How to build jars from IntelliJ properly?

Question

Here's how to build a jar with IntelliJ 10 http://blogs.jetbrains.com/idea/2010/08/quickly-create-jar-artifact/

File -> Project Structure -> Project Settings -> Artifacts -> Click green plus sign -> Jar -> From modules with dependencies...

The above sets the "skeleton" to where the jar will be saved to. To actually build and save it do the following:

Extract to the target Jar

OK

Build | Build Artifact | Build

Try Extracting the .jar file from

ProjectName | out | artifacts | ProjectName_jar | ProjectName.jar

This is still an issue in 2017, I hope it will help somebody out there! I found 2 possibilities to create working jar-s under IntelliJ 2017.2

1. Creating artifact from IntelliJ:

• Go to project structure:

• Create a new artifact:

• Select the main class, and be sure to change the manifest folder:

You have to change manifest directory:

<project folder>\src\main\java 

replace "java" with "resources"

<project folder>\src\main\resources

This is how it should look like:

• Then you choose the dependencies what you want to be packed IN your jar, or NEAR your jar file

• To build your artifact go to build artifacts and choose "rebuild". It will create an "out" folder with your jar file and its dependencies.

2. Using maven-assembly-plugin

Add build section to the pom file

    <build>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
                <configuration>
                    <finalName>ServiceCreate</finalName>
                    <appendAssemblyId>false</appendAssemblyId>
                    <archive>
                        <manifest>
                            <mainClass>com.svt.optimoo.App</mainClass>
                        </manifest>
                    </archive>
                    <descriptorRefs>
                        <descriptorRef>jar-with-dependencies</descriptorRef>
                    </descriptorRefs>
                </configuration>
            </plugin>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                <configuration>
                    <source>1.8</source>
                    <target>1.8</target>
                </configuration>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
    </build>

• Create a new run/debug configuration:

• Choose application:

• Fill in the form
• Add the "assembly:single" maven goal after build to be executed last

• Save it, then run

This procedure will create the jar file under the "target" folder

I recently had this problem and think these steps are easy to follow if any prior solution or link is missing detail.

How to create a .jar using IntelliJ IDEA 14.1.5:

1. File > Save All.
2. Run driver or class with main method.
3. File > Project Structure.
4. Select Tab "Artifacts".
5. Click green plus button near top of window.
6. Select JAR from Add drop down menu. Select "From modules with dependencies"
7. Select main class.
8. The radio button should be selecting "extract to the target JAR." Press OK.
9. Check the box "Build on make"
10. Press apply and OK.
11. From the main menu, select the build dropdown.
12. Select the option build artifacts.

For those that benefit from images as I do:

File -> Project Structure

Here are 2 examples with maven project, step by step:

Method 1: Build jar with maven and pom.xml

1. File, new, project, maven
2. create a package , create a java program inside that package

3. at pom.xml, add maven-jar-plugin.

       <plugin>
           <!-- Build an executable JAR -->
           <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>maven-jar-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>3.1.0</version>
           <configuration>
               <archive>
                   <manifest>
                       <addClasspath>true</addClasspath>
                       <classpathPrefix>lib/</classpathPrefix>
                       <mainClass>somePackage.sample</mainClass>
                   </manifest>
               </archive>
           </configuration>
       </plugin>
   

screen capture: 4. open maven project box by click on the search icon and type maven,

5. click on clean, then click on install

6. your jar file will show up inside the target folder

7. test your jar using java -jar

Method 2: Build jar with maven without pom.xml change

1. File, new, project, maven
2. create a package , create a java program inside that package (same as above)
3. File -> Project Structure -> Project Settings -> Artifacts -> Click green plus sign -> Jar -> From modules with dependencies

Very important!

The MANIFEST.MF needs to be in your resources folder and the Main.Class needs to refer to {package}-{class-name-that-contains-main-class}

4. then click build on menu , build artifacts, build

5. find the jar in the out folder

6. run it :)