ant

Build a project with default build file build.xml

$ ant

$ ant [[-f|-buildfile]] [buildfile.xml]

$ ant [[-p|-projecthelp]]

$ ant [[-d|-debug]]

$ ant [[-k|-keep-going]]

ant [options] [target [target2 ...]]
ant -help

-buildfile , -f , -file
    Use the specified buildfile.

-D=
    Use the given value for the specified property.

-find , -s
    Search upwards from the current directory for the specified buildfile.

-help, -h
    Print help message and exit.

-listener
    Add an instance of a ProjectListener.

-logger
    The class to use for logging build events.

-lib
    Specifies a path to search for JAR files and classes to extend Ant.

-projecthelp, -p
    Print project help information, listing available targets.

-version
    Print the Ant version information and exit.

-verbose, -v
    Print extra verbose messages during the build.

-debug, -d
    Print debugging messages.

-quiet, -q
    Print less messages during the build.

-emacs
    Produce logging information without adornments, suitable for Emacs parser.

-keep-going, -k
    Execute all targets that do not depend on failed targets, even if some targets fail.

Apache Ant is an open-source, Java-based build automation tool. It automates the software build process, primarily for Java projects, by compiling source code, packaging binaries (JARs, WARs), deploying applications, and running tests. Ant uses XML files, typically named build.xml, to define build targets and tasks. Each task represents a specific action (e.g., <javac> for compilation, <jar> for packaging).

Unlike make, Ant is platform-independent because it is written in Java and uses Java classes for its tasks. Its flexibility allows developers to define custom tasks, making it highly extensible. Ant works by executing specified targets, which are collections of tasks. It resolves dependencies between targets, ensuring tasks are executed in the correct order. While newer build tools like Maven and Gradle have gained popularity, Ant remains widely used, especially for legacy projects or when fine-grained control over the build process is required.

• Requires a Java Development Kit (JDK) to be installed and configured on the system.
• Build files are XML-based, which can become verbose and complex for large projects compared to convention-over-configuration tools.
• Lacks built-in dependency management, requiring explicit handling or reliance on external tools/extensions.
• Error messages can sometimes be cryptic, requiring detailed logging or debugging to understand the root cause.

An Ant build is defined in an XML file, conventionally named build.xml (though configurable via -buildfile). The root element is <project>, which typically contains attributes like name, default target, and basedir. Inside the project, you define <target> elements. Each <target> defines a sequence of <task> elements to be executed (e.g., <javac>, <copy>, <jar>). Targets can declare dependencies on other targets using the depends attribute, ensuring a specific execution order. Properties can be defined using <property> to hold values (e.g., paths, version numbers) that can be reused throughout the build file, enhancing flexibility and maintainability.

Apache Ant originated in early 2000 as a replacement for make in the Apache Tomcat project, aiming to overcome make's platform-specific issues and command-line shell dependencies. Written entirely in Java, Ant achieved platform independence, a significant advantage for Java development. Its adoption grew rapidly within the Java community due to its flexibility, extensibility through custom tasks, and the ability to define complex build processes using XML.

While Maven (introduced in 2004) and Gradle (introduced in 2007) later emerged offering convention-over-configuration and integrated dependency management, Ant continues to be maintained and used, especially for legacy projects or scenarios requiring highly customized build logic where fine-grained control is paramount.

make(1), maven(1), gradle(1), javac(1)