apache/maven · error · ArtifactNotFoundException

System artifact: {} is not a file: {}

Error message

System artifact: {} is not a file: {}

What it means

The third system-scope check in resolve(): File.exists() passed but File.isFile() is false, meaning the systemPath resolves to a directory (or a symlink to one). Maven cannot place a directory on the classpath for a system dependency, so it throws ArtifactNotFoundException 'is not a file' with the offending path.

Source

Thrown at compat/maven-compat/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/artifact/resolver/DefaultArtifactResolver.java:168

            throws ArtifactResolutionException, ArtifactNotFoundException {
        if (artifact == null) {
            return;
        }

        if (Artifact.SCOPE_SYSTEM.equals(artifact.getScope())) {
            File systemFile = artifact.getFile();

            if (systemFile == null) {
                throw new ArtifactNotFoundException("System artifact: " + artifact + " has no file attached", artifact);
            }

            if (!systemFile.exists()) {
                throw new ArtifactNotFoundException(
                        "System artifact: " + artifact + " not found in path: " + systemFile, artifact);
            }

            if (!systemFile.isFile()) {
                throw new ArtifactNotFoundException(
                        "System artifact: " + artifact + " is not a file: " + systemFile, artifact);
            }

            artifact.setResolved(true);

            return;
        }

        if (!artifact.isResolved()) {
            ArtifactResult result;

            try {
                ArtifactRequest artifactRequest = new ArtifactRequest();
                artifactRequest.setArtifact(RepositoryUtils.toArtifact(artifact));
                artifactRequest.setRepositories(RepositoryUtils.toRepos(remoteRepositories));

                // Maven 2.x quirk: an artifact always points at the local repo, regardless whether resolved or not
                LocalRepositoryManager lrm = session.getLocalRepositoryManager();

View on GitHub (pinned to e4093d4e12)

Solutions

1. Point systemPath at the jar file itself, e.g. ${project.basedir}/lib/ojdbc8.jar, not the lib directory
2. Remove trailing slashes or separators from the systemPath value
3. Verify with ls -l using the exact path from the message, then re-run the build

Example fix

<!-- before: systemPath is a directory -->
<systemPath>${project.basedir}/lib/</systemPath>
<!-- after: point at the jar file inside it -->
<systemPath>${project.basedir}/lib/ojdbc8.jar</systemPath>

File f = artifact.getFile();
if (Artifact.SCOPE_SYSTEM.equals(artifact.getScope())
        && f != null && f.exists() && !f.isFile()) {
    // systemPath resolves to a directory: point it at the jar file
}

private static boolean systemPathIsDirectory(org.apache.maven.artifact.Artifact a) {
    return a != null && Artifact.SCOPE_SYSTEM.equals(a.getScope())
            && a.getFile() != null
            && a.getFile().exists()
            && !a.getFile().isFile();
}

Catch ArtifactNotFoundException; when the message says 'is not a file', correct the systemPath to reference the jar file (not a directory) and re-run.

When it happens

Trigger: A <systemPath> that resolves to a directory: pointing at a lib/ folder instead of the jar inside it, a path with a trailing separator, or a symlink chain that ends at a directory.

Common situations: Writing <systemPath>${project.basedir}/lib</systemPath> instead of lib/foo.jar; paths assembled by string concatenation that lose the file name; directory symlinks after moving a project.

Related errors

• System artifact: {} has no file attached
• System artifact: {} not found in path: {}
• Error copying POM to the local repository.
• Non-existing JDK home configuration at " + normal.toAbsolute
• Directory {} extracted from the -f/--file command-line argum

AI-assisted analysis of apache/maven@e4093d4e12 (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/33b2df7ac2e04636. Report an issue: GitHub.