What is the difference between dependencies and plugins in Maven?

What is the difference between dependencies and plugins in Maven?

In Maven, dependencies and plugins serve different purposes and play different roles in the build process:

Dependencies:

Dependencies are libraries or artifacts that your project relies on during compilation and execution. These dependencies are specified in the pom.xml file and Maven downloads them from a central repository to build your project. Dependencies are essential for your project to compile and run successfully.

Plugins:

Plugins are used to extend the capabilities of Maven and perform various tasks during the build lifecycle. Plugins are responsible for tasks such as compiling code, packaging the application, running tests, deploying artifacts, and more. Plugins are configured in the pom.xml file and provide additional functionality to the Maven build process.

In summary, dependencies are external libraries that your project needs to function correctly, while plugins are tools used to enhance and customize the build process in Maven.