How to Install Apache Maven 3.9.x on Ubuntu 24.04

Ubuntu 24.04's own package repository doesn't ship the latest Apache Maven release — and projects like DSpace explicitly require Maven 3.9.x or above to build correctly. This guide walks through installing a current Maven version manually, straight from the Apache Software Foundation, alongside OpenJDK 21.

Step 1: Update the System

i. Confirm your Ubuntu version

lsb_release -a

Purpose: Confirm OS version
Explanation: Displays your Ubuntu release details. Worth checking before you start, especially on a server that's changed hands a few times.

ii. Update and Upgrade System Packages

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Purpose: Update and upgrade system packages
Explanation: This command updates the package lists and upgrades all installed packages to their latest versions. The -y flag automatically confirms the upgrade process.

Step 2: Install OpenJDK 21

Maven runs on Java, and modern build toolchains for projects like DSpace expect JDK 21 specifically.

sudo apt install openjdk-21-jdk -y

Purpose: Install Java Development Kit
Explanation: Installs OpenJDK 21, the JDK version Maven and DSpace's build process require.

# Should show OpenJDK 21

java -version

Purpose: Verify Java installation
Explanation: Displays the installed Java version, confirming OpenJDK 21 installed correctly.

Step 3: Remove the Distro's Maven Package

It's tempting to just run apt install maven and move on — don't. Ubuntu 24.04 ships an older Maven build, and installing a newer version manually alongside it creates two competing mvn binaries on your PATH. Clear it out first.

sudo apt remove maven -y

Purpose: Remove the outdated package-manager Maven
Explanation: Removes any Maven version installed via apt, so the manually-installed 3.9.x release is the only one on your system.

Note: This only removes Maven. Apache Ant (also required for DSpace) can stay installed via apt — Ubuntu 24.04's packaged Ant version comfortably satisfies DSpace's 1.10.x+ requirement, so there's no need to install it manually.

Step 4: Download and Extract Maven

/opt is the conventional home for manually-installed software on Linux — it keeps things separate from whatever your package manager controls.

## Move into /opt

cd /opt

Purpose: Navigate to /opt
Explanation: /opt is the standard Linux location for manually-installed, self-contained software packages.

## Download the official Maven 3.9.16 binary from the offical site 

sudo wget https://dlcdn.apache.org/maven/maven-3/3.9.16/binaries/apache-maven-3.9.16-bin.tar.gz

Purpose: Download Apache Maven
Explanation: Downloads the official Maven 3.9.16 release archive directly from the Apache Software Foundation.

## Extract the archive

sudo tar xzf apache-maven-3.9.16-bin.tar.gz

Purpose: Extract Maven package
Explanation: Unpacks the downloaded archive into a folder named apache-maven-3.9.16 inside /opt.

Step 5: Create a Version-Agnostic Symlink

The goal is a stable path — /opt/maven — that always points at whichever version is installed, so future upgrades don't mean rewriting every config file that references it.

sudo ln -s /opt/apache-maven-3.9.16 /opt/maven

Purpose: Create a stable symlink
Explanation: Points /opt/maven at the actual versioned install folder, giving you one consistent path to reference in configs and scripts.

ls -l /opt/maven

Purpose: Verify the symlink
Explanation: Confirms /opt/maven correctly points to the apache-maven-3.9.16 directory.

Common mistake: It's easy to type the wrong version number here out of habit — pointing the symlink at a folder that doesn't actually exist yet. The ln -s command will "succeed" even though the target is missing, and you won't find out until mvn -version fails later. If that happens, just remove and recreate the symlink:

sudo rm /opt/maven
sudo ln -s /opt/apache-maven-3.9.16 /opt/maven

Purpose: Fix an incorrect symlink
Explanation: Removes the broken symlink and recreates it pointing at the correct, existing version folder.

Step 6: Set Environment Variables System-Wide

Rather than exporting PATH changes in a personal ~/.bashrc (which only applies to your own login shell), drop a script into /etc/profile.d/. It applies to every user and every future shell session on the machine.

## Create the profile script

sudo nano /etc/profile.d/maven.sh

Purpose: Create a system-wide environment script
Explanation: Opens a new file that will set Maven's environment variables for every user on the system.

Paste the following three lines, then save and exit (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X in nano):

export M2_HOME=/opt/maven
export MAVEN_HOME=/opt/maven
export PATH=${M2_HOME}/bin:${PATH}

Purpose: Define Maven environment variables
Explanation: Sets M2_HOME and MAVEN_HOME to the Maven install path, and adds Maven's bin directory to the system PATH so the mvn command is available everywhere.

## Make the script executable and load it into the current session

sudo chmod +x /etc/profile.d/maven.sh
source /etc/profile.d/maven.sh

Purpose: Apply the environment changes
Explanation: Makes the script executable, then loads it into your current terminal session so you don't need to log out and back in to use mvn right away.

Note: Files in /etc/profile.d/ are picked up automatically on new login shells. Running source manually is what makes the variables available in your current terminal without needing a fresh login.

Step 7: Verify the Installation

# Should show Apache Maven 3.9.16

mvn -version

Purpose: Verify Maven installation
Explanation: Displays the installed Maven version along with the Java version and OS it's running on, confirming everything is wired up correctly.

While you're here, it's worth double-checking Ant too, since DSpace needs both build tools:

# Should show Apache Ant 1.10.x

ant -version

Purpose: Verify Ant installation
Explanation: Confirms Apache Ant is installed and meets DSpace's minimum version requirement of 1.10.x or later.

Where People Usually Go Wrong

• Leaving the distro's apt Maven installed alongside a manual install — creates a PATH conflict that's confusing to debug later.
• Symlinking /opt/maven to a version folder that doesn't exist — fails silently until mvn -version is actually run.
• Editing PATH only in a personal shell config — works for you, but breaks for every other user or service account on the box.
• Forgetting to source the new profile script — the install is technically correct, but the current terminal session doesn't know about it yet.

Building this for DSpace specifically? Maven is just one of several backend requirements — Java 21, Ant, PostgreSQL, and Solr 9.x round out the list. See the full DSpace Backend Installation Guide for the complete, ordered walkthrough this fits into.