Gradle

Gradle is an open-source build automation tool designed for multi-language software projects, particularly those targeting the Java Virtual Machine. It uses a Groovy- or Kotlin-based domain-specific language to declare builds, tasks, and dependencies, enabling customizable workflows. Gradle supports Java, Groovy, Kotlin, Scala, Android, and other JVM languages through plugins.

A Gradle project is modeled as a directed acyclic graph of tasks. Gradle analyzes inputs and outputs to perform incremental builds, reusing work from previous runs. It also provides a build cache and parallel execution to improve performance. The Gradle Wrapper allows a project to specify a Gradle version, ensuring consistent builds without requiring users to install Gradle globally.

Dependency management is handled through repositories such as Maven Central and the Gradle Plugin Portal, with support for custom repositories and transitive resolution. Gradle includes a rich plugin system, with core plugins for Java, Android, Groovy, Kotlin, and more, and enables users to develop their own plugins and tasks.

Multi-project builds are a common use case, with shared configuration and tasks across subprojects, as well as composite builds and dependency substitutions. Gradle is widely used in Android development, where Android Studio uses it as the official build system. It emphasizes performance features such as incremental builds, caching, and optional build scans for performance analysis.

History and status: Gradle began in 2007 as an attempt to combine the flexibility of Ant with the declarative style of Maven. It is developed and maintained by Gradle, Inc. as an open-source project, and it remains a major build system in the JVM ecosystem.