apache/maven · error · OverConstrainedVersionException

Unable to get a selected Version for {}

Error message

Unable to get a selected Version for {}

What it means

While materializing the dependency trail, ResolutionNode must fix a concrete version for artifacts declared with a version range; if artifact.getSelectedVersion() returns null - null being a legitimate answer per MNG-2123 - it throws OverConstrainedVersionException naming the artifactId. It means the accumulated version constraints have an empty intersection (or match no available version), i.e. the artifact is over-constrained, not merely in soft conflict.

Source

Thrown at compat/maven-compat/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/artifact/resolver/ResolutionNode.java:133

        return ret;
    }

    private List<Artifact> getTrail() throws OverConstrainedVersionException {
        if (trail == null) {
            List<Artifact> ids = new LinkedList<>();
            ResolutionNode node = this;
            while (node != null) {
                Artifact artifact = node.getArtifact();
                if (artifact.getVersion() == null) {
                    // set the recommended version
                    ArtifactVersion selected = artifact.getSelectedVersion();
                    // MNG-2123: null is a valid response to getSelectedVersion, don't
                    // assume it won't ever be.
                    if (selected != null) {
                        artifact.selectVersion(selected.toString());
                    } else {
                        throw new OverConstrainedVersionException(
                                "Unable to get a selected Version for " + artifact.getArtifactId(), artifact);
                    }
                }

                ids.add(0, artifact);
                node = node.parent;
            }
            trail = ids;
        }
        return trail;
    }

    public boolean isResolved() {
        return children != null;
    }

    /**
     * Test whether the node is direct or transitive dependency.

View on GitHub (pinned to e4093d4e12)

Solutions

  1. Run mvn dependency:tree -Dverbose to find the artifact and the competing constraints
  2. Pin the artifact with an explicit version in <dependencyManagement> (or a direct dependency) instead of letting the ranges intersect
  3. Fix or widen the range in the offending POM so the intersection is non-empty
  4. Make sure a version satisfying the range is reachable: check the repository contents, or publish/proxy the missing version internally

Example fix

<!-- before: transitive ranges [1.0,1.5) + [2.0,) intersect to nothing -->
<!-- after: dependencyManagement pins a concrete version -->
<dependencyManagement>
  <dependencies>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>com.example</groupId>
      <artifactId>lib</artifactId>
      <version>2.1.0</version>
    </dependency>
  </dependencies>
</dependencyManagement>
Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Try / catch

Catch OverConstrainedVersionException; use getArtifact() to see which artifactId has no selectable version, then pin it in dependencyManagement - a retry without changing constraints will fail identically.

Prevention

When it happens

Trigger: Resolving a dependency declared with a version range (e.g. [1.0,2.0)) whose acceptable set becomes empty after merging constraints arriving from multiple paths in the graph, or whose range excludes every version actually published in the reachable repositories.

Common situations: Two transitive ranges like [1.0,1.5) and [2.0,) meeting on the same artifact; a range [1.4,1.5) when only 1.6 exists in the repositories; Maven-2-era POMs using ranges against modern repository layouts.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of apache/maven@e4093d4e12 (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d39e55e8125a9c94. Report an issue: GitHub.