A Java dependency version conflict occurs when two or more dependencies in your project have incompatible versions of the same class or resource. This can cause runtime errors, unexpected behavior, or compilation failures in your Java application. Sometimes it is hard to detect them, while with the help of IDEA Maven Helper, it has never been so simple.
1. Install the plugin
In IntelliJ IDEA, choose File -> Settings -> Plugins. Within the Marketplace tab, search for Maven Helper and click Install.
2. Leverage the plugin
Open the pom.xml file of your project and switch to the Dependency Analyzer tab at the bottom.
You will see three options: Conflicts, All Dependencies as List, and All Dependencies as Tree. Choose Conflicts to see if there are any dependency conflicts in your project.
3. Resolve conflict
To resolve a conflict, you can right-click on a dependency on the left panel and choose Exclude. This will add an exclusion tag to your pom.xml file and remove the dependency from your project. Alternatively, you can also choose a compatible version of the dependency that works with all other dependencies and declare it explicitly in your pom.xml file using the dependencyManagement section.
After resolving a conflict, you can refresh the Dependency Analyzer tab to see if there are any remaining conflicts. You can also use the All Dependencies as List or All Dependencies as Tree options to see all the dependencies in your project in different formats.
4. Conclusion
Dependency conflicts can be difficult to detect, but they can cause a lot of problems in the project. By using the above-mentioned technique and following best practices to prevent dependency conflicts, you can ensure your application runs smoothly without any issues.
References:
Troubleshoot dependency version conflicts when using the Azure SDK for Java | Microsoft Learn
Maven – Introduction to the Dependency Mechanism (apache.org)