Summary to installing Firmata4j for Java projects in EECS 1021:
- Preferred: import the 2.3.9 JAR file into your Java project.
- Contingency: use Maven to download the 2.3.8 JAR file and then reinstall the dependencies manually.
Either one should work fine, but the 2.3.9 version should operate a little more cleanly.
When using Maven to load the Firmata4j library you'll can only use up to version 2.3.8 and you'll need to load dependencies in a particular order, as per my earlier blog page. It's manageable but a little cumbersome. That said, most students can handle it.
Instead, I recommend that you try to use version 2.3.9. I've loaded the source on this GitHub page. But you can also just bypass it and use the compiled Java JAR file from here. Then, instead of importing the library through Maven, choose "import from Java" instead and choose this JAR file.
Optionally, if you wish to build the the entire JAR file yourself, you can use the Firmata4J auto-packer.
Consider using 2.3.9's JAR for your lab and project work, especially if you're working on developing with new sensors, like the DHT20. Let me know how it goes.
Updated on Feb 15, 2026.
- Add link to the firmata4j auto-packer for dependency packing.
- Rephrased the comparison of 2.3.8 and 2.3.9 to encourage students to use 2.3.9 as the primary approach and 2.3.8 as the contingency.
- Signature added.
James Andrew Smith is a Professional Engineer and Associate Professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department of York University’s Lassonde School, with degrees in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta and McGill University. Previously a program director in biomedical engineering, his research background spans robotics, locomotion, human birth, music and engineering education. While on sabbatical in 2018-19 with his wife and kids he lived in Strasbourg, France and he taught at the INSA Strasbourg and Hochschule Karlsruhe and wrote about his personal and professional perspectives. James is a proponent of using social media to advocate for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion as well as evidence-based applications of research in the public sphere. You can find him on Twitter. You can find him on BlueSky. Originally from Québec City, he now lives in Toronto, Canada.