invalid target release: 1.7

Question

I have seen similar questions, but haven't yet found the answer.

Using maven compile, I get:

[ERROR] Failed to execute goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-compiler-plugin:3.0:compile (default-compile) on project api: Fatal error compiling: invalid target release: 1.7 -> [Help 1]

Here is the pom.xml:

<plugin>
    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
    <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
    <version>3.0</version>
    <configuration>
        <source>1.7</source>
        <target>1.7</target>
        <encoding>UTF-8</encoding>
    </configuration>
</plugin>

Javac version:

javac 1.7.0_25

Java version:

java version "1.7.0_25"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_25-b15)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 23.25-b01, mixed mode)

Any idea what it could be?

Answer 1

You need to set JAVA_HOME to your jdk7 home directory, for example on Microsoft Windows:

• "C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_40"

or on OS X:

• /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.7.0_40.jdk/Contents/Home

Answer 2

Other than setting JAVA_HOME environment variable, you got to make sure you are using the correct JDK in your Maven run configuration. Go to Run -> Run Configuration, select your Maven Build configuration, go to JRE tab and set the correct Runtime JRE.

Answer 3

In IntelliJ IDEA this happened to me when I imported a project that had been working fine and running with Java 1.7. I apparently hadn't notified IntelliJ that java 1.7 had been installed on my machine, and it wasn't finding my $JAVA_HOME.

On a Mac, this is resolved by:

Right clicking on the module | Module Settings | Project

and adding the 1.7 SDK by selecting "New" in the Project SDK.

Then go to the main IntelliJ IDEA menu | Preferences | Maven | Runner

and select the correct JRE. In my case it updated correctly Use Project SDK, which was now 1.7.

Answer 4

When maven is working outside of Eclipse, but giving this error after a JDK change, Go to your Maven Run Configuration, and at the bottom of the Main page, there's a 'Maven Runtime' option. Mine was using the Embedded Maven, so after switching it to use my external maven, it worked.

Answer 5

This probably works for a lot of things but it's not enough for Maven and certainly not for the maven compiler plugin.

Check Mike's answer to his own question here: stackoverflow question 24705877

This solved the issue for me both command line AND within eclipse.

Also, @LinGao answer to stackoverflow question 2503658 and the use of the $JAVACMD variable might help but I haven't tested it myself.