Maven Build Tool
Maven is a powerful build automation and project management tool used predominantly in the Java ecosystem that simplifies the build process through a principle known as "convention over configuration." At its core is the Project Object Model (POM), an XML file (`pom.xml`) that defines all aspects of a project, including its metadata, build instructions, and, most importantly, its dependencies. Maven's robust dependency management system automatically downloads required libraries from central repositories, ensuring project consistency and simplifying setup. By executing predefined lifecycle phases such as `compile`, `test`, and `package`, Maven provides a standardized and repeatable way to build, test, and distribute software.