Boost Your Java Projects: One‑Click Maven Multi‑Module Generation

Introduction

When starting a new Java backend project, manually creating Maven modules, writing pom.xml dependencies, and adjusting directory structures can waste hours. The author built a plugin that generates a complete multi‑module Maven project with a single command, reducing setup time from dozens of minutes to seconds.

Development Background

Even experienced developers repeat the same tedious steps when initializing projects. The plugin was created to eliminate this repetitive work and standardize project scaffolding.

Core Features

One‑click generation : Enter module names and the plugin creates the full directory structure and configures pom.xml dependencies automatically.

Smart dependency linking : Provide module names in business order (e.g., api→service→pojo) and the plugin sets up the correct Maven dependencies.

Full customization : Module names and Java version can be changed; the generated layout follows company standards.

Best‑practice templates : Uses Maven’s official recommended project layout.

Zero‑config start : Generates a ready‑to‑use .gitignore and README so the repository can be cloned and developed immediately.

Installation Methods

Method 1 – Marketplace (recommended for beginners)

Open IDEA settings ( Ctrl+Alt+S or Cmd+, on macOS).

Navigate to Plugins → Marketplace.

Search for Maven aggregation Quickstart and click Install.

Restart IDEA after installation.

If the plugin is still under review, download the JAR manually and install it later.

Method 2 – Manual offline installation

Download the latest JAR from the plugin repository.

Open the plugin settings page, click the gear icon, and choose Install Plugin from Disk....

Select the downloaded JAR and restart IDEA.

IDEA version 2020.3 or newer is required; older versions may be incompatible.

Practical Walkthrough

Step 1 – Open the creation wizard

Create an empty project, then choose File > New > Create Maven Aggregation Project (found under New Project).

Step 2 – Fill project information

GroupId : e.g., com.wandong ArtifactId : project name in lowercase, e.g., user-center Version : default 1.0.0 Modules : list modules in business order, separated by commas, e.g., api,service,pojo,common Java version : choose 11 or 17 (newer versions may have compatibility issues).

Step 3 – Finish

Click Finish. The plugin creates the following structure (example for an e‑commerce platform):

ecommerce-platform/
├── api/
├── service/
├── pojo/
├── common/
├── pom.xml       // parent pom
├── README.md
└── .gitignore

Each module follows the standard Maven layout:

module-name/
├── src/
│   ├── main/
│   │   ├── java/       // source code
│   │   └── resources/  // resources
│   └── test/
│       ├── java/       // test code
│       └── resources/  // test resources
└── pom.xml               // module pom

Advanced Customization

To adapt the plugin to a team’s own template, edit the Velocity template files located in the plugin’s templates directory (path varies by OS). After modification, restart IDEA and newly generated projects will follow the custom layout.

Automatic Dependency Management

When modules are entered in order (e.g., api,service,pojo), the plugin automatically adds: api depends on

service

service

depends on pojo All modules depend on common by default.

Troubleshooting

Out‑of‑memory errors : Increase IDEA VM options, e.g., -Xmx2048m.

Plugin not found : Ensure IDEA version is 2021.1 or newer; reinstall if necessary.

Changing Java version : Edit maven.compiler.source and maven.compiler.target in the parent pom.xml, e.g.,

<maven.compiler.source>17</maven.compiler.source>

.

Extending the Plugin (Advanced Users)

Source code is hosted at https://gitee.com/tingyuabc/maven-aggregation-quickstart. To build:

git clone [email protected]:tingyuabc/maven-aggregation-quickstart.git
cd maven-aggregation-quickstart
mvn clean package

The resulting JAR appears in target/. Install it via IDEA’s Install Plugin from Disk... for testing.

Conclusion

The plugin dramatically speeds up Maven multi‑module project initialization, enforces consistent structure, and reduces manual errors. Future plans include adding Spring Boot version selection and permission templates. Contributions via pull requests are welcome.