If you are repeatedly running Maven from the command line, you can save yourself some time by using the Maven Console. The Maven Console provides a "shell" where you can type in the name of a goal for Maven to execute. By using the Maven Console, you can avoid waiting for the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) to start up every time you want to run a Maven goal.
The Maven Console is a plug-in, and you can start it by entering maven console
at the command prompt. This
should produce the following output:
_ _ _ _ | \/ |_ _ _Apache_ _ _ _ _ | |\/| / _` \ V / -_) ' \ ~ intelligent projects ~ |_| |_\_ _,_|\_/\_ _ _|_||_| v. 1.0.2 The following commands are available: list - list all available goals help - this message <goalname> - attain a goal quit - quits the console test-application 1.0 >
At this point, you can execute any goal you could execute from the command
line. Go ahead and try it; type java:compile
. Maven will execute the
java:compile
goal and return you to
the prompt to wait for another goal. To run two goals in sequence, you
may enter them at the prompt, separated by a spaceâfor example,
clean test
. This is known as "goal
chaining" and it is a way for you to specify a series of goals you
want Maven to obtain, in order. To exit the Maven Console, type
quit
, and to see a list of
available goals, type list
.
Maven executed the java:compile
goal very quickly in the Maven
Console, didn't it? When you use the Maven Console you are executing a
goal in an existing JVM. When you run Maven from the command line, you
have to wait for the JVM to start up every time you want to run a
goal. If you are not convinced of the performance improvement, try it
for yourself. Run the java:compile
goal from the command line 10 times in a row, and then run the same
java:compile
goal from the Maven
Console 10 times. Take note of the time difference, and you will see
that the JVM startup time begins to increase. Use the Maven Console if
you find yourself frequently running Maven goals, as it saves time by
starting a JVM once.
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