Updating version numbers of modules in a multi-module Maven project

I have a multi-module maven project. We intend to version all these modules together. But as of now I am ending up hard-coding version in each of the module pom.xml as below

<parent>
    <artifactId>xyz-application</artifactId>
    <groupId>com.xyz</groupId>
    <version>2.50.0.g</version>
</parent>
<modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
<groupId>com.xyz</groupId>
<artifactId>xyz-Library</artifactId>
<version>2.50.0.g</version>

and the main parent module has the below configuration

<modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
<groupId>com.xyz</groupId>
<artifactId>xyz-application</artifactId>
<version>2.50.0.g</version>
<packaging>pom</packaging>

Solution 1:

Use versions:set from the versions-maven plugin:

mvn versions:set -DnewVersion=2.50.1-SNAPSHOT

It will adjust all pom versions, parent versions and dependency versions in a multi-module project.

If you made a mistake, do

mvn versions:revert

afterwards, or

mvn versions:commit

if you're happy with the results.

Note: this solution assumes that all modules use the aggregate pom as parent pom also, a scenario that was considered standard at the time of this answer. If that is not the case, go for Garret Wilson's answer.

Solution 2:

The given answer assumes that the project in question use project inheritance in addition to module aggregation. In fact those are distinct concepts:

https://maven.apache.org/guides/introduction/introduction-to-the-pom.html#Project_Inheritance_vs_Project_Aggregation

Some projects may be an aggregation of modules, yet not have a parent-child relationship between aggregator POM and the aggregated modules. (There may be no parent-child relationship at all, or the child modules may use a separate POM altogether as the "parent".) In these situations the given answer will not work.

After much reading and experimentation, it turns out there is a way to use the Versions Maven Plugin to update not only the aggregator POM but also all aggregated modules as well; it is the processAllModules option. The following command must be done in the directory of the aggregator project:

mvn versions:set -DnewVersion=2.50.1-SNAPSHOT -DprocessAllModules

The Versions Maven Plugin will not only update the versions of all contained modules, it will also update inter-module dependencies!!!! This is a huge win and will save a lot of time and prevent all sorts of problems.

Of course don't forget to commit the changes in all modules, which you can also do with the same switch:

mvn versions:commit -DprocessAllModules

You may decide to dispense with the backup POMS altogether and do everything in one command:

mvn versions:set -DnewVersion=2.50.1-SNAPSHOT -DprocessAllModules -DgenerateBackupPoms=false

Solution 3:

If you want to fully automate the process (i.e. you want to increment the version number without having to know what the current version number is), you can do this:

mvn build-helper:parse-version versions:set -DnewVersion=\${parsedVersion.majorVersion}.\${parsedVersion.minorVersion}.\${parsedVersion.nextIncrementalVersion} versions:commit

Solution 4:

You may want to look into Maven release plugin's release:update-versions goal. It will update the parent's version as well as all the modules under it.

Update: Please note that the above is the release plugin. If you are not releasing, you may want to use versions:set

mvn versions:set -DnewVersion=1.2.3-SNAPSHOT

Solution 5:

I encourage you to read the Maven Book about multi-module (reactor) builds.

I meant in particular the following:

<parent>
    <artifactId>xyz-application</artifactId>
    <groupId>com.xyz</groupId>
    <version>2.50.0.g</version>
</parent>
<modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
<groupId>com.xyz</groupId>
<artifactId>xyz-Library</artifactId>
<version>2.50.0.g</version>

should be changed into. Here take care about the not defined version only in parent part it is defined.

<modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>

<parent>
    <artifactId>xyz-application</artifactId>
    <groupId>com.xyz</groupId>
    <version>2.50.0.g</version>
</parent>
<groupId>com.xyz</groupId>
<artifactId>xyz-Library</artifactId>

This is a better link.