• Reference
  • Version · 6.0
  • Change Automation Reference

Maven validate

Last updated: August 12, 2026

The Maven validate goal checks and identifies any possible errors in a changelog file that may cause the update goal to fail.

Uses

Use the Maven validate goal to detect if there are any issues with your changelog file before running the update goal. Validation helps you avoid a partial update, where only some changesets are applied due to an error in the changelog file.

The validate goal is to ensure:

  • The XML, YAML, JSON, or formatted SQL is structured correctly.

  • Referenced files can be found.

  • Any required or prohibited attributes are correct to your database.

  • There are no duplicated id,author, and file combinations.

  • There are no checksum errors.

Note: The validate goal only looks for possible errors in the changelog, it does not check for possible errors that might result from applying the changes to a specific database.

Maven configuration

You can configure Liquibase Maven in multiple ways. You can pass arguments like <changeLogFile> in Maven directly in your pom.xml file, in a liquibase.properties file referenced in your POM, as environment variables, or as JVM system properties. To learn about each file's syntax, see Maven Properties.

For more information about the Maven configuration, see Configuring Maven.

Running the validate Maven goal

Running the validate goal requires you to have a Maven project implemented with the changelog parameter specified.

Note: To include the changelog parameter to the pom.xml file, add <changeLogFile>your changelog file</changeLogFile>. Another option is to specify the parameter in the Liquibase properties file that is reference from pom.xml. Otherwise, specify the changelog at the command prompt.

To run the goal, type the following at your command prompt:

mvn liquibase:validate

Attribute

Definition

liquibase.changeLogDirectory

Specifies the path to the directory where Liquibase can find your changelog file.

liquibase.changeLogFile

The changelog file for Liquibase to use.

liquibase.changelogCatalogName

Specifies the catalog Liquibase will use to create your changelog tables.

liquibase.changelogSchemaName

Specifies the schema Liquibase will use to create your changelog tables.

liquibase.clearCheckSums

Boolean. Forces checksums to be cleared from the DATABASECHANGELOG table. Default value is: false.

liquibase.contexts

Specifies which contexts Liquibase will execute, which can be separated by a comma if multiple contexts are required. If a context is not specified, then all contexts will be executed.

liquibase.databaseChangeLogLockTableName

Specifies the table name to use for the DATABASECHANGELOG table.

liquibase.databaseChangeLogTableName

Specifies the table name to use for the DATABASECHANGELOG table.

liquibase.databaseClass

Specifies the database object class.

liquibase.defaultCatalogName

Specifies the default catalog name to use for the database connection.

liquibase.defaultSchemaName

Specifies the default schema name to use for the database connection.

liquibase.driver

Specifies the driver class name to use for the database connection.

driverPropertiesFile

Specifies the location of a JDBC connection properties file which contains properties the driver will use.

liquibase.emptyPassword

Deprecated. Boolean. Use an empty or null value for the password instead. Default value is: false.

expressionVariables

Specifies a map-based collection of changelog properties to apply.

expressionVars

Specifies a property-based collection of changelog properties to apply.

liquibase.includeArtifact

Boolean. Includes a Maven project artifact in the class loader, which obtains the Liquibase properties file and changelog files. Default value is true.

liquibase.includeTestOutputDirectory

Boolean. Includes the Maven test output directory in the class loader which obtains the Liquibase properties file and changelog files. Default value is true.

liquibase.labels

Specifies which labels Liquibase runs, and which can be separated by a comma if multiple labels are required or you need to designate a more complex expression. If no label is specified, then all labels are run.

liquibase.licenseKey

Specifies your Liquibase Secure license key.

liquibase.outputDefaultCatalog

Boolean. Specifies whether to ignore the catalog or database name. Default value is: false.

liquibase.outputDefaultSchema

Boolean. Specifies whether to ignore the schema name. Default value is: false.

liquibase.password

Specifies the database password for the database connection.

liquibase.propertyFile

Specifies the Liquibase properties file to use for configuration, like liquibase.properties.

liquibase.propertyFileWillOverride

Boolean. Indicates that you want the liquibase.properties file to override any settings provided in the Maven plugin configuration. By default, if a property is explicitly specified, it is not overridden if it also appears in the properties file. Default value is: false.

liquibase.propertyProviderClass

Specifies the property provider, which must be a java.util.Properties implementation.

liquibase.server

Specifies the server ID in the Maven settings.xml to use when authenticating.

liquibase.skip

Boolean. Specifies whether to skip running Liquibase. The use of this attribute is not recommended but can be used when needed. Default value is: false.

systemProperties

Specifies a list of system properties you want to pass to the database.

liquibase.url

Specifies the database URL you want to use to execute Liquibase.

liquibase.username

Specifies the database username for the database connection.

liquibase.verbose

Boolean. Controls the amount of output detail when you call the plugin. Default value is: false.

Maven validate output

The validate Maven goal produces one of the following outputs:

[ERROR] Validation Failed: [ERROR] 1 changes have validation failures [ERROR] column 'type' is required for all columns, com/example/changelog.xml::22::sample [INFO] No validation errors found.

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