error: release version 17 not supported — how to fix

[ERROR] Failed to execute goal org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-compiler-plugin:3.11.0:compile (default-compile) on project app: Fatal error compiling: error: release version 17 not supported
error: invalid target release: 17
error: invalid source release: 21

Quick fix: Check which JDK the build really uses: mvn -v (look at 'Java version') or ./gradlew -version. Point JAVA_HOME at a JDK >= the target (e.g. export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 17) on macOS, sudo update-alternatives --config java on Linux), or lower maven.compiler.release to match. In IntelliJ set Project SDK and Maven/Gradle JVM.

What it means

javac --release N (or -source/-target N) can only produce code for Java versions up to its own version. A JDK 11 compiler doesn't know Java 17, so it fails with release version 17 not supported (with --release) or invalid target release: 17 (with -target).

The project's configured version is usually correct; the problem is which JDK runs the build. Note that java -version on your PATH may differ from what Maven, Gradle or the IDE uses.

This is the compile-time sibling of UnsupportedClassVersionError, which happens at runtime when a JRE is too old for compiled classes.

Step 1: find the JDK the build uses

mvn -v                  # "Java version: 11.0.21, vendor..., runtime: /usr/lib/jvm/..."
./gradlew -version      # "Launcher JVM" / "Daemon JVM"
echo $JAVA_HOME
javac -version

Fix 1: point JAVA_HOME at a newer JDK

Install a JDK at least as new as the target (Temurin, Zulu, Oracle, distro openjdk-17-jdk), then:

Linux

sudo apt install openjdk-17-jdk
sudo update-alternatives --config java
sudo update-alternatives --config javac
export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-17-openjdk-amd64

macOS

/usr/libexec/java_home -V                       # list installed JDKs
export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 17)

Windows: set the JAVA_HOME environment variable to e.g. C:\Program Files\Eclipse Adoptium\jdk-17... and put %JAVA_HOME%\bin first in Path, then open a new terminal.

Add the export to ~/.bashrc/~/.zshrc to keep it. SDKMAN (sdk use java 17.0.9-tem) also works well for switching.

Fix 2: lower the target instead

If you must build with the older JDK and don't use newer language features, set the target to match it.

Maven:

<properties>
  <maven.compiler.release>11</maven.compiler.release>
</properties>

Gradle (Kotlin DSL):

java {
    toolchain {
        languageVersion.set(JavaLanguageVersion.of(17))
    }
}

The Gradle toolchain approach is usually better than lowering the version: Gradle finds (or, with the foojay resolver plugin, downloads) a JDK 17 regardless of the JDK it runs on.

Fix 3: IDE settings

IntelliJ IDEA uses several separate JDK settings:

• File → Project Structure → Project → SDK and language level.
• Settings → Build, Execution, Deployment → Build Tools → Maven → Runner → JRE.
• Settings → Build Tools → Gradle → Gradle JVM.
• Settings → Java Compiler → Per-module bytecode version.

In VS Code, set java.configuration.runtimes or java.jdt.ls.java.home. In Eclipse, Window → Preferences → Java → Installed JREs and the project's compiler compliance level.

Fix 4: CI and Docker

In GitHub Actions, match java-version to the target:

- uses: actions/setup-java@v4
  with:
    distribution: temurin
    java-version: '17'

In Docker, use a build image with the right JDK, e.g. FROM maven:3.9-eclipse-temurin-17 rather than an image based on JDK 11.

Old Maven compiler plugin

Very old maven-compiler-plugin versions (before 3.6) don't support <release>. Upgrade to a current 3.x version.

Last updated 2026-11-08.