Maven surefire plugin 2.22.2 build fails for Junit 5 test cases with errror Unsupported class file major version 56 in spring boot

Question

Junit 5 test cases for a Spring boot application 2.1.7.RELEASE fails build with below error in intelij.

[ERROR] Failed to execute goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-surefire-plugin:2.22.2:test (default-test) on project domain: Execution default-test of goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-surefire-plugin:2.22.2:test failed: Unsupported class file major version 56 -> [Help 1]

using java 9 modularization

Application builds in maven and works without test cases.

used maven surefire plugin version 2.22.1 fails in command line and intellij

        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
            <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
            <configuration>
                <useSystemClassLoader>false</useSystemClassLoader>
            </configuration>
        </plugin>



        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
            <artifactId>spring-boot-maven-plugin</artifactId>
            <configuration>
                <jvmArguments>--add-modules=java.xml.ws.annotation</jvmArguments>
            </configuration>
        </plugin>

Answer 1

From the error log you can see that the sub-modules are using maven-surefire-plugin 2.22.2 The solution for this is defining the version of Maven plugins to be used by all modules adding this section to the main pom.xml:

<build>
    <pluginManagement>
        <plugins>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>3.1.2</version>
            </plugin>
            <plugin>
                <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
                <version>3.8.0</version>
                <configuration>
                    <release>12</release>
                </configuration>
            </plugin>
        </plugins>
    </pluginManagement>
</build>

I could compile it after removing the Oracle dependency, I don't know if you will need to do that. If it works for you please comment in the issue.