maven compilation error - Failed to execute goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-compiler-plugin:3.5.1:compile

Question

I am trying to run mvn clean compile test for my automated tests and getting the maven compilation error message.

I am posting the error message and my pom file here.

I am using cucumber framework and the java version is 1.8.0_144.

PS:I am able to run the test manually through my IDE without any error.

Can someone guide me on why this is happening?

[INFO] BUILD FAILURE
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Total time: 0.913 s
[INFO] Finished at: 2018-06-04T09:13:25+05:30
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ERROR] Failed to execute goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-compiler-plugin:3.5.1:compile (default-compile) on project CucumberFramework: Compilation failure -> [Help 1]
org.apache.maven.lifecycle.LifecycleExecutionException: Failed to execute goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-compiler-plugin:3.5.1:compile (default-compile) on project CucumberFramework: Compilation failure
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute (MojoExecutor.java:213)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute (MojoExecutor.java:154)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute (MojoExecutor.java:146)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject (LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:117)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject (LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:81)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.builder.singlethreaded.SingleThreadedBuilder.build (SingleThreadedBuilder.java:56)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleStarter.execute (LifecycleStarter.java:128)
    at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute (DefaultMaven.java:305)
    at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute (DefaultMaven.java:192)
    at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.execute (DefaultMaven.java:105)
    at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.execute (MavenCli.java:956)
    at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.doMain (MavenCli.java:290)
    at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.main (MavenCli.java:194)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0 (Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke (NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke (DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke (Method.java:498)
    at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launchEnhanced (Launcher.java:289)
    at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launch (Launcher.java:229)
    at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.mainWithExitCode (Launcher.java:415)
    at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.main (Launcher.java:356)
Caused by: org.apache.maven.plugin.compiler.CompilationFailureException: Compilation failure
    at org.apache.maven.plugin.compiler.AbstractCompilerMojo.execute (AbstractCompilerMojo.java:976)
    at org.apache.maven.plugin.compiler.CompilerMojo.execute (CompilerMojo.java:129)
    at org.apache.maven.plugin.DefaultBuildPluginManager.executeMojo (DefaultBuildPluginManager.java:137)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute (MojoExecutor.java:208)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute (MojoExecutor.java:154)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute (MojoExecutor.java:146)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject (LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:117)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject (LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:81)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.builder.singlethreaded.SingleThreadedBuilder.build (SingleThreadedBuilder.java:56)
    at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleStarter.execute (LifecycleStarter.java:128)
    at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute (DefaultMaven.java:305)
    at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute (DefaultMaven.java:192)
    at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.execute (DefaultMaven.java:105)
    at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.execute (MavenCli.java:956)
    at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.doMain (MavenCli.java:290)
    at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.main (MavenCli.java:194)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0 (Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke (NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke (DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke (Method.java:498)
    at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launchEnhanced (Launcher.java:289)
    at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launch (Launcher.java:229)
    at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.mainWithExitCode (Launcher.java:415)
    at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.main (Launcher.java:356)
[ERROR]
[ERROR] Re-run Maven using the -X switch to enable full debug logging.
[ERROR]
[ERROR] For more information about the errors and possible solutions, please read the following articles:
[ERROR] [Help 1] http://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/MAVEN/MojoFailureException

POM file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0"
         xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>

    <groupId>CucumberFramework</groupId>
    <artifactId>CucumberFramework</artifactId>
    <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>


    <build>
        <pluginManagement>
            <plugins>
                <plugin>
                    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                    <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                    <version>3.5.1</version>
                    <configuration>
                        <source>1.8</source>
                        <target>1.8</target>
                        <fork>true</fork>
                        <!--<executable>C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_121\bin\javac.exe</executable>-->
                        <executable>/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_144.jdk/Contents/Home</executable>
                    </configuration>
                </plugin>
                <plugin>
                    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                    <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
                    <version>2.19.1</version>
                    <configuration>
                        <suiteXmlFiles>
                            <suiteXmlFile>testng.xml</suiteXmlFile>
                        </suiteXmlFiles>
                        <!--<testErrorIgnore>false</testErrorIgnore>IGNORING THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-->
                        <testFailureIgnore>false</testFailureIgnore>
                    </configuration>
                </plugin>
            </plugins>
        </pluginManagement>
    </build>

    <reporting>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                <artifactId>maven-surefire-report-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>2.19.1</version>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
    </reporting>

    <dependencies>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.seleniumhq.selenium</groupId>
            <artifactId>selenium-java</artifactId>
            <version>3.11.0</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>junit</groupId>
            <artifactId>junit</artifactId>
            <version>4.12</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>info.cukes</groupId>
            <artifactId>cucumber-jvm</artifactId>
            <version>1.2.5</version>
            <type>pom</type>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>info.cukes</groupId>
            <artifactId>cucumber-junit</artifactId>
            <version>1.2.5</version>
            <scope>test</scope>
        </dependency>


        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/info.cukes/cucumber-core -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>info.cukes</groupId>
            <artifactId>cucumber-core</artifactId>
            <version>1.2.5</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/info.cukes/cucumber-html -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>info.cukes</groupId>
            <artifactId>cucumber-html</artifactId>
            <version>0.2.3</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/info.cukes/cucumber-java -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>info.cukes</groupId>
            <artifactId>cucumber-java</artifactId>
            <version>1.2.5</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/info.cukes/cucumber-jvm-deps -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>info.cukes</groupId>
            <artifactId>cucumber-jvm-deps</artifactId>
            <version>1.0.5</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/info.cukes/gherkin -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>info.cukes</groupId>
            <artifactId>gherkin</artifactId>
            <version>2.12.2</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.hamcrest/hamcrest-all -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.hamcrest</groupId>
            <artifactId>hamcrest-all</artifactId>
            <version>1.3</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/info.cukes/cucumber-picocontainer -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>info.cukes</groupId>
            <artifactId>cucumber-picocontainer</artifactId>
            <version>1.2.5</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/info.cukes/cucumber-testng -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>info.cukes</groupId>
            <artifactId>cucumber-testng</artifactId>
            <version>1.2.5</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- Extent Reports -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.aventstack</groupId>
            <artifactId>extentreports</artifactId>
            <version>3.0.5</version>
        </dependency>

        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.freemarker/freemarker -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.freemarker</groupId>
            <artifactId>freemarker</artifactId>
            <version>2.3.26-incubating</version>
        </dependency>
        <!-- https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/net.masterthought/cucumber-reporting -->
        <dependency>
            <groupId>net.masterthought</groupId>
            <artifactId>cucumber-reporting</artifactId>
            <version>3.6.0</version>
        </dependency>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>com.vimalselvam</groupId>
            <artifactId>cucumber-extentsreport</artifactId>
            <version>2.0.4</version>
        </dependency>
    </dependencies>


</project>

Forked error:

caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: There was an error in the forked process
org.testng.TestNGException:

Cannot find class in classpath: Cucumber.runners.MainRunner
    at org.testng.xml.XmlClass.loadClass(XmlClass.java:81)
    at org.testng.xml.XmlClass.init(XmlClass.java:73)
    at org.testng.xml.XmlClass.<init>(XmlClass.java:59)
    at org.testng.xml.TestNGContentHandler.startElement(TestNGContentHandler.java:556)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.AbstractSAXParser.startElement(AbstractSAXParser.java:509)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.AbstractXMLDocumentParser.emptyElement(AbstractXMLDocumentParser.java:182)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.dtd.XMLDTDValidator.emptyElement(XMLDTDValidator.java:766)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLNSDocumentScannerImpl.scanStartElement(XMLNSDocumentScannerImpl.java:351)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl$FragmentContentDriver.next(XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.java:2784)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLDocumentScannerImpl.next(XMLDocumentScannerImpl.java:602)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLNSDocumentScannerImpl.next(XMLNSDocumentScannerImpl.java:112)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.impl.XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.scanDocument(XMLDocumentFragmentScannerImpl.java:505)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.XML11Configuration.parse(XML11Configuration.java:841)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.XML11Configuration.parse(XML11Configuration.java:770)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.XMLParser.parse(XMLParser.java:141)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.parsers.AbstractSAXParser.parse(AbstractSAXParser.java:1213)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.jaxp.SAXParserImpl$JAXPSAXParser.parse(SAXParserImpl.java:643)
    at com.sun.org.apache.xerces.internal.jaxp.SAXParserImpl.parse(SAXParserImpl.java:327)
    at javax.xml.parsers.SAXParser.parse(SAXParser.java:195)
    at org.testng.xml.XMLParser.parse(XMLParser.java:39)
    at org.testng.xml.SuiteXmlParser.parse(SuiteXmlParser.java:16)
    at org.testng.xml.SuiteXmlParser.parse(SuiteXmlParser.java:9)
    at org.testng.xml.Parser.parse(Parser.java:172)
    at org.testng.TestNG.initializeSuitesAndJarFile(TestNG.java:305)
    at org.testng.TestNG.run(TestNG.java:1036)
    at org.apache.maven.surefire.testng.TestNGExecutor.run(TestNGExecutor.java:281)
    at org.apache.maven.surefire.testng.TestNGXmlTestSuite.execute(TestNGXmlTestSuite.java:75)
    at org.apache.maven.surefire.testng.TestNGProvider.invoke(TestNGProvider.java:121)
    at org.apache.maven.surefire.booter.ForkedBooter.invokeProviderInSameClassLoader(ForkedBooter.java:290)
    at org.apache.maven.surefire.booter.ForkedBooter.runSuitesInProcess(ForkedBooter.java:242)
    at org.apache.maven.surefire.booter.ForkedBooter.main(ForkedBooter.java:121)

Answer 1

From your pom:

<executable>/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_144.jdk/Contents/Home</executable>

That's probably not really your executable . I would recommend just removing that line.

If you really want to hard code your java executable, find where the java binary really is - what you have now looks like a directory, not the binary executable.

Also note that in general to find out details about the error, running maven with debug logging on ( mvn -X ) is recommended.

Answer 2

please right click on "Maven Dependencies" Build Path, Configure Build Path. From Java build Path on the left menu select "java Compiler" press apply. deselect "enabled project specific Settings". then apply and close. right click on pom.xml and "Run As 5Maven Install.

Repeat this process again from first to last but this time Select "Enabled Project Specific Settings" and Apply Close

right click on pom.xml and "Run As 5Maven Install.this time it will install all the plugins with out any problem.

Hope this will answer your question.

Answer 3

This is an irritating error that pops up once in a while , jotting down some steps which help:

Writing answer from eclipse perspective as base logic will remain the same whether done by Intellij or command line

1. Rt click your project -> Maven -> Update project -> Select Force update -> Click OK
2. Under properties tag , add :

  <maven.compiler.source>1.8</maven.compiler.source> <maven.compiler.target>1.8</maven.compiler.target> 

3. In some instance , you will start seeing error as we tried force update , saying , failure to transfer X dependency from Y path , resolutions will not be reattempted , bla bla bla

In such case quickly fix it by cd to .m2/repository folder and run following command :

for /r %i in (*.lastUpdated) do del %i

4. Also , if you have the JDK 8 already set in the class path , you do not need fork tag , try to remove and build the project