exec:java causes mvn compile to look for test-jar dependencies

Looks like this problem is bigger than just the exec plugin. Here's an even simpler setup that provokes the error:

/pom.xml
/module-with-test-jar/pom.xml
/module-needing-test-jar/pom.xml

If you use maven 3 to run:

mvn compile

You'll get the error:

[ERROR] Failed to execute goal on project module-needing-test-jar: Could not resolve dependencies for project bug:module-needing-test-jar:jar:0.0.1-SNAPSHOT: Could not find artifact bug:module-with-test-jar:jar:tests:0.0.1-SNAPSHOT

Which is wrong because you're in the compile phase and maven should not be looking for test scoped dependencies.

The key points are that the parent has two modules:

<modules>
  <module>module-with-test-jar</module>
  <module>module-needing-test-jar</module>
</modules>

The first module supplies the test jar:

<build>
  <plugins>
    <plugin>
      <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
      <artifactId>maven-jar-plugin</artifactId>
      <executions>
        <execution>
          <goals>
            <goal>test-jar</goal>
          </goals>
        </execution>
      </executions>
    </plugin>
  </plugins>
</build>

And the second module both depends on the test jar, and adds something to the compile phase (or earlier) using an <execution>:

<dependencies>
  <dependency>
    <groupId>bug</groupId>
    <artifactId>module-with-test-jar</artifactId>
    <version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
    <type>test-jar</type>
    <scope>test</scope>
  </dependency>
</dependencies>
<build>
  <plugins>
    <plugin>
      <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
      <executions>
        <execution>
          <phase>compile</phase>
          <goals>
            <goal>test</goal>
          </goals>
        </execution>
      </executions>
    </plugin>
  </plugins>
</build>

Here I'm using maven-surefire-plugin to prove that it's not just the maven-exec-plugin that has this problem. In the attached code there's also a commented out section using the maven-exec-plugin that will provoke exactly the same bug.

Again, a workaround is to run mvn compile test-compile.

Which is wrong because you're in the compile phase and maven should not be looking for test scoped dependencies.

Your last example binds surefire:test to the compile phase so as per your configuration, test scoped dependencies are required to run Surefire.

Back to the original issue, the need for exec:java to resolve test scoped dependencies is documented but there's surely room for improvement to only resolve dependencies that are actually required as per the classpathScope parameter.

Again, a workaround is to run mvn compile test-compile.

Forgot to mentiond, "mvn test-compile" should do as well unless you intentionally need to run the compile phase twice.

the need for exec:java to resolve test scoped dependencies is documented

Yeah I guess it is. It's easy to find once you know what you're looking for.

Attributes:

• Requires a Maven 2.0 project to be executed.
• Requires dependency resolution of artifacts in scope: test.

http://mojo.codehaus.org/exec-maven-plugin/java-mojo.html

Out of curiosity, why does it require that? I guess it's clear to me why surefire:test would require test dependencies, but not why exec:java would.

Anyway, please consider changing this to a feature request (I don't seem to be able to do that myself). Thanks!

I think there's some confusion here. I've had a look at the attachment and it doesn't even use the exec-maven-plugin. I think you're referring to MNG-3559.

Didn't someone earlier comment that it's not just maven-exec-plugin, but also maven-surefire-plugin, that triggers this issue? My project uses maven-surefire-plugin.

Perhaps this bug is in the wrong place. Perhaps it should be in the Maven proper project.

Or perhaps this bug and MNG-3559 are one and the same? (Speaking of which, if a patch was provided for MNG-3559 five years ago, why has it not been fixed yet!?)