Compare Maven artifacts side by side
Comparing two Maven dependencies — whether two versions of the same library or two competing libraries — should not mean opening half a dozen tabs. Modern Maven puts the whole diff in one view: transitive dependency changes, CVE and CVSS severity shifts, the version gap, and the release timeline. Use it to decide whether a version bump is safe to take, or which of two libraries ships fewer dependencies and known vulnerabilities.
What the comparison shows
- Overview — side-by-side metadata, packaging, and license.
- Dependencies — color-coded added, removed, and version-bumped dependencies.
- Security — a CVE severity matrix sourced from OSV.dev and NVD CVSS v3.1.
- Versions — the release timeline and the gap (patch, minor, or major) between the two.
Comparison questions
How do I compare two Maven artifacts?
Pick two coordinates — either two versions of the same library (for example spring-core 6.1.0 versus 6.1.1) or two different libraries that solve the same problem. Modern Maven fetches both, then shows a side-by-side view of their metadata, full dependency lists with color-coded additions and removals, a security matrix of CVEs by severity, and a release timeline. This makes it easy to see exactly what a version bump changes, or which of two competing libraries carries fewer transitive dependencies and known vulnerabilities, before you commit to one.
What is the difference between two versions of a dependency?
A comparison highlights four things: how the transitive dependency set changed (added, removed, or version-bumped dependencies), whether the number or severity of known CVEs went up or down, the gap between the two versions (patch, minor, or major), and an overall compatibility read. Identical or near-identical versions are flagged so you can upgrade with confidence; larger diffs point you to the specific dependencies and advisories worth reviewing before you upgrade.