Top 10 Gradle Plugins for Java Developers

Gradle plugins extend the functionality of Gradle build scripts, making it easier to manage various aspects of a project. Here are the top 10 Gradle plugins that every Java developer should consider using to enhance their build process.

1. Java Plugin

The Java plugin is the most fundamental plugin for Java projects. It adds tasks for compiling Java source code, running tests, and creating JAR files.

Usage

plugins {
    id 'java'
}

Learn More

Java Plugin Documentation

2. Application Plugin

The Application plugin is used for packaging and running Java applications. It provides tasks for creating distributions and running the application from the command line.

Usage

plugins {
    id 'application'
}

mainClassName = 'com.example.Main'

Learn More

Application Plugin Documentation

3. JUnit Platform Plugin

The JUnit Platform plugin simplifies running JUnit 5 tests. It integrates with the test task to execute tests on the JUnit Platform.

Usage

plugins {
    id 'java'
}

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
}

dependencies {
    testImplementation 'org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter-api:5.10.0'
    testRuntimeOnly 'org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter-engine:5.10.0'
}

test {
    useJUnitPlatform()
}

Learn More

JUnit 5 User Guide

4. Checkstyle Plugin

The Checkstyle plugin generates reports on coding standards violations. It helps maintain code quality by enforcing a coding style.

Usage

plugins {
    id 'checkstyle'
}

checkstyle {
    toolVersion = '10.9.3'
}

tasks.withType(Checkstyle) {
    configFile = file('config/checkstyle/checkstyle.xml')
}

Learn More

Checkstyle Plugin Documentation

5. PMD Plugin

The PMD plugin scans Java source code for potential bugs and possible security vulnerabilities using PMD.

Usage

plugins {
    id 'pmd'
}

pmd {
    toolVersion = '6.55.0'
    ruleSets = ['java-basic', 'java-design']
}

tasks.withType(Pmd) {
    reports {
        xml.required = true
        html.required = true
    }
}

Learn More

PMD Plugin Documentation

6. FindBugs Plugin

The FindBugs plugin (now replaced by SpotBugs) detects potential bugs in Java programs.

Usage

plugins {
    id 'com.github.spotbugs' version '4.7.9'
}

spotbugs {
    toolVersion = '4.7.9'
    effort = 'max'
    reportLevel = 'low'
}

tasks.withType(com.github.spotbugs.SpotBugsTask) {
    reports {
        html.required = true
    }
}

Learn More

SpotBugs Plugin Documentation

7. JaCoCo Plugin

The JaCoCo plugin provides code coverage metrics for Java code. It integrates with the test task to collect and report coverage data.

Usage

plugins {
    id 'jacoco'
}

jacoco {
    toolVersion = '0.8.9'
}

tasks.test {
    finalizedBy tasks.jacocoTestReport
}

jacocoTestReport {
    reports {
        xml.required = true
        html.required = true
    }
}

Learn More

JaCoCo Plugin Documentation

8. Shadow Plugin

The Shadow plugin simplifies creating fat/uber JARs that include all dependencies required to run the application.

Usage

plugins {
    id 'com.github.johnrengelman.shadow' version '7.1.2'
}

shadowJar {
    archiveClassifier.set('')
    archiveVersion.set('')
}

Learn More

Shadow Plugin Documentation

9. Spring Boot Plugin

The Spring Boot plugin provides support for building Spring Boot applications, including dependency management, packaging, and running the application.

Usage

plugins {
    id 'org.springframework.boot' version '3.1.3'
    id 'io.spring.dependency-management' version '1.1.0'
}

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
}

dependencies {
    implementation 'org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter'
}

Learn More

Spring Boot Plugin Documentation

10. Kotlin Plugin

The Kotlin plugin adds support for building Kotlin projects with Gradle, including compiling Kotlin code and running tests.

Usage

plugins {
    id 'org.jetbrains.kotlin.jvm' version '1.9.10'
}

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
}

dependencies {
    implementation 'org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-stdlib-jdk8'
}

compileKotlin {
    kotlinOptions.jvmTarget = '21'
}

compileTestKotlin {
    kotlinOptions.jvmTarget = '21'
}

Learn More

Kotlin Plugin Documentation

Conclusion

These top 10 Gradle plugins can significantly enhance your Java development workflow. They make it easier to manage dependencies, enforce coding standards, generate reports, and create deployable artifacts. By integrating these plugins into your Gradle build scripts, you can streamline your build process and improve the quality of your code.