Maven error – invalid target release: 17

We upgraded the project from Java 11 to Java 17, and mvn test hits the Fatal error compiling: error: invalid target release: 17

pom.xml

  <properties>
      <java.version>17</java.version>
  </properties>

Terminal

mvn test

[ERROR] Failed to execute goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-compiler-plugin:3.8.1:compile (default-compile)
  on project spring-boot-hello: Fatal error compiling: error: invalid target release: 17 -> [Help 1]

The Java version is already 17.

Terminal

java -version

openjdk version "17" 2021-09-14
OpenJDK Runtime Environment Homebrew (build 17+0)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM Homebrew (build 17+0, mixed mode, sharing)

1. Find out the Java version in Maven

The Maven may be using a different Java version to compile the project, and we can use mvn -version to find out the Maven details.

Terminal

mvn -version

Apache Maven 3.8.3 (ff8e977a158738155dc465c6a97ffaf31982d739)
Maven home: /usr/local/Cellar/maven/3.8.3/libexec
Java version: 11.0.10, vendor: Oracle Corporation, runtime: /usr/local/Cellar/openjdk@11/11.0.10/libexec/openjdk.jdk/Contents/Home
Default locale: en_MY, platform encoding: UTF-8
OS name: "mac os x", version: "11.6", arch: "x86_64", family: "mac"

Try print out the JAVA_HOME environment variable; Maven finds JAVA_HOME for Java to compile.

Terminal

echo $JAVA_HOME
/usr/local/Cellar/openjdk@11/11.0.10/libexec/openjdk.jdk/Contents/Home  

The Maven is still using Java 11.

2. Solution – Update JAVA_HOME

Updating the JAVA_HOME environment variable and ensuring it points to the correct JDK.

2.1 For macOS, open the ~/.zshenv and update the JAVA_HOME to Java 17

The JAVA_HOME is pointing to Java 11.

~/.zshenv

  export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 11)

We upgraded the JAVA_HOME to Java 17.

~/.zshenv

  export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 17)

2.2 source the ~/.zshenv or reopen the shell to reflect the change of the JAVA_HOME.

Terminal

  source ~/.zshenv

2.3 Recheck Maven’s Java version.

Terminal

  source ~/.zshenv

2.3 Recheck Maven’s Java version.

Terminal

mvn -version

Apache Maven 3.8.3 (ff8e977a158738155dc465c6a97ffaf31982d739)
Maven home: /usr/local/Cellar/maven/3.8.3/libexec
Java version: 17, vendor: Oracle Corporation, runtime: /Users/yongmookkim/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/openjdk-17/Contents/Home
Default locale: en_MY, platform encoding: UTF-8
OS name: "mac os x", version: "11.6", arch: "x86_64", family: "mac"

Note

For Windows or Linux, find the JAVA_HOME environment variable and ensure it is pointing to the correct JDK.

References

• Maven error – invalid target release: 1.11
• Apache Maven Compiler Plugin