Apache Archiva, an excellent artifact repository manager
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
Apache Archiva is a maven artifact repository manager. We use it to store artifacts (libraries) used by the maven/java build for different projects. It helps with storing the entire organization's libraries at a centralized location and acts as a proxy for all the open-source repositories. We have hundreds of builds running almost every hour. Using Apache Archiva has helped with preserving valuable bandwidth for the organization. It also allows us to do security audits on the artifacts in use. Different teams are able to share the libraries (components) with each other thus speeding up the software development.
Pros
- It's an open source project and therefore saves cost.
- It allows exchange of artifacts/libraries between different teams.
- It allows managing internal and external repositories with ease.
Cons
- Muti-tenancy was hard to achieve.
- UI can be improved. Its seems bit dated.
- It is a bit tricky to setup.
Likelihood to Recommend
Well suited for small organizations to medium-sized teams/organizations. Apache Archiva is well suited for:
<ul><li>It acts as a central repository/proxy of the artifacts generated and used by the teams.</li><li>It provides control on which open source repositories can be utilized by the team.</li><li>Saves network bandwidth by reducing outbound traffic.</li></ul>Apache Archiva is less appropriate for organizations where immediate support/bug resolutions are required.
