apache/maven · error · VersionParserException

Unable to parse version range:

Error message

Unable to parse version range: 

What it means

DefaultModelVersionParser.DefaultVersionRange parses range expressions like [1.0,2.0), (,1.5], [1.1] through the resolver VersionScheme. Malformed range syntax throws VersionParserException('Unable to parse version range: <input>'). The input must be a range specification, not a plain version — a bare '1.0' is invalid here (use parseVersion) and unbalanced or misordered brackets/commas are rejected.

Source

Thrown at impl/maven-impl/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/impl/DefaultModelVersionParser.java:141

            return delegate.toString();
        }
    }

    static class DefaultVersionRange implements VersionRange {
        private final VersionScheme versionScheme;
        private final org.eclipse.aether.version.VersionRange delegate;

        DefaultVersionRange(VersionScheme versionScheme, org.eclipse.aether.version.VersionRange delegate) {
            this.versionScheme = versionScheme;
            this.delegate = delegate;
        }

        DefaultVersionRange(VersionScheme versionScheme, String delegateValue) {
            this.versionScheme = versionScheme;
            try {
                this.delegate = versionScheme.parseVersionRange(delegateValue);
            } catch (InvalidVersionSpecificationException e) {
                throw new VersionParserException("Unable to parse version range: " + delegateValue, e);
            }
        }

        @Override
        public boolean contains(Version version) {
            if (version instanceof DefaultVersion defaultVersion) {
                return delegate.containsVersion(defaultVersion.delegate);
            } else {
                return contains(new DefaultVersion(versionScheme, version.toString()));
            }
        }

        @Override
        public Boundary getUpperBoundary() {
            org.eclipse.aether.version.VersionRange.Bound bound = delegate.getUpperBound();
            if (bound == null) {
                return null;
            }

View on GitHub (pinned to e4093d4e12)

Solutions

1. Use proper range syntax with balanced brackets and a comma between bounds, e.g. '[1.0,2.0)' or '[1.0]'
2. If the value is a single version, call parseVersion instead of parseVersionRange
3. Validate user-supplied ranges with a regex like ^[\[(].*[\])] before passing them in

Example fix

<!-- before -->
<version>[1.0,2.0</version>

<!-- after -->
<version>[1.0,2.0)</version>

private static final Pattern RANGE = Pattern.compile('^[\\[(].*,.*[\\])]$');
if (!RANGE.matcher(range.trim()).matches()) {
    throw new IllegalArgumentException('Not a valid version range: ' + range);
}

try {
    VersionRange r = parser.parseVersionRange(range);
} catch (VersionParserException e) {
    throw new IllegalArgumentException('Bad range "' + range + '"; expected e.g. [1.0,2.0)', e);
}

When it happens

Trigger: session.getService(VersionParser.class).parseVersionRange('1.0') (plain version instead of range), '[1.0,2.0' (missing bracket), '[2.0,1.0)' (lower bound above upper), or an uninterpolated '${range}' property.

Common situations: Version ranges in dependencyManagement or plugin configuration with typos; copy-pasting a range missing the closing parenthesis; forgetting Maven requires hard ([...]) or soft ((...)) bounds on at least one side; properties for ranges left unexpanded.

Understand the failure class

• Parsing and encoding errors: unexpected token, malformed input — why parsers reject input and how to find the real culprit.

Related errors

• Invalid JDK version in profile '{}': {}
• Repository identifier missing
• URL missing for repository " + id
• Repository identifier missing
• URL missing for repository {}

AI-assisted analysis of apache/maven@e4093d4e12 (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a795a736bcecc4e6. Report an issue: GitHub.