m2eclipse is more than just a simple plugin, it changes the way you'll create projects. Specifically, it will allow you to create projects from archetypes without having to type a command-line the size of a paragraph. I just updated the m2eclipse chapter and included more details about the 88 available archetypes in the Maven repository.
On deck for the book is information about the POM editor...
The following is an excerpt from the chapter. What is interesting about the m2eclipse plugin is that it has the side-effect of making it easier to adopt the projects that have created Maven Archetypes. Granted, this project list could be larger, but it should be interesting to someone who wants to get a quickstart into developing an application with Wicket or AppFuse. The other thing that is very cool about m2eclipse is that it doesn't ship with a static list of archetypes, m2eclipse is using the Nexus Indexer to maintain an index of the Maven repository.
When this chapter was last updated, m2eclipse had
approximately ninety archetypes in this Archetype dialog. Highlights of
this list include:
Standard Maven Archetypes to create
Maven Plugins
Simple Web Applications
Simple Projects
New Maven Archetypes
Archetypes (data-driven Wicket Applications) under
net.databinder
Apache Cocoon
Archetypes under org.apache.cocoon
Apache Directory
Server Archetypes under
org.apache.directory.server
Apache
Geronimo Archetypes under
org.apache.geronimo.buildsupport
Archetypes under
org.apache.myfaces.buildtools
Apache
Tapestry Archetypes under
org.apache.tapestry
Apache Wicket
Archetypes under org.apache.wicket
AppFuse Archetypes
under org.appfuse.archetypes
Archetypes under org.codehaus.cargo
Codehaus
Castor Archetypes under
org.codehaus.castor
Groovy-based
Maven Plugin Archetypes (deprecated) under
org.codehaus.mojo.groovy
Jini Archetypes
Archetypes under org.mule.tools
Objectweb
Fractal Archetypes under
org.objectweb.fractal
Objectweb
Petals Archetypes under
org.objectweb.petals
ops4j Archetypes under org.ops4j
Parancoe under
org.parancoe
slf4j Archetypes under org.slf4j
OSGI and Web Services Archetypes under
org.springframework
Trails
Framework Archetypes under
org.trailsframework
[4]And these were just the archetypes that were listed under
the Nexus Indexer Catalog, if you switch Catalogs you'll see other
archetypes. While your results may vary, the following additional
archetypes were available in the Internal Catalog:
Atlassian
Confluence Plugin Archetype under
com.atlassian.maven.archetypes
Archetypes under org.apache.struts
Apache Shale Archetypes under
org.apache.shale