Apache Maven is a dependency management and build automation tool from the Apache Software Foundation. Based on the concept of a project object model (POM), Maven can manage a project’s build, reporting and documentation from a central piece of information. It uses XML to configure projects and Java to write extensions.
Maven emerged as a result of various frustrations with Ant. Like Ant, it uses XML for project configuration, but with more conventions and predefined commands that provide a framework in which to work. It also has built-in dependency management, which Ant lacks.