mvn-idea

Generate all IntelliJ IDEA project files

$ mvn idea:idea

$ mvn idea:project

$ mvn idea:workspace

$ mvn idea:module

$ mvn idea:clean

mvn idea:idea [options]
or
mvn-idea [options] (if alias/script)

-Didea.downloadSources=true|false
    Instructs the plugin to download source JARs for project dependencies. Defaults to true.

-Didea.downloadJavadocs=true|false
    Instructs the plugin to download Javadoc JARs for project dependencies. Defaults to false.

-Didea.jdk.name=<name>
    Specifies the JDK name to be used in the generated IntelliJ IDEA project configuration. This should match a JDK configured in IntelliJ IDEA.

-Didea.module.name=<name>
    Allows overriding the default module name derived from the Maven artifact ID.

-Didea.skip=true
    Skips the execution of the idea:idea goal. Useful for conditional builds.

-Didea.excludeFolder=<path>
    Adds additional directories to be excluded from the IDEA module. Can be used multiple times.

-Didea.resolveDependencies=true|false
    Controls whether Maven dependencies should be resolved and added to the IDEA module classpath. Defaults to true.

The command 'mvn-idea' is not a standard Linux command but rather a common shorthand or an alias for executing the Maven 'idea:idea' goal. This goal is provided by the maven-idea-plugin, which was historically used to generate .iml module files, .ipr project files, and .iws workspace files for IntelliJ IDEA from a Maven project's pom.xml.

While still functional, the direct use of 'mvn idea:idea' has largely become obsolete with modern versions of IntelliJ IDEA (version 9.0 and later). These IDEs can directly import Maven pom.xml files, automatically configuring project modules, dependencies, and run configurations without the need for manual generation via a Maven plugin. Therefore, 'mvn-idea' or 'mvn idea:idea' is primarily relevant in legacy projects, specific build scenarios that require explicit project file generation, or when encountering older documentation.

1. Not a Standard Command: 'mvn-idea' is not a native Linux command or a standard Maven goal. It typically refers to the Maven 'idea:idea' goal or a custom script/alias.

2. Largely Obsolete: Modern IntelliJ IDEA versions (since 9.0) can directly import Maven pom.xml files, making the explicit generation of IDEA project files via 'mvn idea:idea' largely unnecessary for new projects or typical development workflows.

3. Plugin Dependency: The functionality relies on the maven-idea-plugin being configured in the project's pom.xml (or available as a globally installed plugin).

For most current development, simply open IntelliJ IDEA and select 'Open' or 'Import Project'. Navigate to your Maven project's root directory and select the pom.xml file. IntelliJ IDEA will automatically detect it as a Maven project and configure all necessary modules, dependencies, and settings, including downloading sources and Javadocs based on its own settings.

A user might have defined 'mvn-idea' as an alias in their shell configuration (e.g., ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc). For instance, an alias could be:

alias mvn-idea='mvn idea:idea -Didea.downloadSources=true -Didea.downloadJavadocs=true'

This allows for a quicker invocation of the desired Maven goal with specific default options without typing the full command each time.

The maven-idea-plugin emerged during the early days of Maven and IntelliJ IDEA integration, providing a way to generate IDE-specific project files from a Maven project structure. This was crucial when IDEs lacked sophisticated built-in support for directly importing and understanding Maven's pom.xml.

As IntelliJ IDEA evolved, its native Maven integration became robust, capable of directly parsing pom.xml files to create project configurations on the fly. This significantly reduced the need for the maven-idea-plugin and its 'idea:idea' goal, leading to its diminished usage in favor of direct IDE import. Today, it is mostly used for maintaining older projects or in specific enterprise environments with strict build processes.

mvn(1), java(1)