Why Gradle Is Simply the Best

When it comes to build tools for JVM projects, the choice often boils down to Gradle, Maven, or Ant. Let’s cut to the chase: Gradle is the superior tool. It’s faster, more flexible, and built for modern development. Here’s why Gradle stands out, especially when using the Kotlin DSL. And why Groovy has overstayed its welcome.

Maven

What Maven Does Well

I would say nothing, but Maven’s strength lies in its large ecosystem and predictable nature. Its convention-over-configuration approach can help enforce standards if you’re willing to embrace its strict structure.

Why Maven Falls Behind

• XML Overload: Using XML for builds is a relic of the past. It’s verbose, error-prone, and just plain annoying.
• Performance Issues: Maven lacks modern optimizations like incremental builds and advanced caching, resulting in sluggish performance.
• Limited Customizability: Going beyond Maven’s defaults often requires convoluted plugins or workarounds, making it feel restrictive.

Ant

What Ant Does Well

I should have said that it has even less benifits than Maven, but I’m not supposed to, so: Ant is flexible and was groundbreaking in its time. You can build anything with Ant, but the effort required often outweighs the benefits.

Why Ant Is Outdated

• No Dependency Management: Managing JARs manually? That’s not modern development.
• Complexity: Even simple tasks in Ant require verbose XML scripting.
• Obsolete Ecosystem: Ant’s community and tools haven’t kept pace with modern software development.

Gradle

Gradle is the tool that bridges flexibility and efficiency, making it the clear winner for modern JVM projects.

Why Gradle Excels

1. Modern Syntax: Forget XML—Gradle uses Groovy or Kotlin, which are far more concise and expressive.
2. Performance: With features like incremental builds and caching, Gradle is lightning-fast compared to Maven or Ant.
3. Powerful Dependency Management: Gradle simplifies dependency handling with a robust, modern approach.
4. Customizability: Whether you’re using a straightforward configuration or need custom build logic, Gradle adapts seamlessly.
5. Rich Ecosystem: With support for countless plugins and integration with IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA, Gradle fits into any workflow.

Groovy DSL

While Gradle’s Groovy DSL was a step up from Maven’s XML, it comes with its own set of issues.

Why Groovy Is Problematic

1. Dynamic Typing: Groovy’s dynamic typing leads to runtime errors that could have been caught earlier. A single typo can wreak havoc and go unnoticed until execution.
2. Poor IDE Support: Because Groovy is dynamically typed, IDE features like auto-completion and refactoring are unreliable at best and completely broken at worst.
3. Inconsistent Syntax: Groovy’s permissive nature often results in inconsistent and messy build scripts that are harder to maintain.
4. Bloat: Groovy’s syntax, while better than XML, is still unnecessarily verbose and lacks the elegance of a statically typed language like Kotlin.

In short, Groovy feels like an outdated, duct-taped solution. While it served its purpose initially, it’s time to move on to something better.

Kotlin DSL

The Kotlin DSL is what takes Gradle to the next level, solving many of Groovy’s shortcomings and enhancing the overall developer experience.

Why Kotlin DSL Is Better Than Groovy DSL

1. Static Typing: Kotlin provides compile-time checks and eliminates runtime errors caused by typos or misconfigurations.
2. Better IDE Support: Kotlin’s static nature means auto-completion, inline documentation, and refactoring work flawlessly.
3. Cleaner Syntax: Kotlin’s syntax is cleaner and easier to read. Compare these examples:

Groovy DSL

dependencies {  
    implementation 'org.springframework:spring-core:5.3.10'  
    testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.13.2'  
}  

Kotlin DSL

dependencies {  
    implementation("org.springframework:spring-core:5.3.10")  
    testImplementation("junit:junit:4.13.2")  
}  

The Kotlin DSL is concise, expressive, and free from Groovy’s chaos.

4. Seamless Integration: If you’re building Kotlin projects, configuring them in Kotlin feels natural and cohesive.
5. Future-Proof: Kotlin is rapidly becoming the standard for modern JVM projects, and the Kotlin DSL aligns perfectly with this trend.

Conclusion

Gradle is the ultimate build tool. It’s faster, more flexible, and more modern than Maven or Ant. Paired with the Kotlin DSL, it becomes a productivity powerhouse. And if you’re still clinging to Groovy, it’s time to accept the truth: Groovy is holding you back. Its dynamic typing, inconsistent syntax, and poor IDE support make it a relic of Gradle’s past.

Stop fighting with outdated tools and flawed languages. Switch to Gradle with the Kotlin DSL and experience a build system that respects your time and effort.