Gradle CI/CD Integration

Table of Contents

• Purpose
• When to Use
• Quick Start
• Instructions
• Requirements
• 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 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 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 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
  • GRADLE_ENCRYPTION_KEY for cache encryption
  • DOCKER_USERNAME, DOCKER_PASSWORD for registry auth

See Also

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