Learn the Gradle Build Script Basics in 12 Minutes

Plugins, dependencies, repositories: these are all part of Gradle's build script. But what do these words mean? And what even is the build script in the first place?

If you find the build script confusing, in this video you'll learn answers to all these questions and more. By seeing line by line how to write a build script for a simple (but beautiful) Java application, you'll be able to work more confidently in your own Gradle projects.

▶️ VIDEO CHAPTERS

Do You Find the Gradle Build Script Confusing? 0:00
The Vital Nature of Build Scripts 0:31
Creating the Build Script from Scratch 1:19
Enriching Your Project With Plugins 2:03
Configuring Plugins to Bend to Your Will 4:15
Leveraging Other's Code With Dependencies 5:36
Discovering the Power of the Build Script 7:24
Verifying Your Application With Tests 7:57
Configuring Tasks to Your Requirements 9:16
Bringing It All Together 10:05

VIDEO RESOURCES

[kelvinlow]

I would like to clarify on 10:01, this closure
test { 
useJunitPlatform()
}
is configuring a task or plugin?

How do we know a closure is configuring a task or plugin?

[bradleyturek]

Thanks for the video! I could be wrong about this, but I think the manifest issue will sort itself if you just tell the application plugin which is the main class, like this:

application {
mainClass = 'org.gradle.sample.Main'
}

[s-w]

Have you tried kotlin for the fun of it?