What is the difference between interactive and batch mode in Maven?

Question

I have created a Java application with the help of Maven plugin for using following maven goal:

mvn archetype:generate -DgroupId=net.javabeat    -DartifactId=SampleJavaProject   -DarchetypeArtifactId=maven-archetype-quick-start   -DinteractiveMode=false      

When -DinteractiveMode=false, then project is created in batch mode, and when -DinteractiveMode=true, then project is created in interactive mode.
I'm confused with interactive mode and batch mode. What are those?

Answer 1

The batch-mode will automatically use default values instead of asking you via prompt for those values. The batch-mode can also be activated via --batch-mode or -B on command line.

Answer 2

Batch mode causes Maven to not display "Progress: 125/150kB" style lines when running. If you are running Maven on some server and then checking the logs afterwards, these progress lines take up 90% of the log and make it basically impossible to find the stuff that matters. Setting batch mode prevents this. Apart from that, I don't know any other use for batch mode. As others have said, I have never seen Maven prompt for anything during a build, regardless of whether interactive or batch mode is set.