Gradle CI/CD Integration

Table of Contents

• [Purpose](#purpose)
• [When to Use](#when-to-use)
• [Quick Start](#quick-start)
• [Instructions](#instructions)
• [Requirements](#requirements)
• [See Also](#see-also)

Purpose

Configure Gradle builds for continuous integration and deployment with caching, artifact management, test reporting, and Docker image building. Covers GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, and CircleCI with production-ready optimizations.

When to Use

Use this skill when you need to:

• Set up automated builds in GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, or CircleCI
• Configure dependency and build caching for faster CI pipelines
• Generate and publish test reports in CI/CD
• Build and push Docker images in automated pipelines
• Optimize CI build performance with parallel execution
• Handle build artifacts and code coverage reports

Quick Start

GitHub Actions .github/workflows/build.yml:

name: Build

on: [push, pull_request]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4

    - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
      with:
        java-version: '21'
        distribution: 'temurin'

    - uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@v4
      with:
        cache-encryption-key: ${{ secrets.GRADLE_ENCRYPTION_KEY }}

    - run: ./gradlew build --parallel --build-cache --scan

GitLab CI .gitlab-ci.yml:

image: gradle:8.11-jdk21-alpine

variables:
  GRADLE_OPTS: "-Dorg.gradle.daemon=false -Dorg.gradle.caching=true"

build:
  script:
    - ./gradlew build --parallel --build-cache
  cache:
    paths:
      - .gradle/wrapper
      - .gradle/caches

Instructions

Step 1: Use Gradle Wrapper in CI

Always use the Gradle wrapper for consistent versions:

# Use wrapper (recommended)
./gradlew build

# Not this
gradle build

Ensure wrapper is executable:

chmod +x ./gradlew
git add gradlew

Step 2: Configure Build Caching

Enable caching in your CI configuration:

GitHub Actions:

- uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@v4
  with:
    cache-encryption-key: ${{ secrets.GRADLE_ENCRYPTION_KEY }}
    cache-read-only: ${{ github.ref != 'refs/heads/main' }}

GitLab CI:

cache:
  key: "$CI_COMMIT_REF_SLUG"
  paths:
    - .gradle/wrapper
    - .gradle/caches

Jenkins:

agent {
    docker {
        image 'gradle:8.11-jdk21'
        args '-v $HOME/.gradle:/home/gradle/.gradle'
    }
}

See [references/detailed-guide.md](./references/detailed-guide.md) for complete caching strategies.

Step 3: Optimize Build Performance

Use these flags for faster CI builds:

./gradlew build \
  --parallel \              # Parallel execution
  --build-cache \          # Remote build cache
  --configuration-cache \  # Configuration cache (Gradle 8+)
  --scan                   # Build scan for analysis

Configure in gradle.properties:

org.gradle.parallel=true
org.gradle.caching=true
org.gradle.daemon=false  # Disable for CI

Step 4: Configure Test Reporting

JUnit XML reports:

# GitHub Actions
- name: Publish Test Results
  uses: mikepenz/action-junit-report@v4
  if: always()
  with:
    report_paths: '**/build/test-results/test/TEST-*.xml'

GitLab CI:

test:
  script:
    - ./gradlew test
  artifacts:
    reports:
      junit: build/test-results/test/TEST-*.xml

See [references/detailed-guide.md](./references/detailed-guide.md) for coverage reporting with JaCoCo.

Step 5: Build and Push Docker Images

GitHub Actions with Jib:

- name: Build Docker Image (PR)
  if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
  run: ./gradlew jibDockerBuild

- name: Build and Push (Main)
  if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
  run: ./gradlew jib
  env:
    DOCKER_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
    DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}

GitLab CI:

docker-build:
  stage: deploy
  only:
    - main
  script:
    - ./gradlew jib
  environment:
    name: production

See [references/detailed-guide.md](./references/detailed-guide.md) for Jenkins and CircleCI configurations.

Step 6: Handle Build Artifacts

Upload artifacts:

# GitHub Actions
- name: Upload Build Artifacts
  uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
  with:
    name: build-artifacts
    path: |
      build/libs/
      build/reports/

GitLab CI:

build:
  artifacts:
    paths:
      - build/libs/
    expire_in: 1 day

Step 7: Implement Build Scans

Enable build scans for troubleshooting:

// build.gradle.kts
plugins {
    id("com.gradle.enterprise") version "3.16.1"
}

gradleEnterprise {
    buildScan {
        termsOfServiceUrl = "https://gradle.com/terms-of-service"
        termsOfServiceAgree = "yes"
        publishAlways()
    }
}

Run with --scan:

./gradlew build --scan

Requirements

• Gradle Wrapper: 8.11+ recommended
• Java: JDK 17+ (21 recommended for latest features)
• CI Platform: GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, or CircleCI
• Dependencies:

- gradle/actions/setup-gradle@v4 for GitHub Actions - Docker for container-based builds

• Secrets: Store credentials securely

- GRADLEENCRYPTIONKEY for cache encryption - DOCKERUSERNAME, DOCKERPASSWORD for registry auth

See Also

• [references/detailed-guide.md](./references/detailed-guide.md) - Comprehensive examples for all CI platforms, commands reference, best practices, and troubleshooting
• [gradle-performance-optimization](../gradle-performance-optimization/SKILL.md) - Optimize build caching
• [gradle-docker-jib](../gradle-docker-jib/SKILL.md) - Build Docker images
• [gradle-testing-setup](../gradle-testing-setup/SKILL.md) - Configure test reporting
• GitHub Actions Gradle Setup - Official Gradle Actions