Maven - Project Templates

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Maven provides users, a very large list of different types of project templates (614 in numbers) using the concept of Archetype. Maven helps users to quickly start a new java project using the following command.

mvn archetype:generate

What is Archetype?

Archetype is a Maven plugin whose task is to create a project structure as per its template. We are going to use quickstart archetype plugin to create a simple java application here.

Using Project Template

Let's open the command console, go to the D:\Projects\MVN directory and execute the following mvn command.

D:\Projects\MVN>mvn archetype:generate 

Maven will start processing and will ask to choose the required archetype.

D:\Projects\MVN>mvn archetype:generate
[INFO] Scanning for projects...
[INFO]
[INFO] ------------------< org.apache.maven:standalone-pom >-------------------
[INFO] Building Maven Stub Project (No POM) 1
[INFO] --------------------------------[ pom ]---------------------------------
[INFO]
[INFO] >>> maven-archetype-plugin:3.2.0:generate (default-cli) > generate-sources @ standalone-pom >>>
[INFO]
[INFO] <<< maven-archetype-plugin:3.2.0:generate (default-cli) < generate-sources @ standalone-pom <<<
[INFO]
[INFO]
[INFO] --- maven-archetype-plugin:3.2.0:generate (default-cli) @ standalone-pom ---
[INFO] Generating project in Interactive mode
[INFO] No archetype defined. Using maven-archetype-quickstart (org.apache.maven.archetypes:maven-archetype-quickstart:1.0)
Choose archetype:
1: remote -> am.ik.archetype:elm-spring-boot-blank-archetype (Blank multi project for Spring Boot + Elm)
2: remote -> am.ik.archetype:graalvm-blank-archetype (Blank project for GraalVM)
...
3580: remote -> za.co.absa.hyperdrive:component-archetype_2.12 (-)
Choose a number or apply filter (format: [groupId:]artifactId, case sensitive contains): 2268:

Press Enter to choose to default option (2268: maven-archetype-quickstart)

Maven will ask for particular version of archetype.

Choose org.apache.maven.archetypes:maven-archetype-quickstart version:
1: 1.0-alpha-1
2: 1.0-alpha-2
3: 1.0-alpha-3
4: 1.0-alpha-4
5: 1.0
6: 1.1
7: 1.3
8: 1.4
9: 1.5
Choose a number: 9:

Press Enter to choose to default option (9: maven-archetype-quickstart:1.5)

Maven will ask for the project detail. Enter project detail as asked. Press Enter if the default value is provided. You can override them by entering your own value.

[INFO] Using property: javaCompilerVersion = 17
[INFO] Using property: junitVersion = 5.11.0
Define value for property 'groupId': com.companyname.insurance
Define value for property 'artifactId': health
Define value for property 'version': 1.0-SNAPSHOT:
Define value for property 'package': com.companyname.insurance:

Maven will ask for the project detail confirmation. Press enter or press Y.

Confirm properties configuration:
javaCompilerVersion: 17
junitVersion: 5.11.0
groupId: com.companyname.insurance
artifactId: health
version: 1.0-SNAPSHOT
package: com.companyname.insurance
Y:

Now Maven will start creating the project structure and will display the following −

[INFO] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Using following parameters for creating project from Archetype: maven-archetype-quickstart:1.5
[INFO] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Parameter: groupId, Value: com.companyname.insurance
[INFO] Parameter: artifactId, Value: health
[INFO] Parameter: version, Value: 1.0-SNAPSHOT
[INFO] Parameter: package, Value: com.companyname.insurance
[INFO] Parameter: packageInPathFormat, Value: com/companyname/insurance
[INFO] Parameter: junitVersion, Value: 5.11.0
[INFO] Parameter: package, Value: com.companyname.insurance
[INFO] Parameter: groupId, Value: com.companyname.insurance
[INFO] Parameter: artifactId, Value: health
[INFO] Parameter: javaCompilerVersion, Value: 17
[INFO] Parameter: version, Value: 1.0-SNAPSHOT
[WARNING] Don't override file D:\Projects\MVN\health\src\main\java\com\companyname\insurance
[WARNING] Don't override file D:\Projects\MVN\health\src\test\java\com\companyname\insurance
[WARNING] CP Don't override file D:\Projects\MVN\health\.mvn
[INFO] Project created from Archetype in dir: D:\Projects\MVN\health
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] BUILD SUCCESS
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Total time:  17.830 s
[INFO] Finished at: 2025-09-15T14:15:27+05:30
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Created Project

Now go to D:\Projects\MVN\ directory. You'll see a java application project created, named health, which was given as artifactId at the time of project creation. Maven will create a standard directory layout for the project as shown below −

Created POM.xml

Maven generates a POM.xml file for the project as listed below −

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
  xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
  <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>

  <groupId>com.companyname.insurance</groupId>
  <artifactId>health</artifactId>
  <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>

  <name>health</name>
  <!-- FIXME change it to the project's website -->
  <url>http://www.example.com</url>

  <properties>
    <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
    <maven.compiler.release>17</maven.compiler.release>
  </properties>

  <dependencyManagement>
    <dependencies>
      <dependency>
        <groupId>org.junit</groupId>
        <artifactId>junit-bom</artifactId>
        <version>5.11.0</version>
        <type>pom</type>
        <scope>import</scope>
      </dependency>
    </dependencies>
  </dependencyManagement>

  <dependencies>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.junit.jupiter</groupId>
      <artifactId>junit-jupiter-api</artifactId>
      <scope>test</scope>
    </dependency>
    <!-- Optionally: parameterized tests support -->
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.junit.jupiter</groupId>
      <artifactId>junit-jupiter-params</artifactId>
      <scope>test</scope>
    </dependency>
  </dependencies>

  <build>
    <pluginManagement><!-- lock down plugins versions to avoid using Maven defaults (may be moved to parent pom) -->
      <plugins>
        <!-- clean lifecycle, see https://maven.apache.org/ref/current/maven-core/lifecycles.html#clean_Lifecycle -->
        <plugin>
          <artifactId>maven-clean-plugin</artifactId>
          <version>3.4.0</version>
        </plugin>
        <!-- default lifecycle, jar packaging: see https://maven.apache.org/ref/current/maven-core/default-bindings.html#Plugin_bindings_for_jar_packaging -->
        <plugin>
          <artifactId>maven-resources-plugin</artifactId>
          <version>3.3.1</version>
        </plugin>
        <plugin>
          <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
          <version>3.13.0</version>
        </plugin>
        <plugin>
          <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
          <version>3.3.0</version>
        </plugin>
        <plugin>
          <artifactId>maven-jar-plugin</artifactId>
          <version>3.4.2</version>
        </plugin>
        <plugin>
          <artifactId>maven-install-plugin</artifactId>
          <version>3.1.2</version>
        </plugin>
        <plugin>
          <artifactId>maven-deploy-plugin</artifactId>
          <version>3.1.2</version>
        </plugin>
        <!-- site lifecycle, see https://maven.apache.org/ref/current/maven-core/lifecycles.html#site_Lifecycle -->
        <plugin>
          <artifactId>maven-site-plugin</artifactId>
          <version>3.12.1</version>
        </plugin>
        <plugin>
          <artifactId>maven-project-info-reports-plugin</artifactId>
          <version>3.6.1</version>
        </plugin>
      </plugins>
    </pluginManagement>
  </build>
</project>

Created App.java

Maven generates sample java source file, App.java for the project as listed below −

Location: src > main > java > com > companyname > insurance > App.java.

package com.companyname.insurance;

/**
* Hello world!
*
*/
public class App {
   public static void main( String[] args ) {
      System.out.println( "Hello World!" );
   }
}

Created AppTest.java

Maven generates sample java source test file, AppTest.java for the project as listed below −

Location: src > test > java > com > companyname > insurance > AppTest.java.

package com.companyname.insurance;

import junit.framework.Test;
import junit.framework.TestCase;
import junit.framework.TestSuite;

/**
   * Unit test for simple App.
*/
public class AppTest extends TestCase {
   /**
   * Create the test case
   *
   * @param testName name of the test case
   */
   public AppTest( String testName ) {
      super( testName );
   }
   /**
      * @return the suite of tests being tested
   */
   public static Test suite() {
      return new TestSuite( AppTest.class );
   }
   /**
      * Rigourous Test :-)
   */
   public void testApp() {
      assertTrue( true );
   }
}

Now you can see the power of Maven. You can create any kind of project using single command in maven and can kick-start your development.

Different Archetypes