Java: using build tool gradle wrapper to setup project and run

 

• java application openjdk 17
• gradle 8.7

install gradle 

# apt-get install gradle 


create folder project example

$ mkdir example
$ cd example

create init project

wrap gradle version for your project 

$ gradle wrapper --gradle-version 8.7
openjdk version "17.0.16" 2025-07-15
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 17.0.16+8-Debian-1deb12u1)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 17.0.16+8-Debian-1deb12u1, mixed mode, sharing)

init using gradle 8.7  debian 13 uses old 4.4 

$ ./gradlew init \
  --type java-application \
  --dsl groovy \
  --test-framework junit-jupiter \
  --package com.dedetok \
  --project-name example
openjdk version "17.0.16" 2025-07-15
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 17.0.16+8-Debian-1deb12u1)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 17.0.16+8-Debian-1deb12u1, mixed mode, sharing)
Downloading https://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.7-bin.zip
...............................................................................................................................
Unzipping ~/.gradle/wrapper/dists/gradle-8.7-bin/bhs2wmbdwecv87pi65oeuq5iu/gradle-8.7-bin.zip to ~/.gradle/wrapper/dists/gradle-8.7-bin/bhs2wmbdwecv87pi65oeuq5iu
Set executable permissions for: ~/.gradle/wrapper/dists/gradle-8.7-bin/bhs2wmbdwecv87pi65oeuq5iu/gradle-8.7/bin/gradle

Welcome to Gradle 8.7!

Here are the highlights of this release:
 - Compiling and testing with Java 22
 - Cacheable Groovy script compilation
 - New methods in lazy collection properties

For more details see https://docs.gradle.org/8.7/release-notes.html

Starting a Gradle Daemon, 1 incompatible Daemon could not be reused, use --status for details

Enter target Java version (min: 7, default: 21): 17

Select application structure:
  1: Single application project
  2: Application and library project
Enter selection (default: Single application project) [1..2] 1

Generate build using new APIs and behavior (some features may change in the next minor release)? (default: no) [yes, no] no


> Task :init
To learn more about Gradle by exploring our Samples at https://docs.gradle.org/8.7/samples/sample_building_java_applications_multi_project.html

BUILD SUCCESSFUL in 5m 12s
1 actionable task: 1 executed

./settings.gradle

plugins {
    // Apply the foojay-resolver plugin to allow automatic download of JDKs
    id 'org.gradle.toolchains.foojay-resolver-convention' version '0.8.0'
}

rootProject.name = 'example'
include('app')

./app/build.gradle

plugins {
    // Apply the application plugin to add support for building a CLI application in Java.
    id 'application'
}

repositories {
    // Use Maven Central for resolving dependencies.
    mavenCentral()
}

dependencies {
    // Use JUnit Jupiter for testing.
    testImplementation libs.junit.jupiter

    testRuntimeOnly 'org.junit.platform:junit-platform-launcher'

    // This dependency is used by the application.
    implementation libs.guava
}

// Apply a specific Java toolchain to ease working on different environments.
java {
    toolchain {
        languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(17)
    }
}

application {
    // Define the main class for the application.
    mainClass = 'com.dedetok.App'
}

tasks.named('test') {
    // Use JUnit Platform for unit tests.
    useJUnitPlatform()
}

./gradle/libs.versions.toml

[versions]
guava = "32.1.3-jre"
junit-jupiter = "5.10.1"

[libraries]
guava = { module = "com.google.guava:guava", version.ref = "guava" }
junit-jupiter = { module = "org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter", version.ref = "junit-jupiter" }

To show current gradle version

$ ./gradlew --version

------------------------------------------------------------
Gradle 8.7
------------------------------------------------------------

Build time:   2024-03-22 15:52:46 UTC
Revision:     650af14d7653aa949fce5e886e685efc9cf97c10

Kotlin:       1.9.22
Groovy:       3.0.17
Ant:          Apache Ant(TM) version 1.10.13 compiled on January 4 2023
JVM:          17.0.16 (Debian 17.0.16+8-Debian-1deb12u1)
OS:           Linux 6.12.57+deb13-amd64 amd64

Test run

$ ./gradlew run
Path for java installation '/usr/lib/jvm/openjdk-17' (Common Linux Locations) does not contain a java executable

> Task :app:run
Hello World!

BUILD SUCCESSFUL in 473ms
2 actionable tasks: 1 executed, 1 up-to-date

or you can run using style $ ./gradlew :app:run

Now add maridb jcoonect into project, using Traditional Groovy Approach. edit ./app/build.gradle

...
dependencies {
    // Use JUnit Jupiter for testing.
    testImplementation libs.junit.jupiter

    testRuntimeOnly 'org.junit.platform:junit-platform-launcher'

    // This dependency is used by the application.
    implementation libs.guava

    // mariadb jconnector (single file no need change libs.versions.toml
    implementation 'org.mariadb.jdbc:mariadb-java-client:3.3.3'

    // using libs.versions.toml must editing this file 
    //implementation libs.mariadb.client

}
...

If you wish to useing Version Catalog Approach, use 2nd option for ./app/build.gradle and edit libs.version.toml

[versions]
guava = "32.1.3-jre"
junit-jupiter = "5.10.1"
mariadb = "3.3.3"

[libraries]
guava = { module = "com.google.guava:guava", version.ref = "guava" }
junit-jupiter = { module = "org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter", version.ref = "junit-jupiter" }
mariadb-client = { group = "org.mariadb.jdbc", name = "mariadb-java-client", version.ref = "mariadb" }


use Version Catalog Approach for complex project and involving multiple developers.

Edit ./app/src/main/java/com/dedetok/App.java

/*
 * This source file was generated by the Gradle 'init' task
 */
package com.dedetok;

import java.sql.*;

public class App {
    public String getGreeting() {
        return "Hello World!";
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) throws SQLException {
        System.out.println(new App().getGreeting());
        
        String dbUrl = "jdbc:mariadb://localhost:3306/mydatabase";
        String dbUName = "myuname";
        String dbPass = "mypass";
        
        Connection conn = DriverManager.getConnection(dbUrl, dbUName, dbPass);

    }
}

To generate single file jar for your project, edit  ./app/build.gradle

...
jar {
    duplicatesStrategy = DuplicatesStrategy.EXCLUDE

    // change with yours
    manifest {
        attributes "Main-Class": "com.dedetok.App"
    }

    from {
        configurations.runtimeClasspath.collect { it.isDirectory() ? it : zipTree(it) }
    }
}
...

You can run directly using java command

$ ./gradlew build
...
$ java -jar ./app/build/libs/app.jar
Hello World!

Your jar file location is ./app/build/libs/

Now you can edit  ./app/src/main/java/com/dedetok/App.java finish your project. Use any text editor if you wish.