Apache Maven vs Ninja
Apache Maven
maven.apache.orgNinja
ninja-build.orgSide by side
| Figure | Apache Maven | Ninja |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Build Automation Software | 8.8 (#2) | 8.1 (#13) |
| Dependencies | Maven supports dependency management, including automatic updates and transitive dependencies, and can download dependencies from a central repository. | Ninja supports discovering extra dependencies at build time, including C and C++ header dependencies. |
| Integrations | Maven can integrate with source control systems such as Subversion or Git to manage releases based on tags. | GN and CMake can generate Ninja files; the manual also names Premake as a possible fit. |
| Purpose | Apache Maven is a build tool for Java projects that uses a project object model (POM) to manage compilation, testing, and documentation. | Ninja is a small build system designed to evaluate incremental builds quickly. |
| Support | The Maven site recommends its users mailing list for help and also points users to documentation, issue management, wiki resources, and Slack. | The project site links to a mailing list and lists the #ninja-build IRC channel on irc.oftc.net. |
Plans
In their own words
Apache Maven
Apache Maven is a free build tool for Java projects. It uses a project object model, or POM, and plugins to manage compilation, testing and documentation through a uniform build system. Maven manages dependencies, including transitive dependencies and automatic updates, and can download them from a central repository. Project metadata can produce outputs such as JARs, WARs and distributions. Maven can also generate project information, including changelogs, cross-referenced sources, dependency lists and unit test reports. Java or scripting-language plugins extend it, and it can work with source control systems such as Subversion or Git to manage tag-based releases. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Maven 3.10 and later requires JDK 8 or above to execute, while toolchains can target other JDK versions. Its project layout is opinionated, so projects with unusual structures that cannot be reorganized may have to give up some Maven features or Maven itself. The software is distributed under Apache License 2.0; its listed plan costs nothing.