want to execute a java test class which is in src/test/java from src/main/java but I am unable to import that java class in src/main/java?

Question

In my requirement I need to execute the Junit test class in src/test/java from a java class in src/main/java , but I am unable to import the java class present in src/test/java from src/main/java .

Ideally Maven structure also will look forward that main code will be src/main/java and test code will be in src/test/java and src/main/java should not have dependency on src/test/java .

but in my case I want to execute Junit class from main program in src/main/java but I am unable to import that class from src/test/java .

Please provide me any suggestions on how do I can achieve this or is there any way to mention in POM file so that maven allows me to import the class from src/test/java in src/main/java .

Answer 1

This is not an allowed operation. Maven allows you in your Test code to reference all the code in src/main/java but not vice versa.

It is semantically incorrect in your production code to rely on something that is available only when testing. In production imagine your test code does not even exist (anything under src/test/java would not be available, but src/main/java should still work).

If you do need the functionality in your main code, it is advisable to refactor the code somewhere under src/main/java and then use it both in the class where you originally needed it, as well as in your test code.

For instance:

// src/main/java
class Production {
    void foo() {
        someTestClass.bar();
    }
}

// src/test/java
class SomeTestClass {
    void testSomething() {
        bar();
    }
    void bar() {
    }
}

The above code would not compile, but you could refactor it like so:

// src/main/java
class Production {
    void foo() {
        utility.bar();
    }
}
class Utility {
    void bar() {
    }
}

// src/test/java
class SomeTestClass {
    void testSomething() {
        utility.bar();
    }
}

Because the dependency is unidirectional, the code now is available to both src/main/java and src/test/java .

If you want one Maven project's test code to depend on another Maven project's test code, then you should declare the dependecy with scope test like this:

        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.mycompany</groupId>
            <artifactId>cool-testing-dependency</artifactId>
            <scope>test</scope>
        </dependency>