How do you create a standalone application with dependencies intact using Maven?

Question

I have a desktop Java application built using Maven 2 (but I could upgrade to Maven 3 if that helps) with a number of open source dependencies. I\'m now trying to package it

Answer 1

Try creating a custom assembly descriptor and add a dependencySet and make sure you specify, unpack as false.

Use this as assembly descriptor,

    distribution
    
        zip
    
    
        
            runtime
            lib
                        false
            false
        
    

Store this file to say src/main/assembly/assembly.xml and update your assembly plugin configuration in pom.xml like this.

        
            org.apache.maven.plugins
            maven-assembly-plugin
            2.2.1
            
                
                    assembly
                    package
                    
                        attached
                    
                    
                           ${basedir}/src/main/assembly/assembly.xml
                    
                
            
        

Here is assembly descriptor reference if you need anything more

http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly.html