GoogleContainerTools/jib · error · MojoExecutionException

<message from IncompatibleBaseImageJavaVersionException via

Error message

<message from IncompatibleBaseImageJavaVersionException via HelpfulSuggestions.forIncompatibleBaseImageJavaVersionForMaven>

What it means

Jib determined that the base image's Java version is incompatible with the project's Java version — typically a Java 8 project using a Java 11+ (or 17+) base image like 'eclipse-temurin:17' with class files that cannot run there. IncompatibleBaseImageJavaVersionException is converted by BuildDockerMojo.execute() into a MojoExecutionException via HelpfulSuggestions.forIncompatibleBaseImageJavaVersionForMaven, which suggests a matching base image.

Source

Thrown at jib-maven-plugin/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/tools/jib/maven/BuildDockerMojo.java:164

      String extensionName = ex.getExtensionClass().getName();
      throw new MojoExecutionException(
          "error running extension '" + extensionName + "': " + ex.getMessage(), ex);

    } catch (IncompatibleBaseImageJavaVersionException ex) {
      throw new MojoExecutionException(
          HelpfulSuggestions.forIncompatibleBaseImageJavaVersionForMaven(
              ex.getBaseImageMajorJavaVersion(), ex.getProjectMajorJavaVersion()),
          ex);

    } catch (InvalidImageReferenceException ex) {
      throw new MojoExecutionException(
          HelpfulSuggestions.forInvalidImageReference(ex.getInvalidReference()), ex);

    } catch (IOException
        | CacheDirectoryCreationException
        | MainClassInferenceException
        | InvalidGlobalConfigException ex) {
      throw new MojoExecutionException(ex.getMessage(), ex);

    } catch (BuildStepsExecutionException ex) {
      throw new MojoExecutionException(ex.getMessage(), ex.getCause());

    } catch (ExtraDirectoryNotFoundException ex) {
      throw new MojoExecutionException(
          "<extraDirectories><paths> contain \"from\" directory that doesn't exist locally: "
              + ex.getPath(),
          ex);
    } finally {
      tempDirectoryProvider.close();
      MojoCommon.finishUpdateChecker(projectProperties, updateCheckFuture);
      projectProperties.waitForLoggingThread();
      getLog().info("");
    }
  }
}

View on GitHub (pinned to fb949e2676)

Solutions

1. Align the base image with the project's Java version, e.g. use gcr.io/distroless/java:8 (or eclipse-temurin:8) for a Java 8 project.
2. Alternatively raise the project's Java version (maven.compiler.release) to match the base image if the code is compatible.
3. Follow the suggestion printed in the error, which names the base image major version and your project's major version.
4. Pin maven.compiler.source/target/release explicitly so CI cannot silently change the Java level and desynchronize it from the base image.

Example fix

<!-- before: Java 8 project -->
<from><image>gcr.io/distroless/java17-debian12</image></from>
<!-- after -->
<from><image>gcr.io/distroless/java8-debian12</image></from>

int projectJava = Integer.parseInt(System.getProperty("java.specification.version", "8"));
String baseImage = pomBaseImage; // e.g. gcr.io/distroless/java17-debian12
if (baseImage.matches(".*java(1[1-9]|[2-9][0-9]).*") && projectJava < parseMajor(baseImage)) {
  throw new IllegalStateException("Base image Java version exceeds project Java version");
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running a jib goal when the project compiles with target/release Java 8 (maven.compiler.target=8) but <from><image> points to a JRE/JDK base image for Java 11, 17, or 21 (e.g. gcr.io/distroless/java17-debian12).

Common situations: Upgrading the base image to a newer distroless tag without changing the project's compile target; copying an example pom built for Java 17 into a Java 8 project; CI overriding compiler properties while the pom's base image stays new.

Related errors

• <message from IncompatibleBaseImageJavaVersionException via
• <message from IncompatibleBaseImageJavaVersionException via
• The input JAR (${jarPath}) is compiled with Java ${jarJavaVe
• Your project is using Java ${projectMajorJavaVersion} but th
• HelpfulSuggestions.forIncompatibleBaseImageJavaVersionForGra

AI-assisted analysis of GoogleContainerTools/jib@fb949e2676 (2026-09-06). Data as JSON: /api/errors/eec835fcd75c938a. Report an issue: GitHub.