[MNG-7270] Maven startup script (init) calls which(1) which is an external command

• Type: Bug
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 3.8.2
• Fix Version/s: 3.8.4, 4.0.0-alpha-2, 4.0.0
• Component/s: Command Line
• Environment: UNIX/POSIX, Linux
• Assignee: Michael Osipov
• Reporter: Jonathan Dowland
• Created: 29/Sep/21 11:34
• Updated: 20/Oct/22 08:11
• Resolved: 13/Oct/21 13:27

Description

The "init" shell wrapper script, that often ends up as /usr/bin/mvn in downstream distributions, calls the program "which" in the situation where JAVA_HOME is not defined.

"which" is a separate binary program that may or may not be installed. Increasingly it may not be in environments which are trying to reduce their install footprint e.g. containers.

A portable alternative is to use command -v with some defensive commands prior (unalias, unset: see https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/utilities/command.html).--

I've got a PR ready to go.

Issue Links

• is related to: MWRAPPER-24 mvnw calls which(1) which is an external command
• links to: GitHub Pull Request #556