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dependency:add

Full name:

org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-dependency-plugin:3.11.0:add

Description:

Adds a dependency to the project's pom.xml. Supports adding to <dependencies> or <dependencyManagement>, with version inference from managed dependencies.

If the dependency already exists, the goal fails with a descriptive error directing the user to remove it first.

The goal uses formatting-preserving DOM manipulation to maintain the POM's existing structure (comments, indentation, encoding). Duplicate detection uses type and classifier-aware matching, and cross-references Maven's resolved model to catch dependencies declared via property references.

Scope values are validated against Maven's known scopes: compile, provided, runtime, test, system, import.

Attributes:

  • Requires a Maven project to be executed.
  • The goal is thread-safe and supports parallel builds.
  • Since version: 3.11.0.

Optional Parameters

Name Type Since Description
<align> boolean 3.11.0 When true (the default), automatically detect and follow the project's existing dependency management conventions:
  • If most existing dependencies are version-less, add managed dependency to parent POM
  • If versions use ${...} property references, create a version property
  • Property naming follows the detected pattern (e.g., .version, -version)
Explicit parameters (managed, useProperty, propertyName) override detected conventions.
Default: true
User Property: align
<classifier> String 3.11.0 Dependency classifier (e.g., sources, javadoc, tests).
User Property: classifier
<gav> String 3.11.0 Dependency coordinates: groupId:artifactId[:version] or groupId:artifactId[:extension[:classifier]]:version. Scope, type, classifier, and optional can be overridden via separate parameters.
User Property: gav
<managed> boolean 3.11.0 When true, insert into <dependencyManagement> instead of <dependencies>.
Default: false
User Property: managed
<optional> Boolean 3.11.0 Whether the dependency is optional.
User Property: optional
<profile> String 3.11.0 Target a specific Maven profile by its <id>. When set, the dependency is added to the profile's <dependencies> or <dependencyManagement> section. The profile must already exist in the POM.
User Property: profile
<propertyName> String 3.11.0 Explicit property name for the version (e.g., guava.version). When not set, the name is derived from the detected naming convention.
User Property: propertyName
<scope> String 3.11.0 Dependency scope. Validated against Maven's known scope values: compile, provided, runtime, test, system, import. Invalid values are rejected with a org.apache.maven.plugin.MojoFailureException.
User Property: scope
<silent> boolean 2.0
Deprecated.
to be removed in 4.0; use -q command line option instead

If the plugin should be silent.
Default: false
User Property: silent
<skip> boolean 2.7 Skip plugin execution completely.
Default: false
User Property: mdep.skip
<skipDuringIncrementalBuild> boolean 3.4.0 Skip plugin execution only during incremental builds (e.g. triggered from M2E).
See also: org.apache.maven.plugins.dependency.AbstractDependencyMojo.skip
Default: false
<type> String 3.11.0 Dependency type/packaging (e.g., jar, pom, war).
User Property: type
<useProperty> Boolean 3.11.0 When set, controls whether a version property is created in <properties>. When null (the default), the behavior is auto-detected from existing conventions if align=true.
User Property: useProperty

Parameter Details

<align>

When true (the default), automatically detect and follow the project's existing dependency management conventions:
  • If most existing dependencies are version-less, add managed dependency to parent POM
  • If versions use ${...} property references, create a version property
  • Property naming follows the detected pattern (e.g., .version, -version)
Explicit parameters (managed, useProperty, propertyName) override detected conventions.
  • Type: boolean
  • Since: 3.11.0
  • Required: No
  • User Property: align
  • Default: true

<classifier>

Dependency classifier (e.g., sources, javadoc, tests).
  • Type: java.lang.String
  • Since: 3.11.0
  • Required: No
  • User Property: classifier

<gav>

Dependency coordinates: groupId:artifactId[:version] or groupId:artifactId[:extension[:classifier]]:version. Scope, type, classifier, and optional can be overridden via separate parameters.
  • Type: java.lang.String
  • Since: 3.11.0
  • Required: No
  • User Property: gav

<managed>

When true, insert into <dependencyManagement> instead of <dependencies>.
  • Type: boolean
  • Since: 3.11.0
  • Required: No
  • User Property: managed
  • Default: false

<optional>

Whether the dependency is optional.
  • Type: java.lang.Boolean
  • Since: 3.11.0
  • Required: No
  • User Property: optional

<profile>

Target a specific Maven profile by its <id>. When set, the dependency is added to the profile's <dependencies> or <dependencyManagement> section. The profile must already exist in the POM.
  • Type: java.lang.String
  • Since: 3.11.0
  • Required: No
  • User Property: profile

<propertyName>

Explicit property name for the version (e.g., guava.version). When not set, the name is derived from the detected naming convention.
  • Type: java.lang.String
  • Since: 3.11.0
  • Required: No
  • User Property: propertyName

<scope>

Dependency scope. Validated against Maven's known scope values: compile, provided, runtime, test, system, import. Invalid values are rejected with a org.apache.maven.plugin.MojoFailureException.
  • Type: java.lang.String
  • Since: 3.11.0
  • Required: No
  • User Property: scope

<silent>

Deprecated.
to be removed in 4.0; use -q command line option instead

If the plugin should be silent.
  • Type: boolean
  • Since: 2.0
  • Required: No
  • User Property: silent
  • Default: false

<skip>

Skip plugin execution completely.
  • Type: boolean
  • Since: 2.7
  • Required: No
  • User Property: mdep.skip
  • Default: false

<skipDuringIncrementalBuild>

Skip plugin execution only during incremental builds (e.g. triggered from M2E).
See also: org.apache.maven.plugins.dependency.AbstractDependencyMojo.skip
  • Type: boolean
  • Since: 3.4.0
  • Required: No
  • Default: false

<type>

Dependency type/packaging (e.g., jar, pom, war).
  • Type: java.lang.String
  • Since: 3.11.0
  • Required: No
  • User Property: type

<useProperty>

When set, controls whether a version property is created in <properties>. When null (the default), the behavior is auto-detected from existing conventions if align=true.
  • Type: java.lang.Boolean
  • Since: 3.11.0
  • Required: No
  • User Property: useProperty