Maven skip tests

Question

I am using Maven 2.2.1 and to build my project I used this command

mvn clean install -Dmaven.test.skip=true

However, the build failed saying it couldn't find one of the artifact. However, when I used:

mvn clean install -DskipTests

everything worked fine.

So far I have been thinking that these 2 commands are equivalent. However, this link seems to suggest that -Dmaven.test.skip=true also skips compiling the test cases.

However, that still didn't explain to me why one command is working and another is not. Will be thankful if anyone please explain this to me.

What version of maven-surefire-plugin are you using? Is it the same as doc version you're reading? — gerrytan, Jul 13 '14 at 22:50
One skips building, the other skips running. If you want both use both. — Elliott Frisch, Jul 13 '14 at 23:00
Can you provide details of the failure - the error message or stacktrace? — Raghuram, Jul 14 '14 at 05:20
Why are you using such an older Maven version which is [already defined EoL](http://maven.apache.org/maven-2.x-eol.html). — khmarbaise, Jul 14 '14 at 14:31
So is it really true that to completely skip everything test related I have to use `-Dmaven.test.skip=true -DskipTests`? One or the other can sometimes be omitted, depending on the circumstances, but who wants to think about that.. — Landon Kuhn, Oct 07 '16 at 01:28
@ElliottFrisch If you set `-Dmaven.test.skip=true` you prevent building and also running, since something that has not been built can not be run. — David Balažic, Jan 23 '18 at 16:31
@DavidBalažic True, how short-sighted of my comment 3 years ago. — Elliott Frisch, Jan 23 '18 at 17:20

Mureinik · Answer 1 · 2018-09-21T05:53:18.457

249

As you noted, -Dmaven.test.skip=true skips compiling the tests. More to the point, it skips building the test artifacts. A common practice for large projects is to have testing utilities and base classes shared among modules in the same project.

This is accomplished by having a module require a test-jar of a previously built module:

<dependency>
  <groupId>org.myproject.mygroup</groupId>
  <artifactId>common</artifactId>
  <version>1.0</version>
  <type>test-jar</type>
  <scope>test</scope>
</dependency>

If -Dmaven.test.skip=true (or simply -Dmaven.test.skip) is specified, the test-jars aren't built, and any module that relies on them will fail its build.

In contrast, when you use -DskipTests, Maven does not run the tests, but it does compile them and build the test-jar, making it available for the subsequent modules.

edited Sep 21 '18 at 05:53

answered May 16 '15 at 12:06

Mureinik

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How to solve this problem? As my online maven command use -Dmaven.test.skip. – neptune Mar 16 '16 at 07:18
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@neptune what problem? If you have a new question, please use a new post to ask it. – Mureinik Mar 16 '16 at 10:40
The `tests` is missing at your dependency. See [Default Artifact Handlers Reference](https://maven.apache.org/ref/3.8.2/maven-core/artifact-handlers.html). – Gerold Broser Sep 19 '21 at 18:57

score 125 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 17 '22 at 11:38

125

I had some inter-dependency with the tests in order to build the package.

The following command manage to override the need for the test artifact in order to complete the goal:

mvn -DskipTests=true  package

And also you can use the below command :-

mvn clean install -Dmaven.test.skip=true

edited Oct 17 '22 at 11:38

Muhammed Fasil

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answered Aug 30 '16 at 13:42

gilwo

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Just `... -DskipTests ...` on the cmd line is sufficient. – Gerold Broser Sep 18 '21 at 20:21
@GeroldBroser in some cases it is not sufficient to skip the test cases – Muhammed Fasil Oct 17 '22 at 11:39
@MuhammedFasil Can you elaborate such cases? [Maven Surefire Plugin / Skipping Test](https://maven.apache.org/plugins-archives/maven-surefire-plugin-2.12.4/examples/skipping-test.html#Skipping_Tests) supports my view. – Gerold Broser Feb 20 '23 at 19:18
@GeroldBroser in case your tests have compile errors, `-DskipTests` would make the build fail, whereas `-Dmaven.test.skip=true` passes due to the skipped test compilation – Sebastian Saip Feb 21 '23 at 10:27
@SebastianSaip That's right. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding. I meant in my original comment that `=true` isn't needed (at both, according to [Mureiniks top answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/30275449/1744774)). I didn't mean that there is no difference between them function-wise. – Gerold Broser Feb 21 '23 at 12:09
@SebastianSaip BTW, bist Du mit der Penny verwandt? Und wenn die _SmartStream Technologies_ in Deinem CV die dort rechts sind: https://www.smartstream.com/ – dort war ich auch einmal. :) – Gerold Broser Feb 27 '23 at 17:17

score 99 · Answer 3 · edited Feb 25 '21 at 03:02

There is a difference between each parameter.

The -DskipTests skip running tests phase, it means at the end of this process you will have your tests compiled.
The -Dmaven.test.skip=true skip compiling and running tests phase.

As the parameter -Dmaven.test.skip=true skip compiling you don't have the tests artifact.

For more information just read the surfire documentation: http://maven.apache.org/plugins-archives/maven-surefire-plugin-2.12.4/examples/skipping-test.html

score 35 · Answer 4 · edited Feb 22 '23 at 14:46

35

To skip the test case during mvn clean install, I used -DskipTests parameter in the following command

 mvn clean install -DskipTests

in the terminal window.

edited Feb 22 '23 at 14:46

Dmitriy Popov

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answered Nov 22 '18 at 03:30

Niraj Trivedi

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`-DskipTests` doesn't skip just _the_ test case. It skips _all_ test cases. – Gerold Broser Sep 19 '21 at 10:11

score 20 · Answer 5 · edited Sep 19 '21 at 19:00

I can give you an example which results in the same problem, but it may not give you an answer to your question. (Additionally, in this example, I'm using my Maven 3 knowledge, which may not apply for Maven 2.)

In a multi-module maven project (contains modules A and B, where B depends on A), you can add also a test dependency of A in B.

This dependency in B may look as follows:

<dependency>
     <groupId>com.foo</groupId>
     <artifactId>A</artifactId>
     <classifier>tests</classifier>
     <type>test-jar</type> <!-- I'm not sure if there is such a thing in Maven 2, but there is definitely a way to achieve such dependency in Maven 3. -->
     <scope>test</scope>
</dependency>

(For more information refer to https://maven.apache.org/guides/mini/guide-attached-tests.html)

Note that project Ausually produces a secondary artifact with a classifier tests (i.e. .../com/foo/A/<version>/A-<version>-tests.jar) where the test classes and test resources are located inside.

If you build project A with -Dmaven.test.skip=true, you will get a dependency resolution error when building B unless A's test artifact is found in your local repo or remote repositories. The reason is that the test classes of A were neither compiled nor the tests artifact of A was produced.

However, if you build A with -DskipTests its tests artifact will be produced (though the tests won't run) and the dependency in B will be resolved successfully.

score 17 · Answer 6 · answered Jan 03 '19 at 12:18

17

The parameter -DskipTests may not work depending on your surefire-plugin version.

You can use "-Dmaven.test.skip.exec" instead of "-DskipTests"

Source: Surefire Parameter Details

answered Jan 03 '19 at 12:18

vtsamis

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Thanks. `mvn clean install -Dmaven.test.skip.exec` command worked for me. – Ish Sep 02 '21 at 14:21
[``/ `maven.test.skip.exec`](https://maven.apache.org/surefire/maven-surefire-plugin/test-mojo.html#skipExec) is "_**Deprecated**. Use skipTests instead._". – Gerold Broser Sep 18 '21 at 20:13

score 10 · Answer 7 · answered Sep 09 '20 at 12:47

10

I have another approach for Intellij users, and it is working very fine for me:

Click on the "Skip Test" button

Hold the "CTRL" button
Select "clean" and "install"

Click on the "Run" button in the maven pannel

answered Sep 09 '20 at 12:47

Mehdi Bouzidi

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'Install' phase includes 'test' so this approach does not exclude tests. – Eduard Streltsov Oct 28 '20 at 14:46
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@EduardStreltsov when you click on the "Skip Tests" button you'll se that the "test" step is excluded – Mehdi Bouzidi Oct 29 '20 at 10:30
1

forgot about skip tests button, my bad. Checked, it works – Eduard Streltsov Oct 29 '20 at 13:20
This answers just half of the question: the `-DskipTests` part, doesn't it? – Gerold Broser Sep 18 '21 at 20:24
@GeroldBroser No, when you use this method, you don't need the -DskipTests part, intelliJ will handle it :) – Mehdi Bouzidi Oct 04 '21 at 12:33
@MehdiBouzidi That's what I meant: These IntelliJ settings are like `-DskipTests` behind the scenes, aren't they? But there's also `Dmaven.test.skip=true` in the question. – Gerold Broser Oct 04 '21 at 13:33

Razzi Abuissa · Answer 8 · 2023-02-27T02:57:55.390

For the fastest build, to skip both compiling the test files and running the tests:

mvn install -Dmaven.test.skip

From the Maven Surefire Plugin docs:

... you can also use the maven.test.skip property to skip compiling the tests. maven.test.skip is honored by Surefire, Failsafe and the Compiler Plugin.

Even more ways to speed up installing can be found at this answer to the question "Ways to make maven build faster?".

score 6 · Answer 9 · edited Mar 13 '18 at 19:22

6

During maven compilation you can skip test execution by adding following plugin in pom.xml

<plugin>
    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
    <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
    <version>2.20.1</version>
    <configuration>
         <skipTests>true</skipTests>
    </configuration>
</plugin>

edited Mar 13 '18 at 19:22

Rishav

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answered Mar 13 '18 at 17:39

Radadiya Nikunj

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It skips tests even when you do `mvn test` – Pratik Singhal May 03 '18 at 14:25
I do not recommend this (apart from special environments, e.g. having production code and test code in two different projects). Maven's default, its convention, is to run (unit) tests during a build. With that you override this default behaviour for no good reason. Use the command line property instead or use a build profile (if you really must) named `skipTests` that sets the property and is activated via `mvn ... -PskipTests ...` on the cmd line or via one of the other [activation methods](https://maven.apache.org/guides/introduction/introduction-to-profiles.html). – Gerold Broser Sep 20 '21 at 10:51

score 4 · Answer 10 · answered Sep 18 '21 at 13:06

4

With latest version of Maven

The way of giving command bit change.

below command will works perfectly

mvn clean install "-Dmaven.test.skip=true"

answered Sep 18 '21 at 13:06

Rahul Jain

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This is not "_With latest version of Maven_". This exists since v2.0 of the Maven Compiler Plugin. We're at v3.8.1 now. – Gerold Broser Sep 18 '21 at 20:03

ᐅdevrimbaris · Answer 11 · 2022-03-16T19:56:00.327

2

I use the following for skipping both compiling and running tests (maven 3.8.1) :

mvn install  -Dmaven.test.skip.exec -Dmaven.test.skip=true

edited Mar 16 '22 at 19:56

answered Jul 30 '21 at 08:23

ᐅdevrimbaris

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[``/ `maven.test.skip.exec`](https://maven.apache.org/surefire/maven-surefire-plugin/test-mojo.html#skipExec) is "_**Deprecated**. Use skipTests instead._". – Gerold Broser Sep 18 '21 at 20:08
For my case skipTests did not work. Only the flags I have used in my answer worked. It may be because of maven version. – ᐅdevrimbaris Sep 22 '21 at 09:30

score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Feb 20 '23 at 19:38

It should be mentioned that maven.test.skip mentioned in a few answers herein also skips the default-testResources execution:

...
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-resources-plugin:3.3.0:testResources (default-testResources) @ project ---
[INFO] Not copying test resources
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-compiler-plugin:3.10.1:testCompile (default-testCompile) @ project ---
[INFO] Not compiling test sources
[INFO] 
...

whereas maven.main.skip of compiler:compile doesn't do that with default-resources:

...
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-resources-plugin:3.3.0:resources (default-resources) @ project ---
[INFO] Copying 1 resource
[INFO] 
[INFO] --- maven-compiler-plugin:3.10.1:compile (default-compile) @ project ---
[INFO] Not compiling main sources
[INFO] 
...

Maven skip tests

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