How Can I Rename a Maven Jar With Dependencies for Easier Identification?

Is it possible to rename a maven jar-with-dependencies?

Renaming a Maven JAR file generated from the jar-with-dependencies assembly can significantly improve convenience, especially when specific naming conventions are needed for usage in environments like AS400. This guide provides a comprehensive solution for renaming the JAR while retaining functionality.

<assembly xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly/1.1.3" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/plugins/maven-assembly-plugin/assembly/1.1.3 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/assembly-1.1.3.xsd">
  <id>${project.version}-${classifier}</id>
  <formats>
    <format>jar</format>
  </formats>
  <finalName>${project.artifactId}-${project.version}-${classifier}-full</finalName>
  <dependencySets>
    <dependencySet>
      <outputDirectory>/</outputDirectory>
      <useTransitiveDependencies>true</useTransitiveDependencies>
    </dependencySet>
  </dependencySets>
</assembly>

Causes

• The default naming convention for a Maven JAR generated with dependencies can lead to longer file names that are not suitable for all use cases.
• The need to create distinct artifacts that retain useful information for developers using them in older systems like RPG on AS400.

Solutions

• Use the Maven Assembly Plugin to customize the output file names for the JARs without duplicating the entire assembly descriptor.
• Modify the `finalName` property in your assembly descriptor to reflect the desired naming convention.

Mistake: Not changing the classifier in the assembly descriptor, leading to overwriting previous builds.

Solution: Ensure each artifact has a unique classifier to prevent conflicts.

Mistake: Forgetting to update the `project-name-version` variables, leading to incorrect filenames.

Solution: Always double-check variable names to ensure they reflect the intended names.