compile
默认就是compile，什么都不配置也就是意味着compile。compile表示被依赖项目需要参与当前项目的编译，当然后续的测试，运行周期也参与其中，是一个比较强的依赖。打包的时候通常需要包含进去。
test
scope为test表示依赖项目仅仅参与测试相关的工作，包括测试代码的编译，执行。比较典型的如junit。
runntime
runntime表示被依赖项目无需参与项目的编译，不过后期的测试和运行周期需要其参与。与compile相比，跳过编译而已，说实话在终端的项目（非开源，企业内部系统）中，和compile区别不是很大。比较常见的如JSR×××的实现，对应的API jar是compile的，具体实现是runtime的，compile只需要知道接口就足够了。oracle jdbc驱动架包就是一个很好的例子，一般scope为runntime。另外runntime的依赖通常和optional搭配使用，optional为true。我可以用A实现，也可以用B实现。
provided
provided意味着打包的时候可以不用包进去，别的设施(Web Container)会提供。事实上该依赖理论上可以参与编译，测试，运行等周期。相当于compile，但是在打包阶段做了exclude的动作。
system
从参与度来说，也provided相同，不过被依赖项不会从maven仓库抓，而是从本地文件系统拿，一定需要配合systemPath属性使用。
Dependency Scope
compile
This is the default scope, used if none is specified. Compile dependencies are available in all classpaths of a project. Furthermore, those dependencies are propagated to dependent projects.
provided
This is much like compile, but indicates you expect the JDK or a container to provide the dependency at runtime. For example, when building a web application for the Java Enterprise Edition, you would set the dependency on the Servlet API and related Java EE APIs to scope provided because the web container provides those classes. This scope is only available on the compilation and test classpath, and is not transitive.
runtime
This scope indicates that the dependency is not required for compilation, but is for execution. It is in the runtime and test classpaths, but not the compile classpath.
test
This scope indicates that the dependency is not required for normal use of the application, and is only available for the test compilation and execution phases. This scope is not transitive.
system
This scope is similar to provided except that you have to provide the JAR which contains it explicitly. The artifact is always available and is not looked up in a repository.
import
This scope is only supported on a dependency of type pom in the
section. It indicates the dependency to be replaced with the effective list of dependencies in the specified POM’s section. Since they are replaced, dependencies with a scope of import do not actually participate in limiting the transitivity of a dependency.