Pass properties to maven sub-module, which does not have current module as parent

Question

I have several maven-projects:

• commons-lib (simple Java project)
• user-service (Spring-Boot-driven project)
• composite-service (Spring-Boot-driven project)
• frontend-service (Spring-Boot- / Angular2-driven project)
• all-services-parent (parent project building everything else)

While commons-lib is unlikely to ever be released separately, all other projects (except for the parent) might be released separately.

If the first four in the list are sub-modules of the fifth, do they have to have their parent set to parent (e.g. all-services-parent) in return?

Since I want to include commons-lib in the user- and composite-services I understand that I have to have it built first. However: each of the services above may be released separately - so which building structure is most proper for what I need?

Would it be:

-- all-services-parent
   |-- (maven sub-module) commons-lib
   |-- (maven sub-module) user-service
   |-- (maven sub-module) composite-service
   |-- (maven sub-module) frontend-service

or:

-- all-services-parent
   |-- user-service-parent
       |-- (maven sub-module) commons-lib
       |-- (maven sub-module) user-service
   |-- composite-service-parent
       |-- (maven sub-module) commons-lib
       |-- (maven sub-module) composite-service
   |-- frontend-service

The second building structure would allow me to build all the JARs by calling "mvn clean install" on all-services-parent while still being able to build separate projects properly by calling "mvn clean install" on the corresponding parent, but is it really how it's done?

In my current setup I am trying to use the first building structure, but since e.g. composite-service has "spring-boot-starter-parent" set as its parent, I cannot access the properties or anything from the "all-services-parent"-module.

I read into Maven parent pom vs modules pom (a question that looked promising at first), but it did not apply to my case as much as I would like it to.

Answer 1

Try to import the spring boot parent and not inherit from it like this:

<dependencyManagement>
        <dependencies>
            <dependency>
                <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
                <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-parent</artifactId>
                <version>1.5.9.RELEASE</version>
                <type>pom</type>
                <scope>import</scope>
            </dependency>
       </dependencies>
</dependencyManagement>