[jira] [Created] (MCOMPILER-533) Output an error when --release option is used together with --source or --target

["Arend v. Reinersdorff (Jira)" <ji...@apache.org>]

Arend v. Reinersdorff created MCOMPILER-533:
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             Summary: Output an error when --release option is used together with --source or --target
                 Key: MCOMPILER-533
                 URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/MCOMPILER-533
             Project: Maven Compiler Plugin
          Issue Type: Improvement
    Affects Versions: 3.11.0
            Reporter: Arend v. Reinersdorff


javac outputs an error when the --release option is used together with the --source or --target option. See [https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/17/docs/specs/man/javac.html#option-release]

For example:
{{javac --release 17 --target 17 ...}}
Will fail with this error:
{{error: option --target cannot be used together with --release}}

This is nice because it informs the user of misconfiguration and enforces the use of only --release or only --source/--target.

Unfortunately, the error is lost when compiling with Maven. Maven uses the release option and silently ignores source and target. Users don't notice when they unnecessarily set both. See for example [https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-boot/pull/34761]

For example:
{{<plugin>}}
{{    <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>}}
{{    <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>}}
{{    <version>3.11.0</version>}}
{{    <configuration>}}
{{        <release>17</release>}}
{{        <source>17</source>}}
{{        <target>17</target>}}
{{    </configuration>}}
{{</plugin>}}
Compiles using the release option without any error or warning.

It would be nice to restore the error from javac in Maven, or output a similar one.
The problem I see is that Maven uses default values for source and target. When the user sets only the release option, no error or warning should be caused because of the default values for source and target.



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