Gradle Effective Implementation Guide

A must-read for Java developers, this book will bring you bang up to date in the techniques of build automation using Gradle. A fully hands-on approach makes learning natural and entertaining.

• Learn the best of Gradle
• Work easily with multi-projects.
• Apply Gradle to your Java, Scala and Groovy projects.

In Detail

Gradle is the next generation in build automation. It uses convention-over-configuration to provide good defaults, but is also flexible enough to be usable in every situation you encounter in daily development. Build logic is described with a powerful DSL and empowers developers to create reusable and maintainable build logic.

"Gradle Effective Implementation Guide" is a great introduction and reference for using Gradle. The Gradle build language is explained with hands on code and practical applications. You learn how to apply Gradle in your Java, Scala or Groovy projects, integrate with your favorite IDE and how to integrate with well-known continuous integration servers..

Start with the foundations and work your way through hands on examples to build your knowledge of Gradle to skyscraper heights. You will quickly learn the basics of Gradle, how to write tasks, work with files and how to use write build scripts using the Groovy DSL. Then as you develop you will be shown how to use Gradle for Java projects. Compile, package, test and deploy your applications with ease. When you've mastered the simple, move on to the sublime and integrate your code with continuous integration servers and IDEs. By the end of the "Gradle Effective Implementation Guide" you will be able to use Gradle in your daily development. Writing tasks, applying plugins and creating build logic will be second nature.

What you will learn from this book

• Create Gradle build scripts from clear examples
• Write build logic with the Gradle build language
• Compile, test and check your Java, Scala and Groovy applications
• Write your own custom tasks and plugins
• Use Gradle on continous integrations servers Jenkins, TeamCity and Bamboo
• Integrate Gradle with Eclipse and IntelliJ IDEA

Approach

Written in Packt's tutorial format the hands on examples and real life applications that will guide you through Gradle and give you the knowledge to use it every day.

Who this book is written for

If you are a Java developer who wants to automate compiling, packaging and deploying your application this book is for you..

Hubert Klein Ikkink

Hubert Klein Ikkink was born in 1973 and lives in Tilburg, the Netherlands, with his beautiful wife and gorgeous children. He is also known as mrhaki, which is simply the initials of his name prepended by mr. He studied Information Systems and Management at the Tilburg University. After finishing his studies he started to work at a company which specialized in knowledge-based software. There he started writing his first Java software (yes, an applet!) in 1996. Over the years his focus switched from applets, to servlets, to Java Enterprise Edition applications, to Spring-based software.

In 2008 he wanted to have fun again when writing software. The larger projects he was working on were more about writing configuration XML files, tuning performance and less about real development in his eyes. So he started to look around and noticed Groovy as a good language to learn about. He could still use existing Java code, libraries, and his Groovy classes in Java. The learning curve isn’t steep and to support his learning phase he wrote down interesting Groovy facts in his blog with the title Groovy Goodness. He posts small articles with a lot of code samples to understand how to use Groovy. Since November 2011 he is also a DZone Most Valuable Blogger (MVB); DZone also posts his blog items on their site.

In 2010, 2011, and 2012 Hubert was invited to speak at Gr8Conf in Copenhagen, Denmark. This is a very good conference with all the project leaders of Groovy and Groovy-related projects. In November 2010 he presented a Gradle talk at the J-Fall conference of the Dutch Java User Group. In November 2011 he presented about the new features in Groovy 1.8 at the same conference. The conference is visited by 1000 Java developers and he got the chance to educate some of them about the greatness of Gradle and Groovy.

Hubert works for a company called JDriven in the Netherlands. JDriven focuses on technologies that simplify and improve development of enterprise applications. Employees of JDriven have years of experience with Java and related technologies and are all eager to learn about new technologies. Hubert works on projects using Grails and Java combined with Groovy and Gradle.