How does Maven handle dependencies and manage them in a project?

Maven uses a project object model (POM) file to define the dependencies needed for a project. These dependencies are listed in the POM file under the <dependencies> element. When a Maven project is built, Maven downloads the necessary dependencies from remote repositories and stores them in the local repository.

Maven manages dependencies by resolving conflicts, ensuring that the correct versions of dependencies are used, and handling transitive dependencies automatically. Maven also supports the concept of scopes, which define the visibility and accessibility of dependencies in different phases of the project build process.

In summary, Maven simplifies dependency management by providing a centralized way to define, resolve, and manage dependencies for a project.