Apache Maven vs Qbs

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.

Qbs is a build automation tool for managing software projects across multiple platforms. Projects can use it regardless of programming language, toolkit, or libraries, and its declarative model lets them describe build tasks and dependencies without setting the build order. The manual lists correct, fast incremental builds and an extensible architecture among its features. Qbs documents built-in support for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, tvOS, watchOS, QNX, and FreeBSD, plus cross-compilation. It can be used with Qt Creator and Visual Studio Code through the Qbs session feature, and it can generate Clang compilation databases. Project generation for Visual Studio, IAR Embedded Workbench, and Keil uVision is available but described as experimental. Binaries are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD, or Qbs can be built locally from source. The Qbs plan costs nothing. Its library and tools are available under commercial licenses, LGPL version 3, and GPL version 2. The Makefile generator will not create a Makefile if the source, build, or install root directory contains spaces; other UNIX-like systems may work but are not regularly tested or officially supported.