gradle

Build and automate software projects

TLDR

Compile a package

$ gradle build

Exclude test task

$ gradle build [[-x|--exclude-task]] [test]

Run in offline mode to prevent Gradle from accessing the network during builds

$ gradle build --offline

Clear the build directory

$ gradle clean

Build an Android Package (APK) in release mode

$ gradle assembleRelease

List the main tasks

$ gradle tasks

List all the tasks

$ gradle tasks --all

SYNOPSIS

gradle [option...] [task...]

Examples:
gradle build
gradle clean test
gradle --info assemble

--version
    Displays Gradle version information.

--help
    Shows a help message for the command-line options.

--build-file
    Specifies the build file to use (e.g., build.gradle).

-b
    Shorthand for --build-file.

--project-dir

    Specifies the start directory for Gradle.

-p
    Shorthand for --project-dir.

--daemon
    Uses the Gradle Daemon for faster build execution. This is the default behavior.

--no-daemon
    Do not use the Gradle Daemon. A new JVM process will be started for the build.

--refresh-dependencies
    Refreshes all external dependencies.

--stacktrace
    Prints the stacktrace on error.

--info
    Sets the logging level to INFO.

--debug
    Sets the logging level to DEBUG.

--offline
    Works offline, without accessing network resources.

--parallel
    Allows tasks to be executed in parallel.

--configure-on-demand
    Configures projects only as needed by the requested tasks.

DESCRIPTION

The gradle command executes Gradle, an open-source build automation tool that combines the best features of Apache Ant and Apache Maven. It is renowned for its flexibility, performance, and its use of a Groovy or Kotlin-based Domain Specific Language (DSL) for defining build scripts.

Gradle is widely used for building diverse projects, including Java, Android, C/C++, and web applications. Key features include incremental builds, a build cache, and the Gradle Daemon, all contributing to faster build times. Its plugin-driven architecture allows for extensive customization and integration with various development ecosystems, making it a highly adaptable solution for complex software development workflows.

CAVEATS

The flexibility and power of Gradle come with a potential learning curve, especially concerning its DSL and custom task definitions. For large projects, build scripts can become complex if not well-structured. The Gradle Daemon can consume significant memory, although it greatly improves subsequent build times.

BUILD SCRIPTS

Gradle build logic is defined in files named build.gradle (Groovy) or build.gradle.kts (Kotlin). These scripts declare project dependencies, define tasks, and apply plugins to extend functionality.

PLUGINS

Gradle's core functionality is extended via plugins. Plugins encapsulate reusable build logic for common scenarios, such as compiling Java code, packaging Android applications, or publishing libraries.

GRADLE DAEMON

The Gradle Daemon is a long-lived background process that keeps a JVM instance running. This significantly reduces startup time for subsequent builds, as the JVM doesn't need to be initialized from scratch and project structure can be cached.

GRADLE WRAPPER

The Gradle Wrapper (gradlew on Linux/macOS, gradlew.bat on Windows) is a script that ensures a consistent Gradle version is used across different development environments, automatically downloading it if necessary. This promotes reproducible builds.

HISTORY

Gradle was first released in 2007. It gained significant traction, particularly after becoming the official build system for Android development in 2013. Initially using a Groovy DSL, Gradle introduced support for a Kotlin DSL in 2017, providing a more type-safe and IDE-friendly scripting experience. Continuous development has focused on performance improvements, including the introduction of the Gradle Daemon, build cache, and configuration cache.