why is “test-jar” dependency required for “mvn compile”

Question

I\'m having trouble using test-jar dependencies in a multi-module project. For example, when I declare that the cleartk-syntax module depends on the

Answer 1

This looks like a definite bug to me.

I have the same problem and tested Maven 3.0.1 and 3.0.2. Validate doesn't fail, only the compile step fails. With Maven 3 mvn compile breaks but mvn test-compile works.

It appears that the compile phase is looking for test-jar artifacts in the reactor and then repo, but it shouldn't since the dependency is in test scope. Test scope artifacts should be resolved during test-compile, not compile.

As a result, I thought this could be worked around by mapping the maven-compiler-plugin's testCompile goal to the compile phase, instead of the default test-compile phase.

I added this to my pom, right next to the part that adds the test-jar creation in the upstream pom:

  
  
    maven-compiler-plugin
    
      
        default-testCompile
        compile
        
          testCompile
        
      
    
  

But that won't work either because the five phases between compile and test-compile haven't run and set up things like the test classpath.

I guess the real workaround until this bug is fixed is to use test-compile in place of compile.