How to configure maven to use different log4j.properties files in different environments

Question

I want to be able to use different log4j configuration for different environments.

In my development environment, I want to use log4j.properties (A). But when I build in Maven for the production environment, I want to use log4j.properties (B).

Please tell me how to configure this in my pom.xml?

No, I'v never heart of maven-release-plugin before. Still Thanks, I will find if it can deal with the problem. — Kedron, Mar 03 '12 at 08:15
This is a quiet recurring question and I would like to add my two cents. Creating multiple builds for different environment is often not accepted by a client. They want ONE build for all the environments to eliminate any regression problems with multiple builds. The log4j file should be declared outside of your application as are any any environment specific variables. The philosophy 'build once deploy anywhere' seems to always get lost with maven build profiles. — tom, Mar 03 '12 at 08:34
@tom I'm keen to improve how to do one build for all environments. My idea of it is a certain execution of our build server builds artifacts for all regions/environments before it's done. My problem with what you said is excluding the environment specific variables - our packaged artifacts should be complete and ready to deploy shouldn't they? — Crowie, Sep 25 '13 at 08:39
@Crowie Our artifacts are ready to deploy but there is always a per environment configuration file being it a log4j file or a properties file. These files are configured outside the application artifact but within the application server. — tom, Sep 25 '13 at 09:02
@tom fair enough. doing a bit of googling around, found [this](http://stackoverflow.com/q/4932944/977087) question about *building multiple profiles in one go* and Sean Patrick Floyd responding 'This does not fit into the maven lifecycle. So what you will need to do is to cause some external process to do the iteration and call maven repeatedly with different parameters.' I'd prefer to do that - and use profiles to do one build to generate many artifacts. Seems less risky for me — Crowie, Sep 25 '13 at 09:52

score 11 · Answer 1 · edited Sep 24 '13 at 16:02

You can use profiles to achieve the desired behavior:

<build>
    <plugins>
        <plugin>
            <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
            <artifactId>maven-resources-plugin</artifactId>
            <version>2.5</version>
            <executions>
                <execution>
                    <id>log4j</id>
                    <phase>process-resources</phase>
                    <goals>
                        <goal>copy-resources</goal>
                    </goals>
                    <configuration>
                        <outputDirectory>output_directory</outputDirectory>
                        <resources>
                            <resource>${log4j.file}</resource>
                        </resources>
                    </configuration>
                </execution>
            </executions>
        </plugin>
    </plugins>
</build>

<profiles>
    <profile>
        <id>dev</id>
        <activation>
            <activeByDefault>true</activeByDefault>
        </activation>
        <properties>
            <log4j.file>path_to_file_A</log4j.file>
        </properties>
    </profile>
    <profile>
        <id>prod</id>
        <properties>
            <log4j.file>path_to_file_B</log4j.file>
        </properties>
    </profile>
</profiles>

Hi. The resource element just needs a bit more love:`someResourceDir path_to_file_A ` — demaniak, May 25 '14 at 18:15
just a quick question: is copy-resources part from the "normal" maven lifecylce or it comes with the plugin? — al., Mar 13 '15 at 16:14
@al. You have to specify it explicitly. `resources:resources` is part of maven lifecycle. — Andrew Logvinov, Mar 13 '15 at 20:15

question_maven_com · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-13T21:49:09.537

1. in your project add 3 folders : 

  Your Project\src\main\resources\

            \A > log4j.properties
            \B > log4j.properties
            \Default > log4j.properties
2. in pom.xml         

       <properties>
                <param>Default</param> 
        </properties>

        <build>
            <resources>
                <resource>
                    <directory>src/main/resources/${param}</directory>           
                </resource>
            </resources>
        </build> 

3. 

 - if : mvn clean install : classpath => log4j.properties(Default)

 - if : mvn clean install  -Dparam=A : classpath => log4j.properties(A)

 - if : mvn clean install  -Dparam=B : classpath => log4j.properties(B)


> much better than using profiles is more extensible without touching the pom

resources overload the pom configuration, so if you have another files or directories you have to define all :( — MychaL, Dec 16 '17 at 22:52

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 28 '13 at 18:00

You don't need the maven-resources-plugin if you have a simple environment.

In this example, log4j.properties B is the file you use for production and is in the directory src/main/java and log4j.properties A is the file you use for development and is in the directory /Users/junger/.m2/.

In your pom.xml:

<properties>
    <log4j.properties.directory>src/main/java</log4j.properties.directory>
</properties>

<build>
    <resources>
        <resource>
            <directory>${log4j.properties.directory}</directory>
            <includes>
                <include>log4j.properties</include>
            </includes>
        </resource>
    </resources>
</build>

Now, in your /Users/junger/.m2/settings.xml (create one if it doesn't exist):

<profiles>
    <profile>
        <id>dev</id>
        <activation>
            <activeByDefault>true</activeByDefault>
        </activation>
        <properties>
            <log4j.properties.directory>/Users/devuser/.m2/</log4j.properties.directory>
        </properties>
    </profile>
</profile>

By using this method, each developer can have a different log4j.properties directory and you keep your pom.xml clean.

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 03 '12 at 10:33

Simplest way for me,

Define a system variable ENV and set its value _dev for your development env.
Where you refer this file use like this log4j${ENV}.properties

So,

In production it simply use log4j.xml and for your dev log4j_dev.xml

In order to prevent problems it would be better to create also ENV variable for production as _pro so for production log4j_pro.xml, for dev log4j_dev.xml will be used.

I believe that relying on different files than copying resource is better practice.

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Sep 14 '18 at 07:27

There is a very simple solution good for small projects with jar packaging (I haven't tested it on war packaged projects). The only disadvantage is that you have to duplicate all resources, but if your only resource is log4j.properties this is not a problem.

If you have a directory tree like this:

...

You should have the following pom:

<build>
    <finalName>${project.artifactId}</finalName>
    <sourceDirectory>src/</sourceDirectory>
    <resources>
        <resource>
            <directory>${resources.path}</directory>
        </resource>
    </resources>
</build>

<profiles>
    <profile>
        <id>default</id>
        <activation>
            <activeByDefault>true</activeByDefault>
        </activation>
        <properties>
            <resources.path>resources/prod</resources.path>
        </properties>
    </profile>
    <profile>
        <id>dev</id>
        <activation>
            <activeByDefault>false</activeByDefault>
        </activation>
        <properties>
            <resources.path>resources/dev</resources.path>
        </properties>
    </profile>
</profiles>

Then when you use dev profile log4j.properties from resources/dev is used. When you use any other profile or no profile at all then log4j.properties from resources/prod is used. So your *.jar should look like this:

Of course if you have different resources location, for example main/java/resources/..., you should specify it instead of resources/...

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 02 '14 at 13:17

1

To some extent you can reference environment variables inside a log4j.properties to add environment dependent behavior. e.g.

log4j.rootLogger=${rootLoggerLevel}, ${appender}

answered Apr 02 '14 at 13:17

mjj1409

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This doesn't work in my case. Did you install any plugins or modules to make it work? – Brian Mar 03 '20 at 10:17

How to configure maven to use different log4j.properties files in different environments

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