How can I skip tests in maven install goal, while running them in maven test goal?

Question

I have a multi-module maven project with both integration and unit tests in the same folder (src/test/java). Integration tests are marked with @Category(IntegrationTest.class). I want to end up with the following setup:

1. If I run mvn install, I want all tests to compile, but I do not want to execute any.
2. If I run mvn test, I want all tests to compile, but execute only unit tests.
3. If I run mvn integration-test, I want to compile and execute all tests.

The important point is, I want this configured in the pom.xml without any extra commandline arguments.

Currently I came up with the following setup in my parent pom.xml, where the only problem is #1, where all tests are executed:

<build>     <pluginManagement>         <plugins>             <plugin>                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>                 <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>                 <configuration>                     <source>${project.java.version}</source>                     <target>${project.java.version}</target>                 </configuration>             </plugin>              <plugin>                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>                 <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>                 <version>2.14.1</version>                 <dependencies>                     <dependency>                         <groupId>org.apache.maven.surefire</groupId>                         <artifactId>surefire-junit47</artifactId>                         <version>2.14.1</version>                     </dependency>                 </dependencies>                 <configuration>                     <includes>                         <include>**/*.class</include>                     </includes>                     <excludedGroups>cz.cuni.xrg.intlib.commons.IntegrationTest</excludedGroups>                 </configuration>             </plugin>              <plugin>                 <artifactId>maven-failsafe-plugin</artifactId>                 <version>2.14.1</version>                 <dependencies>                     <dependency>                         <groupId>org.apache.maven.surefire</groupId>                         <artifactId>surefire-junit47</artifactId>                         <version>2.14.1</version>                     </dependency>                 </dependencies>                 <configuration>                     <groups>cz.cuni.xrg.intlib.commons.IntegrationTest</groups>                 </configuration>                 <executions>                     <execution>                         <goals>                             <goal>integration-test</goal>                             <goal>verify</goal>                         </goals>                         <configuration>                             <includes>                                 <include>**/*.class</include>                             </includes>                         </configuration>                     </execution>                 </executions>             </plugin>         </plugins>     </pluginManagement> </build> 

All child modules have the following plugin configuration in their pom.xml, which I believe should inherit from the parent pom:

<build>      <plugins>         <plugin>             <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>             <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>         </plugin>          <plugin>             <artifactId>maven-failsafe-plugin</artifactId>         </plugin>     </plugins> </build> 

I tried using <skipTests>true</skipTests>, but it disables test execution for all goals, which is not what I want (violates #2 and #3). It is also quite weird, that mvn test honors the skipTests=true option...why would I want to run it in the first place??

After hours of googling and trying different combinations, I am hesitant whether it is even possible to not run tests in mvn install, while at the same time run them in mvn test. I hope someone proves this wrong. ;)

I am also willing to accept a solution, where mvn install would execute only unit tests, but I don't think it makes much difference.

Answer 1

It sounds like you didn't understand the concept of the build life-cycle in Maven. If you run mvn install all life-cycle phases (including the install phase itself) run before the install phase. This means running the following phases:

1. validate
2. initialize
3. generate-sources
4. process-sources
5. generate-resources
6. process-resources
7. compile
8. process-classes
9. generate-test-sources
10. process-test-sources
11. generate-test-resources
12. process-test-resources
13. test-compile
14. process-test-classes
15. test
16. prepare-package
17. package
18. pre-integration-test
19. integration-test
20. post-integration-test
21. verify
22. install

which means in other words the test as well as integration-test life-cycle phases are included. So without any supplemental information it's not possible to change the behaviour as you wish it.

It could be achieved by using a profile in Maven:

 <project>   [...]   <profiles>     <profile>       <id>no-unit-tests</id>       <build>         <plugins>           <plugin>             <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>             <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>             <configuration>               <skipTests>true</skipTests>             </configuration>           </plugin>         </plugins>       </build>     </profile>   </profiles>   [...] </project> 

So your first requirement:

1. If I run mvn install, I want all tests to compile, but I do not want to execute any.

can be achieved by using the following:

mvn -Pno-unit-test test 

2. If I run mvn test, I want all tests to compile, but execute only unit tests.

This can simply achieved by using the plain call:

mvn test 

cause the integration tests phase is not run (see the build life cycle).

3. If I run mvn integration-test, I want to compile and execute all tests.

This means running the default which includes running the test phase which will run the unit tests (maven-surefire-plugin) and furthermore running the integration test which are handled by the maven-failsafe-plugin. But you should be aware that if you like to call the integration tests you should using the following command:

mvn verify 

instead, cause you missed the post-integration-test phase in your previous call.

Apart from the above you should follow the naming conventions for unit and integration tests where unit tests should be named like the following:

<includes>  <include>**/*Test*.java</include>  <include>**/*Test.java</include>  <include>**/*TestCase.java</include> </includes> 

and integration tests should be named like the following:

<includes>  <include>**/IT*.java</include>  <include>**/*IT.java</include>  <include>**/*ITCase.java</include> </includes> 

I hope you have configured the maven-failsafe-plugin like the following which is needed to bound the maven-failsafe-plugin to the correct life-cycle-phases:

<project>   [...]   <build>     <plugins>       <plugin>         <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>         <artifactId>maven-failsafe-plugin</artifactId>         <version>2.15</version>         <executions>           <execution>             <goals>               <goal>integration-test</goal>               <goal>verify</goal>             </goals>           </execution>         </executions>       </plugin>     </plugins>   </build>   [...] </project> 

as you correctly did, but you should be aware that the include tags work on the source code (.java) and not on the compiled names (.class). I wouldn't use the Category annotation, just simply using the naming conventions makes the pom simpler and shorter.