# Installing Custom Connector **URL:** \ **Category:** Self-Managed Connectors\ **Created:** [1 June 2023 15:33 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992 "2023-06-01T15:33:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![djchapm](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.confluent.io/djchapm/32/3017_2.png) [@djchapm](https://forum.confluent.io/u/djchapm)\ **Post date:** [1 June 2023 15:33 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992/1 "2023-06-01T15:33:01Z")
Hi, I have a java maven project where I’m using an assembly plugin to create a directory containing config, jar file, and all dependencies. I’m mounting this to a directory like /usr/local/share/myconnector and running connect via docker with plugin path set to /usr/local/share. I can see in the logs that it ‘sees’ myconnector, but when I check `curl http://localhost:8083/connector-plugins |jq`its not there. So when I try to do something like: `curl -s -X PUT -H 'Content-Type: application/json' --data @SoupConnector.json http://localhost:8083/connectors/DansConnector/config` I get the obvious exception that “Failed to find any class that implements Connector and which name matches… ”. I’m unclear on exactly what needs to be in this directory that I mount - obviously all the dependency jars and my compiled connector jar, all just in the root dir? Do I need config files? Are there any loaders that I can increase log levels to show me what it’s finding in the directory and why it’s not loading the connector jar? I’m at a loss, everything looks fine when I exec in but I’m new to deploying a custom connector and a lot on the web is getting a bit old. Let me know what else I can check. Thanks in advance, Dan C. ---
**Author:** ![djchapm](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.confluent.io/djchapm/32/3017_2.png) [@djchapm](https://forum.confluent.io/u/djchapm)\ **Post date:** [1 June 2023 22:00 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992/2 "2023-06-01T22:00:07Z")
FYI I’m running confluentinc/cp-kafka-connect-base:7.4.0.arm64 on a Mac M1 with Java 17. I’ve found that if I change my java compiler to 1.8 src/target, then the connector does show up… Literally this is the only thing I change in my pom - and it works: ```auto org.apache.maven.plugins maven-compiler-plugin ${maven-compiler.version} true 1.8 1.8 ``` Adding that source/target config… as opposed to my default java 17 setup. This doesn’t seem right though… any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![djchapm](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.confluent.io/djchapm/32/3017_2.png) [@djchapm](https://forum.confluent.io/u/djchapm)\ **Post date:** [1 June 2023 23:00 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992/3 "2023-06-01T23:00:01Z")
I can’t find any examples of connectors that have been written using features from java 17. And I’m unable to find any apache / confluent documentation saying that connectors must be written in something \< 17. Weird. Would like confirmation if anyone can provide it - alternatively a solution to packaging up a connector with java 17 would be great. I haven’t tried uber jar yet. ---
**Author:** ![OneCricketeer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.confluent.io/onecricketeer/32/1551_2.png) [@OneCricketeer](https://forum.confluent.io/u/OneCricketeer)\ **Post date:** [4 June 2023 12:22 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992/4 "2023-06-04T12:22:22Z")
> [@djchapm](#): > > solution to packaging up a connector Use the Maven plugin [kafka-connect-maven-plugin – Dependency Information](https://docs.confluent.io/platform/current/connect/kafka-connect-maven-plugin/site/dependency-info.html) ---
**Author:** ![djchapm](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.confluent.io/djchapm/32/3017_2.png) [@djchapm](https://forum.confluent.io/u/djchapm)\ **Post date:** [6 June 2023 15:27 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992/5 "2023-06-06T15:27:45Z")
Thanks @OneCricketeer - package plugin works well unfortunately still not able to get it to show up! Pretty frustrated at this point… no logs etc. You wouldn’t happen to have a ‘hello world’ example of a java 17 connector mvn project would you? Can’t figure it out - no log info of note - running latest docker/connect 7.4.0-arm64/java libraries/etc… I’ve looked at the confluent connectors in github and as far as I can tell they still use assembly plugin and java 1.8 configs. Cheers ---
**Author:** ![OneCricketeer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.confluent.io/onecricketeer/32/1551_2.png) [@OneCricketeer](https://forum.confluent.io/u/OneCricketeer)\ **Post date:** [6 June 2023 15:45 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992/6 "2023-06-06T15:45:29Z")
Is there a specific API of Java 17 you’re trying to use? In practice, compiling to Java 8 would provide the best compatibility with Connect runtime. Plus, last I checked, the Confluent containers don’t run Java 17 ---
**Author:** ![djchapm](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.confluent.io/djchapm/32/3017_2.png) [@djchapm](https://forum.confluent.io/u/djchapm)\ **Post date:** [6 June 2023 16:03 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992/7 "2023-06-06T16:03:35Z")
Wow… yea this is the 7.4.0 container: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/confluentcommunity/original/2X/b/b369e6ecd2a4ef2c093e637454feaa4ba846475d.png) But the ‘recommended java version’ is 17 for Confluent 7.4 according to [this](https://docs.confluent.io/platform/current/installation/system-requirements.html#:~:text=Java%2017%20is%20the%20recommended%20version%20in%20this%20version%20of%20Confluent%20Platform.). I guess that doesn’t extend to their containers. Probably not an easy fix as it seems they have code depending on class loader implementations… I see this in connect debug logs on finding my connector, not sure if there’s a way around it: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/confluentcommunity/original/2X/f/fc786bf4fbe66323e99be751f5c7bdba4d9b2957.png) ---
**Author:** ![djchapm](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.confluent.io/djchapm/32/3017_2.png) [@djchapm](https://forum.confluent.io/u/djchapm)\ **Post date:** [6 June 2023 16:17 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992/8 "2023-06-06T16:17:00Z")
Found it - there’s an issue request in confluent common-docker repo to update base images to java 17. Started a while ago with response saying java 17 wasn’t the recommended version nor on the roadmap… but later people point out with Kafka 3 and confluent 7 - java 17 is now being documented as the recommended java version for confluent and kafka, yet they have not updated their base images. > > > Kafka 3.1.0 is officially compatible with java 17 , it would be great to update …the base of the common image to use the latest LTS java version Guess I’ll watch this issue. Our libraries have too many new jdk-17 specific implementations that choke on java 8/11 target compiles. ---
**Author:** ![OneCricketeer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.confluent.io/onecricketeer/32/1551_2.png) [@OneCricketeer](https://forum.confluent.io/u/OneCricketeer)\ **Post date:** [6 June 2023 19:35 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992/9 "2023-06-06T19:35:43Z")
You’re welcome to try a different image, such as mine - [GitHub - OneCricketeer/apache-kafka-connect-docker: [KAFKA-9774] Un-official Docker Image for Apache Kafka Connect](https://github.com/OneCricketeer/apache-kafka-connect-docker) ---
**Author:** ![djchapm](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.confluent.io/djchapm/32/3017_2.png) [@djchapm](https://forum.confluent.io/u/djchapm)\ **Post date:** [6 June 2023 20:24 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992/10 "2023-06-06T20:24:45Z")
Thanks @OneCricketeer - probably the best option for now while we wait for the above ticket. Nice work. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/confluentcommunity/original/1X/c49438c90c9df282e9996fdf6971be890c71b65a.svg) [@system](https://forum.confluent.io/u/system)\ **Post date:** [13 June 2023 20:25 UTC](https://forum.confluent.io/t/installing-custom-connector/7992/11 "2023-06-13T20:25:31Z")
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