apache/maven · error · FileNotFoundException

The specified user settings file does not exist: ${userSetti

Error message

The specified user settings file does not exist: ${userSettingsFile}

What it means

Error "The specified user settings file does not exist: ${userSettingsFile}" thrown in apache/maven.

Source

Thrown at impl/maven-cli/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cling/invoker/LookupInvoker.java:623

     * This method is invoked twice during "normal" LookupInvoker level startup: once when (if present) extensions
     * are loaded up during Plexus DI creation, and once afterward as "normal" boot procedure.
     * <p>
     * If there are Maven3 passwords presents in settings, this results in doubled warnings emitted. So Plexus DI
     * creation call keeps "emitSettingsWarnings" false. If there are fatal issues, it will anyway "die" at that
     * spot before warnings would be emitted.
     * <p>
     * The method returns a "cleaner" runnable, as during extension loading the context needs to be "cleaned", restored
     * to previous state (as it was before extension loading).
     */
    protected Runnable settings(C context, boolean emitSettingsWarnings, SettingsBuilder settingsBuilder)
            throws Exception {
        Path userSettingsFile = null;
        if (context.options().altUserSettings().isPresent()) {
            userSettingsFile =
                    context.cwd.resolve(context.options().altUserSettings().get());

            if (!Files.isRegularFile(userSettingsFile)) {
                throw new FileNotFoundException("The specified user settings file does not exist: " + userSettingsFile);
            }
        } else {
            String userSettingsFileStr =
                    context.protoSession.getEffectiveProperties().get(Constants.MAVEN_USER_SETTINGS);
            if (userSettingsFileStr != null) {
                userSettingsFile =
                        context.userDirectory.resolve(userSettingsFileStr).normalize();
            }
        }

        Path projectSettingsFile = null;
        if (context.options().altProjectSettings().isPresent()) {
            projectSettingsFile =
                    context.cwd.resolve(context.options().altProjectSettings().get());

            if (!Files.isRegularFile(projectSettingsFile)) {
                throw new FileNotFoundException(
                        "The specified project settings file does not exist: " + projectSettingsFile);

View on GitHub (pinned to e4093d4e12)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at impl/maven-cli/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cling/invoker/LookupInvoker.java:623 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/maven@e4093d4e12 (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/87917520294ff619. Report an issue: GitHub.