Generating JAXB classes with Maven plugin

First make sure that you compile your application using at least Java SE 6:

<plugin>
  <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
  <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
  <version>3.1</version>
  <configuration>
    <target>1.6</target>
    <source>1.6</source>
  </configuration>
</plugin>

Then goto this website: http://mojo.codehaus.org/jaxb2-maven-plugin/index.html

If you want to generate JAXB classes based on XSD, you internally use xjc command in JDK. Add this plugin to pom.xml:

<plugin>
  <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
  <artifactId>jaxb2-maven-plugin</artifactId>
  <version>1.6</version>
  <executions>
    <execution>
      <id>xjc</id>
      <goals>
        <goal>xjc</goal>
      </goals>
    </execution>
  </executions>
  <configuration>
    <packageName>com.example.myschema</packageName>
  </configuration>
</plugin>

Change package name to whatever you like. Add your XSD file inside src/main/xsd and once you call at least mvn generate-sources, JAXB classes will be generated automatically inside target/generated-sources/jaxb. Btw. Maven phase generate-sources is called very early in Maven lifecycle (before compile).