Maven is not using Java 11 - Fatal error compiling: invalid target release: 11

Question

I am trying to compile my project with Java 11.

When I try to run the application with Java 8 as the Java version in pom.xml, it works fine. But when I try to run it with Java 11, it throws an error.

Fatal error compiling: invalid target release: 11

I've tried to fix it in various ways, like changing the environment variable, updating the path, and pointing %JAVA_HOME% to Java 11.

The commands and their results as on my computer are as follows:

> java -version
java version "11.0.8" 2020-07-14 LTS
> echo %JAVA_HOME%
C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-11.0.8

I am using IntelliJ IDEA and have made the necessary changes as suggested in this tutorial.

My pom.xml looks something like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 https://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
    <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
    <parent>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-parent</artifactId>
        <version>2.3.0.RELEASE</version>
        <relativePath/> <!-- lookup parent from repository -->
    </parent>
    <groupId>com.example</groupId>
    <artifactId>demo</artifactId>
    <version>0.0.1-SNAPSHOT</version>

    <name>demo</name>
    <description>Demo project for Spring Boot</description>

    <properties>
        <java.version>11</java.version>
    </properties>

    <dependencies>
        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
        </dependency>

        <dependency>
            <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
            <scope>test</scope>
            <exclusions>
                <exclusion>
                    <groupId>org.junit.vintage</groupId>
                    <artifactId>junit-vintage-engine</artifactId>
                </exclusion>
            </exclusions>
        </dependency>
    </dependencies>

    <build>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
                <artifactId>spring-boot-maven-plugin</artifactId>
            </plugin>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>com.google.cloud.tools</groupId>
                <artifactId>appengine-maven-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>2.2.0</version>
                <configuration>
                    <version>1</version>
                    <projectId>businessapplication-6963d</projectId>
                </configuration>
            </plugin>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>3.8.0</version>
                <configuration>
                    <source>11</source>
                    <target>11</target>
                </configuration>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
    </build>

</project>

When I check the Maven version, it shows JDK 1.8 as the Java version:

mvn --version
Java version: 1.8.0_241, vendor: Oracle Corporation, runtime: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_241\jre

How can I point Maven to Java 11? Or, if that is not the problem, how to solve this issue? I don't think that this question is a duplicate of invalid target release: 1.7, as I have already implemented the solutions provided in that thread.

Error after building the project

[ERROR] Failed to execute goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-compiler-plugin:3.8.0:compile (default-compile) on project demo: Fatal error compiling: invalid target release: 11 -> [Help 1]
[ERROR]
[ERROR] To see the full stack trace of the errors, re-run Maven with the -e switch.
[ERROR] Re-run Maven using the -X switch to enable full debug logging.
[ERROR]
[ERROR] For more information about the errors and possible solutions, please read the following articles:
[ERROR] [Help 1] http://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/MAVEN/MojoExecutionException

Path Environment Variable is :- 
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Intel\Shared Files\cpp\bin\Intel64;
C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\iCLS Client\;
C:\Program Files\Intel\iCLS Client\;
C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;
C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;
C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;
C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\DAL;
C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;
C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel(R) Management Engine Components\IPT;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;
C:\Delhi 2.0\apache-maven-3.6.1\bin;
C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-11.0.8\bin;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin\;
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon\;
C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;D:\Flutter\flutter\flutter\bin;
C:\Users\Infinity97\AppData\Local\Google\Cloud SDK\google-cloud-sdk\bin;
C:\Users\Infinity97\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;
C:\Program Files\JetBrains\IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition 2019.2\bin;
H:\apache-maven-3.6.3\bin;
C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\12\bin;
C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\12\lib;
C:\Program Files\Docker Toolbox

Answer 1

Seems like you're having the JAVA_HOME set in your mvn.bat. It could be pointing to the older version of Java (i.e. 8 in your case).

set JAVA_HOME=C:\path\to\jdk11 try using it on the first line, before calling maven.

Answer 2

Experiencing this issue while trying to deploy Spring Boot application to Heroku.

My JAVA_HOME was set correctly but was still receiving same error.

But then this worked for me:

In your pom.xml add or adapt to your own context:

<plugin>
    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
    <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
    <configuration>
        <source>1.8</source>
        <target>1.8</target>
    </configuration>
</plugin>

Answer 3

If other people are having this same problem but with Eclipse, (I know OP was referring to IntelliJ IDEA) also check the JRE in use for Maven:

• Run configurations...
• Select your Maven Build configuration
• Click the JRE tab and choose the JRE version in accordance with your POM.

Answer 4

I was facing the same problem. Setting JAVA_HOME environment variable to the right JDK solved my problem.

java -version was showing the right version, but echo %JAVA_HOME% pointed to the wrong JDK. Fixing it, solved this issue for me.

Answer 5

I had he same problem even the correct JAVA-Version 11 and JAVA_HOME variable was set.

Switching to another Java-Vendor from AdoptOpenJDK to Corretto solved it.

You can use SDKMAN to change easily and quick between different Java-Versions and vendors. (JAVA_HOME variable will set automatically correct by SDKMAN).

Install SDKMAN by

curl -s "https://get.sdkman.io" | bash

then enter in the terminal:

source "$HOME/.sdkman/bin/sdkman-init.sh"

to ensure installation was successful:

sdk version

Install Java 11:

sdk install java 11.0.13.8.1-amzn
sdk default java 11.0.13.8.1-amzn

To check the versions, runtime and vendor:

java --version
mvn -v

Answer 6

The fastest and the easiest way is to use SDKMAN https://sdkman.io/ :

1. Install jdk 11 with:

sdk install 11.0.11.hs-adpt

• sdk list java for the list of available jdk

2. Create a .sdkmanrc file in your project main dir:

java=11.0.11.hs-adpt

3. Switch JDK

• use sdk env for switch to right jdk.

• For automatic switch to the chosen jdk version, enable it in sdkman config file (~/.sdkman/etc/config)

sdkman_auto_env=true

Answer 7

For future time travellers. First run

/usr/libexec/java_home -V  

This will list all the possible JAVA_HOME paths possible on your machine. You have two options: -

Add the line (project permanent)

JAVA_HOME="/path/to/obtained/from/command/lib"

in your maven.bat file, ideally right after the initial comments

Run

export JAVA_HOME=/path/to/obtained/from/command/lib

Before running the mvnw command