Managing multi-module dependencies with Maven assembly plugin

Question

I use Maven assembly plugin to create an assembly for my multi-module project. There are two separate applications built from this multi-module project, each having a separate s

Answer 1

I've always had similar experiences using the assembly plugin with multi-module projects where the end result wasn't what I expected. I hope someone else can provide a more accurate answer as to why that's happening and how best to use those two concepts in tandem.

That said, a possible work-around would be to have module1 and module2 generate their own assembly artifacts which contain their respective jars and dependencies. Then you can modify the assembly sub-module pom file to have dependencies on the generated distribution artifacts from its sibling modules and then unpack those into a new assembly.

In both Module1 and Module2's pom files you can add an assembly plugin configuration to your package phase much like you did with the assembly sub-module.

  
    
      
        maven-assembly-plugin
        2.2.2

        
          
            make-assembly
            package
            
              single
            
          
        

        
          
            src/main/assembly/descriptor.xml
          
        
      
    
  

Module1 would have a src/main/assembly/descriptor.xml like this

  distribution
  false

  
    zip
  

  
    
      module1
      false
    
  

And Module2 will have a similar src/main/assembly/descriptor.xml

  distribution
  false

  
    zip
  

  
    
      module2
      false
    
  

Then in the assembly/pom.xml you would add the Module 1 and 2 zip artifacts as dependencies

  
    
      com.test.app
      module1
      1.0
      zip
      distribution
    
    
      com.test.app
      module2
      1.0
      zip
      distribution
    
  

...and trim up the assembly/src/main/assembly/descriptor.xml file to look like this

  distribution
  false

  
    dir
  

  
    
      false
      true
    
  

Like I said this would be one possible work around and unfortunately adds a significant amount of additional XML configuration to your build process. But it works.