Maven - Project Templates

Maven provides users, a very large list of different types of project templates (614 in numbers) using the concept of Archetype. Maven helps users to quickly start a new java project using the following command.

mvn archetype:generate

What is Archetype?

Archetype is a Maven plugin whose task is to create a project structure as per its template. We are going to use quickstart archetype plugin to create a simple java application here.

Using Project Template

Let's open the command console, go to the C:\ > MVN directory and execute the following mvn command.

C:\MVN>mvn archetype:generate 

Maven will start processing and will ask to choose the required archetype.

[INFO] Scanning for projects...
[INFO] Searching repository for plugin with prefix: 'archetype'.
[INFO] -------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Building Maven Default Project
[INFO] task-segment: [archetype:generate] (aggregator-style)
[INFO] -------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Preparing archetype:generate
...

600: remote −> org.trailsframework:trails-archetype (-)
601: remote −> org.trailsframework:trails-secure-archetype (-)
602: remote −> org.tynamo:tynamo-archetype (-)
603: remote −> org.wicketstuff.scala:wicket-scala-archetype (-)
604: remote −> org.wicketstuff.scala:wicketstuff-scala-archetype

Basic setup for a project that combines Scala and Wicket,
depending on the Wicket-Scala project.
Includes an example Specs test.)

605: remote −> org.wikbook:wikbook.archetype (-)
606: remote −> org.xaloon.archetype:xaloon-archetype-wicket-jpa-glassfish (-)
607: remote −> org.xaloon.archetype:xaloon-archetype-wicket-jpa-spring (-)
608: remote −> org.xwiki.commons:xwiki-commons-component-archetype
   (Make it easy to create a maven project for creating XWiki Components.)
609: remote −> org.xwiki.rendering:xwiki-rendering-archetype-macro
   (Make it easy to create a maven project for creating XWiki Rendering Macros.)
610: remote −> org.zkoss:zk-archetype-component (The ZK Component archetype)
611: remote −> org.zkoss:zk-archetype-webapp (The ZK wepapp archetype)
612: remote −> ru.circumflex:circumflex-archetype (-)
613: remote −> se.vgregion.javg.maven.archetypes:javg-minimal-archetype (-)
614: remote −> sk.seges.sesam:sesam-annotation-archetype (-)
Choose a number or apply filter
(format: [groupId:]artifactId, case sensitive contains): 203:

Press Enter to choose to default option (203: maven-archetype-quickstart)

Maven will ask for particular version of archetype.

Choose org.apache.maven.archetypes:maven-archetype-quickstart version:
1: 1.0-alpha-1
2: 1.0-alpha-2
3: 1.0-alpha-3
4: 1.0-alpha-4
5: 1.0
6: 1.1
Choose a number: 6:

Press Enter to choose to default option (6: maven-archetype-quickstart:1.1)

Maven will ask for the project detail. Enter project detail as asked. Press Enter if the default value is provided. You can override them by entering your own value.

Define value for property 'groupId': : com.companyname.insurance
Define value for property 'artifactId': : health
Define value for property 'version': 1.0-SNAPSHOT:
Define value for property 'package': com.companyname.insurance:

Maven will ask for the project detail confirmation. Press enter or press Y.

Confirm properties configuration:
groupId: com.companyname.insurance
artifactId: health
version: 1.0-SNAPSHOT
package: com.companyname.insurance
Y:

Now Maven will start creating the project structure and will display the following −

[INFO]-----------------------------------------------
[INFO] Using following parameters for creating project
from Old (1.x) Archetype: maven-archetype-quickstart:1.1
[INFO]-----------------------------------------------

[INFO] Parameter: groupId, Value: com.companyname.insurance
[INFO] Parameter: packageName, Value: com.companyname.insurance
[INFO] Parameter: package, Value: com.companyname.insurance
[INFO] Parameter: artifactId, Value: health
[INFO] Parameter: basedir, Value: C:\MVN
[INFO] Parameter: version, Value: 1.0-SNAPSHOT

[INFO] project created from Old (1.x) Archetype in dir: C:\MVN\health
[INFO]-----------------------------------------------
[INFO] BUILD SUCCESSFUL
[INFO]-----------------------------------------------
[INFO] Total time: 4 minutes 12 seconds
[INFO] Finished at: Fri Jul 13 11:10:12 IST 2012
[INFO] Final Memory: 20M/90M
[INFO]-----------------------------------------------

Created Project

Now go to C:\ > MVN directory. You'll see a java application project created, named health, which was given as artifactId at the time of project creation. Maven will create a standard directory layout for the project as shown below −

Created POM.xml

Maven generates a POM.xml file for the project as listed below −

<project xmlns = "http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" 
   xmlns:xsi = "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
   xsi:schemaLocation = "http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 
   http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
   <groupId>com.companyname.insurance</groupId>
   <artifactId>health</artifactId>
   <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
   <name>health</name>
   <url>http://maven.apache.org</url>
   <properties>
      <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
   </properties>
   <dependencies>
      <dependency>
      <groupId>junit</groupId>
         <artifactId>junit</artifactId>
         <version>3.8.1</version>
         <scope>test</scope>
      </dependency>
   </dependencies>
</project>

Created App.java

Maven generates sample java source file, App.java for the project as listed below −

Location: C:\ > MVN > health > src > main > java > com > companyname > insurance > App.java.

package com.companyname.insurance;

/**
   * Hello world!
   *
*/
public class App {
   public static void main( String[] args ) {
      System.out.println( "Hello World!" );
   }
}

Created AppTest.java

Maven generates sample java source test file, AppTest.java for the project as listed below −

Location: C:\ > MVN > health > src > test > java > com > companyname > insurance > AppTest.java.

package com.companyname.insurance;

import junit.framework.Test;
import junit.framework.TestCase;
import junit.framework.TestSuite;

/**
   * Unit test for simple App.
*/
public class AppTest extends TestCase {
   /**
      * Create the test case
      *
     * @param testName name of the test case
   */
   public AppTest( String testName ) {
      super( testName );
   }
   /**
      * @return the suite of tests being tested
   */
   public static Test suite() {
      return new TestSuite( AppTest.class );
   }
   /**
      * Rigourous Test :-)
   */
   public void testApp() {
      assertTrue( true );
   }
}

Now you can see the power of Maven. You can create any kind of project using single command in maven and can kick-start your development.

Different Archetypes