projectbuildproperties

Projectbuildproperties is a convention used in some build systems to store project metadata and build configuration in a plain text properties file. It is read by the build tooling at startup or during configuration, allowing the build script to adapt behavior based on the defined values. Lines starting with a hash or semicolon are treated as comments, and each non-comment line usually contains a key and a value in the form key=value.

The file typically uses a hierarchical, dot-delimited key namespace to group related settings. Common keys include project.name, version, group, description, java.version, sourceCompatibility, targetCompatibility, mainClass, buildDir, outputDir, repository, and dependencies. Other keys may cover plugin options, compiler flags, or test configurations. Because the file is plain text, it can be edited with a simple editor and checked into version control alongside the project.

Example content:

project.name=ExampleApp

version=1.4.0

group=com.example

description=A sample project

java.version=11

mainClass=com.example.Main

buildDir=build

outputDir=bin

repository=https://repo.example.org/maven2

dependencies=org.apache.commons:commons-lang3:3.12.0,junit:junit:4.13.2

Build scripts read these properties and apply them to tasks such as compilation, packaging, and testing. They may also allow overriding values via command-line arguments or environment variables, enabling flexible customization in different environments (e.g., CI vs. local development).

Notes and considerations: projectbuildproperties is not a universal standard; its exact semantics depend on the specific build tool or custom script in use. It should be kept UTF-8, and care should be taken with escaping special characters. Sensitive information is typically avoided or stored in separate, secure mechanisms rather than in this file.