Setting Up Gradle in Apache NetBeans (Part 2)

Part 1 is here

Setting up Gradle in Apache NetBeans involves a series of steps that include creating a new project, configuring the Gradle build script, and running the project. Here is a detailed guide on how to set up Gradle in Apache NetBeans with the necessary commands and interface descriptions:

Prerequisites

• Make sure you have Apache NetBeans installed on your machine. NetBeans should be version 11 or higher since these versions come with built-in support for Gradle.
• Ensure that Java Development Kit (JDK) is installed on your system.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Gradle

Step 1: Launch NetBeans IDE

• Open the Apache NetBeans IDE on your computer.

Step 2: Start a New Project

• Navigate to the top menu and click on File.
• From the dropdown, select New Project... or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+N.

Step 3: Choose Project Type

• In the ‘New Project’ wizard, you will see different categories and project types.
• Under ‘Categories:’, select Java with Gradle.
• Under ‘Projects:’, select Java Application for a standard Java application.
• Click Next > to proceed.

Step 4: Project Configuration

• In the ‘Name and Location’ step, provide your project with a meaningful Project Name.
• Specify where you want to store your project in the Project Location field.
• Optionally, you can change the Group and Version fields.
• Make sure Use dedicated Folder for Storing Libraries is checked if you want to keep your project dependencies separate.
• Click Finish.

Step 5: Gradle Project Structure

• After the project is created, you will see a new project structure in the ‘Projects’ tab, typically on the left side of the IDE.
• Expand the project directory to view the following key components:
  • Build Scripts: Contains the build.gradle file where you can define project dependencies, plugins, and tasks.
  • Source Packages: Where your Java source code files (*.java) will reside.
  • Test Packages: Dedicated to your test classes.

Step 6: Edit the Build Script

• Double-click the build.gradle file to open it in the editor.
• Here you can declare your project’s dependencies, any additional repositories, and configure plugins you wish to use.
• For example, to add a dependency, you would add a line like implementation 'org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web' under the dependencies block.

Step 7: Build and Run the Project

• Right-click on your project in the ‘Projects’ tab.
• Select Build to compile the project or Run to run the application.
• If your project is correctly set up, you should see the BUILD SUCCESSFUL message in the output window at the bottom of the IDE.

Additional Gradle Commands

Although the NetBeans IDE provides a graphical interface for working with Gradle, you can also use the built-in terminal or your system’s command prompt for additional Gradle tasks.

Refreshing Gradle Tasks

• If you have changed the build.gradle file, you might need to refresh the Gradle tasks.
• In the IDE, right-click on the project and select Reload Project.

Cleaning the Build

• To clean your build directory, right-click on the project, go to Tasks and select clean.

Running Specific Tasks

• You can run specific Gradle tasks from the command line integrated in NetBeans.
• Open the terminal in NetBeans and navigate to your project directory.
• Run a specific task using ./gradlew taskName (on Unix-like OSes) or gradlew taskName (on Windows).

Conclusion

Setting up Gradle in Apache NetBeans is straightforward thanks to the built-in support in the IDE. The graphical interface allows easy access to Gradle’s features, while the IDE’s terminal provides the flexibility of command-line operations. With Gradle set up, you can leverage its powerful features for building, testing, and managing dependencies in your Java projects.

Part 3 is here