# Creating a Maven Settings File

To use Maven you will need a settings file if any of the following are true:

- You have installed Maven for the first time .

- You are working behind a firewall or proxy server.

- Your organization has its own internal Maven Repository Manager.

## How to Create Your Maven Settings File

To create a Maven settings file, create a XML file called `settings.xml`. If your user name is Bob, then the directory path for the `settings.xml` file should be the following:

`/home/bob/.m2/settings.xml`.

For Windows, If your user name is Bob then the directory path for the `settings.xml` file should be the following:

`/users/bob/.m2/settings.xml`.

You are going to add to your settings file the following information:

- Proxy - sets the HTTP proxy server that is required to access Maven repositories on the Internet.

- Servers - sets the credentials for the Maven repository, so that you do not have to enter them every time you want to access the repository.

- Mirrors - directs that instead of trying to access the Maven central repository directly, it should use your internal Maven repository manager as a mirror (cache) of Maven central repository.

Add these settings as shown in Example: Maven Settings File.

Maven Settings File

    <settings>
     <proxies>
      <proxy>
        <active>true</active>
        <protocol>http</protocol>
        <host>proxy.mycompany.com</host>
        <port>8080</port>
       <nonProxyHosts>mycompany.com</nonProxyHosts>
      </proxy>
     </proxies>
      <servers>
       <server>
         <id>maven.mycompany.com</id>
         <username>me@mycompany.com</username>
         <password>{COQLCE6DU6GtcS5P=}</password>
       </server>
      </servers>
      <mirrors>
        <mirror>
        <id>archiva</id>
          <name>Internal Archiva Mirror of Central</name>
          <url>http://archiva.mycompany.com/repositories/internal</url>
          <mirrorOf>central</mirrorOf>
       </mirror>
      </mirrors>
    </settings>

For more information about available Maven settings, see the Apache Maven documentation at, `http://maven.apache.org/settings.html`