首先需要了解一下各个配置文件，主要分为三类：

1. 全局配置文件(${maven.home}/conf/settings.xml)，maven安装路径下的/conf/settings.xml
2. 用户配置文件(%USER_HOME%/.m2/settings.xml)，windows用户文件夹下
3. 项目配置文件：pom.xml

原文地址：What are the different types of profile? Where is each defined?

以上是mave下载依赖的大概过程，先会从本地仓库（${user.home}/.m2/repository 默认本地仓库）找，本地没有就会去远程仓库（https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2/默认远程仓库）找。
仓库顺序原文地址：Profile Order

可能有些人不知道Parent POM和Super POM是什么意思，这里解释一下。
Parent POM：当前项目的父项目的pom文件

Super POM：顶级父pom，maven已经定义好的，就像java中所有类继承的Object一样，可能版本不一样有所不同。
以下是3.6.3的Super POM：

<project><modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion><repositories><repository><id>central</id><name>Central Repository</name><url>https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2</url><layout>default</layout><snapshots><enabled>false</enabled></snapshots></repository></repositories><pluginRepositories><pluginRepository><id>central</id><name>Central Repository</name><url>https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2</url><layout>default</layout><snapshots><enabled>false</enabled></snapshots><releases><updatePolicy>never</updatePolicy></releases></pluginRepository></pluginRepositories><build><directory>${project.basedir}/target</directory><outputDirectory>${project.build.directory}/classes</outputDirectory><finalName>${project.artifactId}-${project.version}</finalName><testOutputDirectory>${project.build.directory}/test-classes</testOutputDirectory><sourceDirectory>${project.basedir}/src/main/java</sourceDirectory><scriptSourceDirectory>${project.basedir}/src/main/scripts</scriptSourceDirectory><testSourceDirectory>${project.basedir}/src/test/java</testSourceDirectory><resources><resource><directory>${project.basedir}/src/main/resources</directory></resource></resources><testResources><testResource><directory>${project.basedir}/src/test/resources</directory></testResource></testResources><pluginManagement><!-- NOTE: These plugins will be removed from future versions of the super POM --><!-- They are kept for the moment as they are very unlikely to conflict with lifecycle mappings (MNG-4453) --><plugins><plugin><artifactId>maven-antrun-plugin</artifactId><version>1.3</version></plugin><plugin><artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId><version>2.2-beta-5</version></plugin><plugin><artifactId>maven-dependency-plugin</artifactId><version>2.8</version></plugin><plugin><artifactId>maven-release-plugin</artifactId><version>2.5.3</version></plugin></plugins></pluginManagement></build><reporting><outputDirectory>${project.build.directory}/site</outputDirectory></reporting><profiles><!-- NOTE: The release profile will be removed from future versions of the super POM --><profile><id>release-profile</id><activation><property><name>performRelease</name><value>true</value></property></activation><build><plugins><plugin><inherited>true</inherited><artifactId>maven-source-plugin</artifactId><executions><execution><id>attach-sources</id><goals><goal>jar-no-fork</goal></goals></execution></executions></plugin><plugin><inherited>true</inherited><artifactId>maven-javadoc-plugin</artifactId><executions><execution><id>attach-javadocs</id><goals><goal>jar</goal></goals></execution></executions></plugin><plugin><inherited>true</inherited><artifactId>maven-deploy-plugin</artifactId><configuration><updateReleaseInfo>true</updateReleaseInfo></configuration></plugin></plugins></build></profile></profiles></project>