Error
Failure executing javac, but could not parse the error:
javac: invalid target release: 1.8
Usage: javac <options> <source files>
use -help for a list of possible options
while building project using Maven.
Error Type
Build Time
Cause
Maven is looking for Java 8 to build the project but it's not able to figure where it's installed.
Very likely your JAVA_HOME is pointing to some other Java Directory ( and not Java 8 )
Resolution
echo $JAVA_HOME
and make sure that its the path for Java 8 directory
If not,
Following this to update your JAVA_HOME - http://stackoverflow.com/questions/24641536/how-to-set-java-home-in-linux-for-all-users
If you would like downgrade to some previous Java version which has been correctly set up within JAVA_HOME, add the following entries within your pom file
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
<configuration>
<source>1.6</source>
<target>1.6</target>
</configuration>
</plugin>
This will inform Maven that we would like to build the project with Java 6 and hence it will pick Java 6 from the directory configured within JAVA_HOME.