Oussama Belhadi

Posted on Feb 12

Gradle vs Maven

Gradle vs Maven: Choosing the Right Build Tool for Your Java Project

When working on Java projects, developers often need a reliable build automation tool to handle dependencies, compilation, and packaging. Two of the most popular options are Maven and Gradle. But which one should you use? Let’s break it down.

What Are Maven and Gradle?

Maven

Maven is a convention-based build tool that uses XML (pom.xml) for defining dependencies, configurations, and plugins. It follows a structured lifecycle, making it easy to set up and manage projects with minimal customization.

Gradle

Gradle is a flexible and performance-oriented build tool that uses Groovy or Kotlin (build.gradle or build.gradle.kts) for configuration. It introduces incremental builds, allowing it to run only the necessary tasks, making it significantly faster than Maven.

How Do They Handle Builds?

Maven Build Process

Maven follows a predefined lifecycle, ensuring all steps are executed sequentially:

compile – Compiles the Java source code.
test – Runs unit tests.
package – Bundles compiled files into a JAR or WAR.
install – Installs the packaged artifact into the local repository.
deploy – Deploys the artifact to a remote repository.

Each phase is executed in order, meaning you can't skip steps unless manually optimized.

Gradle Build Process

Gradle uses tasks instead of lifecycle phases, providing more flexibility. Some key features include:

Incremental builds: It recompiles only changed files, making it faster.
Parallel execution: Multiple tasks run simultaneously to speed up the process.
Custom tasks: Developers can define their own build logic.

For example, you can compile your project using:

gradle build

This runs only necessary tasks instead of re-executing everything.

Dependency Management

Both tools support dependency management:

Maven: Uses pom.xml and downloads dependencies from Maven Central.
Gradle: Uses dependencies block in build.gradle, supporting Maven Central, JCenter, or custom repositories.

Example of a dependency in each:

Maven (pom.xml)

<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-core</artifactId>
    <version>5.3.8</version>
</dependency>

Gradle (build.gradle)

dependencies {
    implementation 'org.springframework:spring-core:5.3.8'
}

Do They Handle Compilation?

Yes, both handle Java compilation:

Maven: Uses maven-compiler-plugin and executes mvn compile.
Gradle: Uses JavaCompile task and executes gradle compileJava.

Do They Create JAR/WAR Files?

Yes! Both tools package projects into JAR (for standalone apps) and WAR (for web apps):

Maven: Runs mvn package to create a .jar or .war file.
Gradle: Uses the jar {} or war {} task with gradle jar or gradle war.

Performance: Which One is Faster?

Gradle is generally faster due to:

Incremental builds (only recompiling changed files).
Task parallelization (executing tasks simultaneously instead of sequentially like Maven).

For large projects, Gradle can significantly reduce build times compared to Maven.

Which One Should You Choose?

Feature	Maven	Gradle
Configuration	XML (`pom.xml`)	Groovy/Kotlin (`build.gradle` or `build.gradle.kts`)
Execution Speed	Slower (runs full builds)	Faster (incremental builds, parallel execution)
Flexibility	Predefined lifecycle	Customizable build tasks
Learning Curve	Easier to start	More scripting knowledge needed
Dependency Management	Uses `pom.xml`	Uses `dependencies {}` block
Customization	Limited	Highly customizable

When to Use Maven ✅

If you prefer simplicity and a well-structured project lifecycle.
If you're working with a standardized Java project.
If you don’t need much customization.

When to Use Gradle 🚀

If you need faster builds, especially for large projects.
If your project requires custom build logic.
If you want more control over dependency resolution.

Conclusion

Both Maven and Gradle are excellent build tools, each with its strengths. If you want a structured, convention-based approach, Maven is a great choice. If performance and flexibility matter more, Gradle is the way to go.

What’s your experience with Maven or Gradle? Let’s discuss in the comments! 🚀

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