Maven Tutorial 2025: Everything Beginners Must Know

If you’re new to the world of Java development or backend programming, you’re probably hearing a lot of jargon, JAR, dependencies, and build tools. And one of those terms that keeps coming up is Maven.

If you still don’t know about it, don’t worry, this Maven tutorial is for absolute beginners. We will use simple language, with some analogies thrown in, and we will cover everything you need to know, just like a teacher teaching in a classroom.

Table of Contents

What Is Maven?

Maven is a build automation and project management tool primarily used for Java projects. Let’s think of it this way: You are preparing to bake a cake. You could buy all of the ingredients, look for a recipe, find out how long to bake it, etc. Or maybe there was a baking kit with measured ingredients, instructions, and even decorations. Basically, this is what Maven does for Java projects.

Maven, in layman’s terms, is a project management and build tool for Java. It will:

Fetch the right libraries that your project needs (called dependencies)
Organize your files neatly
Compile/test and package your code
Never let you do repetitive setup work

Maven = Your Java project manager + helper + delivery boy

That’s the reason it finds so many users amongst developers.

Do I Need Any Knowledge of Java Before Getting Started?

Yes. However, the basics are good enough. Before using Maven, you should probably:
Know the basics of Java and fundamental concepts (create classes, write main methods, etc.)
Java should be installed (JDK 8 or later is acceptable)
Run simple Java programs on your IDE of choice—IntelliJ, Eclipse, or NetBeans.

Don’t worry if you aren’t that good Maven is there to improve you from the basics to the advanced.

Installing Maven Step-by-Step

You don’t need to be techy to install Maven. Follow these steps:

Download Maven:
- Go to: https://maven.apache.org/download.cgi
- Download the ZIP file.
Unzip It:
- Extract the folder to C:\Maven or any directory you like.
Set Environment Variables (like giving your computer directions):
- Go to System > Environment Variables
- Add MAVEN_HOME and set it to your Maven folder
- Add Maven’s bin path to your system PATH
Check Installation:
- Open terminal or command prompt
- Type mvn -version
- If you see a version number, you did it.

Understanding Maven Project Structure

Let’s say you’re making a Java project for your college—like a calculator app. Without Maven, you’ll manually manage all files. With Maven, everything has a proper place:

src/main/java → Your actual code
src/test/java → Test files (for checking your app works)
pom.xml → Your project file (like your project proposal + to-do list)

So instead of dumping everything into one folder, Maven teaches you discipline—just like a good teacher!

What is the POM.xml File? (The Brain of Maven)

POM means Project Object Model. The file pom.xml tells Maven:

What your project is about
What version it is
What external libraries you need (like Google Maps or payment systems)

Here’s how a super simple POM looks:

<groupId>com.student.project</groupId>

<artifactId>calculator-app</artifactId>

</project>

Maven reads this and sets up your project automatically.

Create Your First Maven Project (No Coding)

Ready? Open your terminal and run this below command:

mvn archetype:generate -DgroupId=com.student.project -DartifactId=calculator-app -DarchetypeArtifactId=maven-archetype-quickstart -DinteractiveMode=false

This command:

Creates your project folder
Adds all important files
Generates a sample Java class and test class

Open this in IntelliJ or Eclipse, and you’ll see how organized it looks.

Maven in Action: Basic Commands Explained Simply

Let’s go through 5 Maven commands that you’ll use all the time:

mvn clean → Cleans out the old files
mvn compile → Compiles your Java code
mvn test → Runs the test files (don’t worry, they’re pre-made)
mvn package → Turns your project into a JAR file
mvn install → Saves your project to your local system

Think of these as “buttons” to progress your project clean, build, test, bundle, save.

Maven Dependencies: No More Jar Downloads

Earlier, you had to download .jar files manually for each library you needed. With Maven?

Just write a few lines in your pom.xml and it gets everything for you.

Example: Want to use JUnit for testing?

<groupId>junit</groupId>

<artifactId>junit</artifactId>

</dependency>

</dependencies>

This tells Maven: “Please get this library for me!”

Real Use Cases: Where You’ll Use Maven in the Real World

One of the college projects which require incorporating Google maps, logging tools, or payment APIs.
Making such a project in a company, wherein everybody contributes to a project.
Joining a hackathon with less time to develop the application-cuts down setup time with Maven.
Automating test cases, and pipelines for CI/CD.

Right from the freshers to the interns, it’s just a showcase of being industry-ready when using Maven.

How DevOps Can Help the Learner to Thrive

There are more philosophies and toolkits than the engineer, and DevOps is one that helps any aspiring software developer learn more efficiently. You will understand how your code got from your laptop to a live application being used by real people when you understand DevOps. Greater confidence and clarity come from this understanding. Faster building, smarter testing, and a better collaborative environment with teams are parts of learning DevOps. When you are serious about a tech career, DevOps is actually the engine of modern development.

PW Skills course for DevOps: Learn, Practice, Excel

From end to end, master the art of DevOps through real-world projects and tools such as Docker, Jenkins, and Kubernetes. Learn from some of the best mentors in the industry and through hands-on labs and job-ready curriculum. Enroll now in the DevOps & Cloud Computing course.

Join PW Skills and convert that learning into a career for the future.

FAQs

Can I use Maven with languages other than Java?

Yes, while Maven is built for Java, it can be extended to work with C/C++, Ruby, Scala, and more using plugins but Java remains its core focus.

What is the difference between Maven and Gradle?

Maven uses XML for configuration and is more convention-driven, while Gradle uses Groovy/Kotlin and is more flexible. Gradle is often faster but has a steeper learning curve.