http://maven.apache.org/
Submitted by Jean-Claude Cutter

Maven is a project founded and run by the Apache open source project, this produced the world's most popular web server, and it's easy to see that Maven could become their next big hit. Unlike many other free project management tools, Maven is a Java based system, your project is based on a "Model Project" that is defined my Maven. Maven makes your project stick to this model, and they call this the "Project Object Model".

Maven only allows you to store and export data and files in an XML format, however the good people at the Apache foundation are trying to change this, and this is one of many reasons why Maven is open source. All the projects you will build up using Maven are controlled using a fixed method, unlike many other free project management tools which allow users to create projects in different ways, in this way Maven stops compatibility issues as well as issues in understanding and development.

One of the biggest features that Maven offers and which Apache are keen to show off is its publishing ability. Once you have made a full and accurate Project Object Model, you can export the data and quickly turn it into a full website allowing developers and clients to find out what you're doing and when. This site enables project members to see project sources, log files, mailing and developer lists as well as test reports and any article or files collected on the way.

Maven, like most Apache tools, is a modular system and allows plug ins, this means that as long as you have capable programmers at hand you will be able to turn the powerful Maven engine to do what ever you want or need to meet every whim of your clients requests.

http://maven.apache.org/

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 7th, 2007 at 7:40 am and is filed under Free PM Software.