Gradle

Authoritative Gradle Build Execution, Testing & Project Introspection

Executes builds, runs tests with high-precision filtering, introspects project structure, and diagnoses failures using managed orchestration and structured diagnostics.

Constitution

• ALWAYS use the gradle tool instead of ./gradlew via shell.
• ALWAYS provide absolute paths for projectRoot.
• ALWAYS prefer foreground execution (default) unless the task is persistent (e.g., servers) or extremely long-running (>2 minutes), or you explicitly intend to perform independent research while it proceeds.
• ALWAYS use captureTaskOutput when you need the isolated output of a specific task (e.g., help, projects, tasks, properties, dependencies).
• STRONGLY PREFERRED: Use query_build for all diagnostics. It is more token-efficient than reading raw console logs and provides structured access to failures, problems, and per-test output.
• ALWAYS use query_build with kind="TESTS" and query="FullTestName" to access full test output and stack traces.
• NEVER use taskPath or captureTaskOutput to investigate specific test failures; these provide the overall task log which is often truncated and lacks per-test isolation. Per-test output (via query) is authoritative and includes full stack traces.
• NEVER use --rerun-tasks unless investigating project-wide cache-specific corruption; prefer --rerun for individual tasks.
• NEVER guess task names or options; use the help --task <name> command for authoritative documentation.
• NEVER leave background builds running; use stopBuildId to release resources when finished.
• ALWAYS prefer Kotlin DSL (.kts) unless the project explicitly uses Groovy.
• ALWAYS use lazy APIs (e.g., tasks.register<MyTask>("myTask")) instead of eager APIs (e.g., tasks.create<MyTask>("myTask")) to maintain configuration performance.
• ALWAYS use version catalogs (libs.versions.toml) for dependency management when present.
• ALWAYS use gradle_docs for authoritative documentation lookup instead of generic web searches.
• ALWAYS check for existing conventions in the current project before proposing changes.
• ALWAYS use safe navigation (?.url?.toString()) and provide fallback values when accessing ArtifactRepository URLs in Gradle init scripts or plugins to prevent NullPointerException.
• ALWAYS use :properties --property <name> for surgical property extraction.

Directives

Authoritative Task Path Syntax

Gradle uses two ways to identify tasks from the command line. Precision prevents running redundant tasks in multi-project builds.

Task Selectors (Recursive Execution)

Providing a task name without a leading colon (e.g., test, build) acts as a selector. Gradle executes that task in every project (root and all subprojects) that contains a task with that name.

• Example: gradle(commandLine=["test"]) -> Executes test in all projects.

Absolute Task Paths (Targeted Execution)

Providing a task path with a leading colon (e.g., :test, :app:test) targets a single specific project.

• Root Project Only: Use a single leading colon. gradle(commandLine=[":test"]) -> Root project ONLY.
• Subproject Only: Use the subproject name(s) separated by colons. gradle(commandLine=[":app:test"]) -> ':app' subproject ONLY.

Authoritative Test Selection (--tests)

The --tests flag supports powerful, high-precision filtering:

• Exact Class: --tests com.example.MyTest
• Exact Method: --tests com.example.MyTest.myTestMethod
• Wildcard Method: --tests com.example.MyTest.test* (All methods starting with 'test')
• Package Filter: --tests com.example.service.* (All tests in the 'service' package)
• Class Prefix: --tests *IntegrationTest (All classes ending in 'IntegrationTest')
• Character Wildcard: --tests com.example.Test? (Matches Test1, TestA, etc.)
• Multi-Filter: gradle(commandLine=["test", "--tests", "ClassA", "--tests", "ClassB"])

Patterns match against the fully qualified name of the test class or method.

Foreground vs. Background Execution

• ALWAYS use foreground for authoritative runs: If you intend to wait for a result, ALWAYS use foreground execution. It provides superior progressive disclosure and simpler control flow.
• Background ONLY for persistent tasks: Use background: true ONLY for tasks that must remain active (e.g., bootRun, continuous builds) or when you intentionally intend to perform independent research while the build proceeds.
• Foreground is safe: Do not fear running high-output suites in the foreground. The gradle tool uses progressive disclosure to provide concise summaries and structured results, keeping session history clean.

captureTaskOutput Usage

Use captureTaskOutput when you need clean, isolated output from a specific task without Gradle's general console noise. This is ideal for introspection tasks:

• captureTaskOutput: ":projects" - Clean project list
• captureTaskOutput: ":app:tasks" - Task list for a specific project
• captureTaskOutput: ":help" - Documentation for a specific task
• captureTaskOutput: ":properties" - Single property extraction
• captureTaskOutput: ":app:dependencyInsight" - Dependency resolution path

gradle_docs Tag Syntax

Use gradle_docs for authoritative documentation. Always scope with tags:

Explore sections with path=".". Search scoped with tag:<section> <term>.

Idiomatic DSL Patterns

• Prefer register over create (Lazy APIs): Use tasks.register<MyTask>("myTask") to avoid eager task configuration.
• Use Type-Safe Accessors: Prefer tasks.test { ... } or tasks.named<Test>("test") { ... } over tasks.getByName("test").
• Use Lazy Properties: Employ Property<T> and Provider<T> APIs for late binding and configuration cache compatibility.
• Use Version Catalogs: Centralize dependencies in gradle/libs.versions.toml.
• Avoid allprojects/subprojects: These blocks create tight coupling; use convention plugins and apply them selectively.
• Enable Configuration Cache: Ensure build logic avoids accessing the Project object inside task actions.
• Use Specific Annotations: Properly label task properties with @Input, @OutputFiles, @Internal, etc.
• Minimize Logic in Build Scripts: Move complex logic into convention plugins or build-logic.

Resource Management

• Use query_build() without arguments to view the build dashboard and ensure no orphaned background builds are consuming system resources.
• Set invocationArguments: { envSource: "SHELL" } if Gradle cannot find expected env vars (e.g., JAVA_HOME).

Diagnostic Inspection (See References)

For comprehensive guidance on using query_build and wait_build for diagnostics, including JSON examples for every inspection mode (DASHBOARD, SUMMARY, FAILURES, PROBLEMS, TASKS, TESTS, CONSOLE, PROGRESS), refer to: query_build Diagnostics Reference.

Workflows

Running a Foreground Build

1. Identify the task(s) to run (e.g., ["clean", "build"]).
2. Call gradle(commandLine=["...", "..."]).
3. If the build fails, the tool returns a high-signal failure summary. Use query_build with the buildId for deeper diagnostics via query_build Diagnostics Reference.

Running Specific Tests

1. Identify the project path (e.g., :app) and the test filter (e.g., com.example.MyTestClass*).
2. Call gradle(commandLine=[":app:test", "--tests", "com.example.MyTest"]).
3. If failures are reported, use query_build to get detailed test output.

Orchestrating Background Jobs

1. Start the build with background: true to receive a BuildId.
2. Use wait_build(buildId=ID, timeout=..., waitFor=...) to block until a specific state or log pattern is reached.
3. Use query_build() (no arguments) to manage active jobs in the dashboard.
4. Stop the job using gradle(stopBuildId=ID) when finished.

Introspecting Project Structure

1. Run gradle(commandLine=[":projects"], captureTaskOutput=":projects") to map the multi-project hierarchy.
2. Run gradle(commandLine=[":app:tasks", "--all"], captureTaskOutput=":app:tasks") to discover runnable tasks.
3. Run gradle(commandLine=[":help", "--task", "test"], captureTaskOutput=":help") for task-specific documentation.
4. Run gradle(commandLine=[":properties", "--property", "version"], captureTaskOutput=":properties") for surgical property extraction.
5. For detailed dependency resolution paths: gradle(commandLine=[":app:dependencyInsight", "--dependency", "slf4j-api", "--configuration", "compileClasspath"], captureTaskOutput=":app:dependencyInsight").

Creating a New Module

1. Map the project structure: gradle(commandLine=[":projects"], captureTaskOutput=":projects") to find the correct parent path.
2. Create directory structure: New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path "<module-name>/src/main/kotlin".
3. Add to settings.gradle.kts: Append include(":<module-name>").
4. Create build.gradle.kts with idiomatic patterns (apply convention plugins, set up standard configuration).
5. Verify: gradle(commandLine=[":<module-name>:tasks"], captureTaskOutput=":<module-name>:tasks").

Performance Audit

1. Check configuration cache status: gradle(commandLine=[":help", "--configuration-cache"]).
2. Analyze task compatibility and identify violations.
3. Propose fixes: migrate to lazy APIs (Property<T>, Provider<T>) or use @Internal/@Input annotations correctly.
4. Verify against latest guidance: gradle_docs(query="tag:best-practices", projectRoot="/path/to/project").

Documentation Research

1. Search the user guide: gradle_docs(query="tag:userguide <term>", projectRoot="/path/to/project").
2. Navigate the DSL reference: gradle_docs(path="dsl/org.gradle.api.Project.html", projectRoot="/path/to/project").
3. Check for breaking changes: gradle_docs(query="tag:release-notes", version="8.6").
4. Find best practices: gradle_docs(query="tag:best-practices dependency management", projectRoot="/path/to/project").
5. Search for samples: gradle_docs(query="tag:samples toolchains", projectRoot="/path/to/project").
6. Search javadocs: gradle_docs(query="tag:javadoc Project", projectRoot="/path/to/project").

Investigating Test Failures

1. Identify the BuildId from the build result.
2. Use query_build(buildId=ID, kind="TESTS", outcome="FAILED") to list all failed tests.
3. Use query_build(buildId=ID, kind="TESTS", query=TNAME) to see the full output and stack trace for a specific test.
4. DO NOT use taskPath or captureTaskOutput for test failure investigation.

When to Use

• Core Lifecycle Execution: When you need to execute standard Gradle tasks (build, assemble, clean) with reliable, parseable output.
• Test Execution & Diagnostics: When running tests with --tests filtering, isolating failures, or retrieving full stack traces.
• Introspection & Mapping: When mapping multi-module project hierarchies, discovering runnable tasks, or auditing build configuration.
• Surgical Property Inspection: When extracting a specific property value (artifact version, build directory) for use in a subsequent task.
• Persistent Development Processes: When starting dev servers (bootRun) or continuous builds where background management is required.
• Task-Specific Information Retrieval: When you need isolated output from a single task (help, projects, tasks) without build noise.
• Build Failure Diagnostics: When performing deep-dive analysis of task failures, problems, or compilation errors.
• New Module Creation: When adding a new project or module to a multi-project build.
• Build Logic Refactoring: When cleaning up complex build scripts or creating convention plugins.
• Performance Troubleshooting: When builds are slow or failing during the configuration phase.
• Documentation & DSL Research: When looking up official Gradle syntax, user guide topics, or release notes.

Examples

Run build in all projects

Tool: gradle

{
  "commandLine": ["build"]
}
// Reasoning: Task selector (no colon) verifies build health across the entire multi-project structure.

Run a single test class in a specific subproject

Tool: gradle

{
  "commandLine": [":app:test", "--tests", "com.example.service.MyServiceTest"]
}
// Reasoning: Absolute task path with exact class filter for the fastest possible feedback loop.

Inspect help output for a specific task

Tool: gradle

{
  "commandLine": [":app:help", "--task", "test"],
  "captureTaskOutput": ":app:help"
}
// Reasoning: Using captureTaskOutput to retrieve clean, isolated documentation.

List all sub-projects in the build

Tool: gradle

{
  "commandLine": [":projects"],
  "captureTaskOutput": ":projects"
}
// Reasoning: Using captureTaskOutput to retrieve the project hierarchy list without startup noise.

Surgically inspect the 'version' property

Tool: gradle

{
  "commandLine": [":properties", "--property", "version"],
  "captureTaskOutput": ":properties"
}
// Reasoning: Using --property to isolate a single value and avoid retrieving thousands of unrelated properties.

Analyze a specific dependency conflict

Tool: gradle

{
  "commandLine": [
    ":app:dependencyInsight",
    "--dependency",
    "com.google.guava:guava",
    "--configuration",
    "runtimeClasspath"
  ],
  "captureTaskOutput": ":app:dependencyInsight"
}
// Reasoning: Using dependencyInsight to isolate the resolution path for a specific artifact.

Start a dev server and wait for readiness

Tool: gradle

// Step 1: Start the server in the background
{
  "commandLine": [":app:bootRun"],
  "background": true
}
// Response: { "buildId": "build_123" }

// Step 2: Wait for readiness signal
{
  "buildId": "build_123",
  "timeout": 60,
  "waitFor": "Started Application"
}
// Reasoning: Background orchestration allows the server to remain active while waiting for readiness.

Search official Gradle documentation

Tool: gradle_docs

{
  "query": "tag:dsl signing plugin",
  "projectRoot": "/absolute/path/to/project"
}
// Reasoning: Using the DSL tag to find authoritative syntax for the signing plugin configuration.

Create a new sub-project module

Tool: run_shell_command

{
  "command": "New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path subproject/src/main/kotlin"
}
// Reasoning: Creating the standard directory structure for a Kotlin JVM project using correct PowerShell syntax.

List all failed tests in a build

Tool: query_build

{
  "buildId": "build_abc123",
  "kind": "TESTS",
  "outcome": "FAILED"
}
// Reasoning: Isolating only the failures from a large test suite for efficient triage.

Troubleshooting

• Build Not Found: If a BuildId is not recognized, it may have expired from the recent history cache. Check the dashboard (query_build()) for valid active and historical IDs.
• Task Output Not Captured: Ensure the path provided to captureTaskOutput matches exactly one of the tasks in the commandLine.
• Missing environment variables: Set invocationArguments: { envSource: "SHELL" } if Gradle cannot find expected env vars (e.g., JAVA_HOME).

Resources

• query_build Diagnostics Reference — Complete diagnostic patterns for DASHBOARD, SUMMARY, FAILURES, PROBLEMS, TASKS, TESTS, CONSOLE, and PROGRESS.
• Background Monitoring Patterns
• Authoritative Diagnostic Tasks — Built-in introspection tasks.
• Best Practices Snapshot — High-level best practices; always verify with gradle_docs.
• Common Build Patterns — Idiomatic patterns for multi-project builds, convention plugins, and task registration.
• Official Gradle Documentation Research — Guidance on using gradle_docs for authoritative documentation.