Skip to main content
TrustRadius
Gradle Build Tool (Open Source)

Gradle Build Tool (Open Source)

Overview

What is Gradle Build Tool (Open Source)?

Gradle is an open source build system. Gradle boasts a rich API and mature ecosystem of plugins and integrations to support automation. Users can model, integrate and systematize the delivery of software from end to end.

Read more
Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Gradle has gained popularity as the preferred build tool for various use cases. Users have found that Gradle's cache feature significantly …
Continue reading

Gradle Review

10 out of 10
March 08, 2021
Incentivized
Gradle is used as a build tool for the application codebase. Used for both compiling and packaging the artefacts for the projects.
Its a …
Continue reading

Excellent build tool

9 out of 10
October 24, 2019
Incentivized
We are using Gradle as a build tool. We are using it across all the departments in our organization. We are using Gradle to build all our …
Continue reading

I like Gradle!!!

10 out of 10
January 24, 2018
Incentivized
We currently use Gradle to manage the build lifecycle of our applications. It's used by the IT department, we are currently using it with …
Continue reading
Read all reviews

Reviewer Pros & Cons

View all pros & cons
Return to navigation

Pricing

View all pricing

What is Gradle Build Tool (Open Source)?

Gradle is an open source build system. Gradle boasts a rich API and mature ecosystem of plugins and integrations to support automation. Users can model, integrate and systematize the delivery of software from end to end.

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

Would you like us to let the vendor know that you want pricing?

8 people also want pricing

Alternatives Pricing

What is Liquibase?

Liquibase is a database change management tool that helps teams release software faster and safer by bringing the database change process into existing CI/CD automation. According to the 2021 Accelerate State of DevOps Report, elite performers are 3.4 times more likely to incorporate database…

What is Bitrise?

Bitrise, software from the company of the same name in Budapest, helps users automate daily app development tasks from building through testing to deployment. With Bitrise, users can configure these tasks with a visual Workflow editor, with over 330 service integrations ready to roll. All…

Return to navigation

Product Details

What is Gradle Build Tool (Open Source)?

Gradle Build Tool (Open Source) Video

What is Gradle?

Gradle Build Tool (Open Source) Technical Details

Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

Gradle is an open source build system. Gradle boasts a rich API and mature ecosystem of plugins and integrations to support automation. Users can model, integrate and systematize the delivery of software from end to end.

Gradle Build Tool (Open Source) starts at $0.

Reviewers rate Support Rating highest, with a score of 9.

The most common users of Gradle Build Tool (Open Source) are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).
Return to navigation

Comparisons

View all alternatives
Return to navigation

Reviews and Ratings

(34)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Gradle has gained popularity as the preferred build tool for various use cases. Users have found that Gradle's cache feature significantly reduces compile time and increases developer productivity. This capability is particularly beneficial in large codebases and complex backend applications. Additionally, Gradle seamlessly integrates with DevOps tools, allowing for customization of build structures for single or multi-project builds, making it a popular choice among developers. The switch from Ant/Maven to Gradle has been well-received by users who appreciate the customization options and the ability to set up remote cache for CI builds. Gradle has become the standard build tool for Android development, enabling the creation of different flavors and multiple versions. It also serves as a comprehensive build management software for Java applications, offering a range of plug-ins and frameworks available in the community. Whether it's compiling and packaging artifacts, managing dependencies, or automating deployment processes, Gradle has proven its effectiveness in delivering robust software solutions.

Gradle has received positive feedback from reviewers for several key strengths. The intuitive user interface has been consistently praised for its ease of use and efficiency in completing tasks. Many users have stated that the UI allows for quick and efficient task completion. Additionally, several reviewers have mentioned that Gradle's wide language support, particularly for multiple JVM languages like Groovy, has made it accessible to a wide range of computer engineers. This feature enables them to quickly understand and work with Gradle code. Another major strength of Gradle is its support for DSL automation based on Groovy. Users appreciate this feature as it allows for the automation of complex build jobs, making it particularly useful in maintaining and modifying intricate build processes. Overall, these strengths contribute to Gradle's popularity among developers and enhance its usability in diverse development environments.

Limited Documentation: Some users have mentioned that there is a need for ample documentation for Groovy DSL to write build configs in Gradle. They feel that the existing documentation could be more comprehensive and provide clearer instructions on how to use Groovy DSL effectively.

Lack of Real-Life Examples: Several reviewers have suggested that while the Gradle documentation available online is quite comprehensive, it would be helpful to include more real-life examples. These examples would assist users in understanding how to apply Gradle's features and functionalities in practical scenarios.

Complex Build Support: A number of users have stated that Gradle needs to work on supporting more complex builds, especially for web applications. They believe that enhancing the capabilities of Gradle when it comes to handling intricate build configurations would greatly benefit developers working on complex projects.

Reviewers have made several recommendations for using this tool effectively. The most common recommendations are as follows:

  1. Obtain buy-in from the development team: Users suggest that it is important to ensure that the development team is on board with using this tool. Having the support and cooperation of the team can help make the implementation smoother and more successful.

  2. Consider using Java: Some reviewers recommend considering Java as the programming language when building with this tool. They believe that using Java can offer certain advantages and compatibility that may enhance the overall performance and functionality of the tool.

  3. Put in the effort: Users agree that while using this tool may require some effort initially, it is worth it in the long run. Taking the time to learn and understand the ins and outs of the tool can lead to better outcomes and a more efficient workflow.

By following these recommendations, users can maximize the benefits of using this tool and ensure a successful implementation within their development process.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-12 of 12)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Gradle Build Tool (Open Source) to build all our projects. We switched from Ant/Maven and I love it. No more ugly XML-s and I really like the ability to customize builds with custom tasks. Love the ability to set up remote cache for CI builds.
  • Cache
  • Customizability
  • Dependency management
  • Some options should be set by default like cache-ing.
  • Authentication to maven repositories should work without any custom tasks
Its a solid tool for every job in building Java code. Still has room for improvement but best I ever used!
Sayam Jain | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Gradle Build Tool helped us to build the multiple Android projects in our organization. We have setup the CI/CD pipeline for Automation and build can be created. We have created APK dynamically with the help of Gradle Build Tool and deployed them in both local and production environment. Gradle Build Tool was easily integrate able with the devops tools. Gradle Build Tool helped us to customize our build structure as per the single or multi project builds. We have build projects as well as artifacts used in the projects with its help.
  • It support various development environment.
  • Caching can be enabled which can help in fast build for development environment
  • It can be easily Integrateable with other devops tools
  • Speed for build can be increased
Gradle Build Tool is more suitable with the Java projects. It has helped us to automate the build part of the devops cycle. Its configuration and Groovy script is really easy to understand and can be implemented with ease. It can be used both for automation and manual buids of the projects. Gradle Build Tool is easy to use and easy to integrate.
Sharique Khan | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
[Gradle is] being used as the build tool of choice for micro services based architecture backend of the next generation cloud product suite. It enables dependency management by referencing to both public and private artifact repositories. Using the cache feature while compiling the codebase it has overall helped to reduce compile time and increase developer productivity
  • Build Cache - Enables quick build on dev machines
  • Supports multi project builds - enabling modular architecture
  • Customizable build tasks
  • Support for multiple JVM languages
  • Need for ample documentation for its Groovy DSL to write build configs
  • System File Encoding
  • Environment variable changes tracking
[Gradle is by far the best] and industry leading solution and apt successor for Ant and Maven
March 08, 2021

Gradle Review

Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Gradle is used as a build tool for the application codebase. Used for both compiling and packaging the artefacts for the projects.
Its a good alternative for the Maven build mechanism and dependency management. It aids the CI CD process by seamless dependency management and also developer friendly definition mechanism.
  • Compiling and Build process
  • Artefacts Packaging and publishing
  • IDE integration for seamless development
  • Logging can be improved
  • dependency management and its eco system
Good for using in Microservice based applications. Good for teams which have common developers for both development and DevOps. It can be used for internal artefacts repository also.
Mohit Goenka | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Gradle is being used across the company for the development of Android applications. In the recent times, Gradle has become the standard of development and delivery of Android applications. It helps us in creating different flavors of the build with various parameters. This helps us release multiple versions to different sets of users.
  • Integration.
  • Delivery.
  • Technical expertise required.
  • No easy integration.
Gradle is very well suited when you have a basic application that needs to be released to the users. It is also suitable for cases where there may be fragmentation needed to support the release of multiple applications. It is not a tool much needed outside the development of Android applications.
Cameron Gable | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Gradle is the only build tool we use. The Software team uses it to build all of our Java applications. Before, we were using Ant build scripts, but have since completely migrated to Gradle. Gradle, along with Google's Cloud Build, allows us to quickly build our applications in the cloud using automated builds.
  • Quick build time for quick deployments!
  • Integration with IDEs provides ease of use!
  • The speed of builds can always be improved.
  • Needs work for more complex builds like web applications.
Gradle is perfectly suited for Java builds. It is very easy to make a template build file and use it across multiple applications. However, we have had some issues implementing Gradle with our web applications.
October 24, 2019

Excellent build tool

Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We are using Gradle as a build tool. We are using it across all the departments in our organization. We are using Gradle to build all our Java applications. We were using Maven before but seeing the advantages of using Gradle we recently migrated all our projects from Maven to Gradle.
  • We use it as a build tool.
  • We build Java applications using this tool.
  • We also use Gradle to test our apps.
  • It becomes a bit tricky when we use Gradle demon.
We can use Gradle in many ways, we can build our apps, test apps, and also for dependency management. Gradle manages cache in a very good way. We just need to add a plugin to build and test any Java projects. I don't recommend using Gradle for app deployments, data migrations, etc.
David Tanner | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 4 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Gradle is being used to build the server service. We use it to compile Java, run tests, and some of the deployment work. The backend team uses the service, as well as the integration test project. Gradle allows us to share the build process between developers and the various build machines.
  • It allows us to share configurations between machines and developers
  • It makes builds reproducible
  • It allows us to tweak how our server gets bundled and deployed
  • Still under development, not as mature as Maven
  • Build files aren't as easy to follow because they are so loose
  • The community isn't as large as Maven
Gradle seems to be the new kid on the block, and provides better support for parallel tasks. Getting started can be very easy, but projects quickly need more control, or customization which Gradle has a hard time providing. The rapid changes to the tool also make it difficult for organizations that aren't actively developing in Gradle, and so the tool might be better suited to companies willing to spend the time on the build configuration.
January 24, 2018

I like Gradle!!!

Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We currently use Gradle to manage the build lifecycle of our applications. It's used by the IT department, we are currently using it with applications written in Java and Groovy as well.

  • It's highly customizable and easy to understand
  • It's quite simple to write an additional plugin if that's necessary
  • Provides support for Groovy and the latest versions also support Kotlin
  • The gradle wrapper is awesome because it allows to use Gradle without installing it
  • I'd like to see a way to specify how to run only certain tests in parallel, I tried this feature and for tests that involve interaction with SQL Databases sometimes I can't because of deadlocks.
  • Not sure if there is something else, gradle has been working really good for us and they are adding improvements all the time which is awesome. I used to think the performance is a deal but the latest versions are addressing this issue very well
I highly recommend Gradle to manage the build lifecycle of applications, we have been using it with Java and Groovy applications, mainly with spring-boot to build microservices oriented systems.

I don't recommend using it for Scala applications since SBT would be a better choice for it.
Dirce Richards | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
In my organization, Gradle is being used in conjunction with Jenkins, to support a model of Continuous Integration. It is being used across a distributed organization, encompassing three geographic locations. It addresses the business model of CI/CD. With Gradle we were able to automate the building of a complex backend application, supporting a variety of branches, daily builds, and distributed development teams.
  • Gradle's methods to manipulate files is very flexible. It minimizes the amount of code one has to write to copy, move, or expand zip or tar files.
  • Gradle uses Groovy, which is a Java like language. This allows for most computer engineers to come up to speed fairly quickly, for writing or maintaining gradle code.
  • Gradle also supports DSL (Domain Specific Language), which is based on Groovy. The DSL language allows engineers to automate build jobs that otherwise could be very cumbersome to maintain or modify.
  • The Gradle documentation is available online, and it is quite comprehensive. However, more real life examples could be useful.
Gradle is an ideal tool to build an application that is complex and/or distributed. It is well suited for builds that use a CI engine such as Jenkins or Bamboo, and a repository such as Artifactory.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use it for all of our build management software, from testing, building, to deploys.
  • Portability
  • Ease of customization
  • Ease of readability
  • Better integration with IntelliJ. I have to hit refresh on Intellij Gradle tool window all the time.
  • Better speed.
[Gradle is well suited for] All Java, Kotlin, Scala language projects. Probably not suited for legacy maven projects.
January 23, 2017

Gradle - a modern Maven

Gabriel Freire | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I use Gradle when developing Java applications in both professional and personal/academic projects. It is a great tool when building said applications with plug-ins and frameworks available in the community.
  • Cross-version compatibility testing
  • Inspection of build outcome and output
  • Build automatically when sources change
  • Continuous build detects changes that occur during build execution
  • Ease of use
  • Gradle's configuration isn't always intuitive
  • Changing a project from Maven to gradle sometimes proves to be a difficult task
I'd say Gradle is very well suited for Java projects that require managing lots of plug-ins and frameworks but I don't think it's well suited for project builds with other programming languages.
Return to navigation