Foojay Podcast #81: Maven 4 – The Future of Java Build Automation

Maven powers millions of Java projects, so a major version bump touches almost every team in the ecosystem. Maven 4 brings performance gains, cleaner plugin APIs, and changes to the POM that affect how we structure projects. We sat down with Hervé Boutemy, Guillaume Nodet, and Maarten Mulders in Foojay Podcast #81 to talk through what changes, what stays the same, and how to get ready.

What we talked about

The Maven 4 release status and timeline
Why Maven needed a new major version
Trying out Maven 4 today and the benefits of upgrading
POM file changes and what plugin developers need to know
The Java 17 requirement and other user-facing changes
The split between Maven Tool and Maven Repository
Maven Central authentication and the move to central.sonatype.com
How POM, BOM, and SBOM relate to each other
Comparing Gradle and Maven
Migration guidance for teams moving to Maven 4

Maven 4 is not a rewrite. It is a focused cleanup that makes the tool faster, gives plugin authors a better API, and tightens up how the POM works. The episode covers practical steps for teams that want to start testing it now.

See the Foojay Podcast #81 for all info, shownotes, links, etc.