of the project.

• Local repository:

   the required dependencies and stores in the local repository called m2. More details on the same would share in the next topic.

Build Life Cycle:

•   clean:

                       deletes all artifacts and targets create already.

• compile:

                    It is used to compile the source code of the project.

•   test:

              The compiled code and these tests do not need to package or deploy.

•   package:

                    It uses to convert your project into a jar or war etc.

•   install:

                 The package into the local repository for use of another project.