# Java Dependency and Classpath Problems in Gradle and Maven Builds

DevFeed: [Java Dependency and Classpath Problems in Gradle and Maven Builds](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/is-the-java-ecosystem-cursed-a-dependency-analysis-perspective-30463.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://dev.to/autonomousapps/is-the-java-ecosystem-cursed-a-dependency-analysis-perspective-53ef>)

Author: Tony Robalik

Published: 2025-11-24T20:15:12Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [DEV Community: Tony Robalik](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/dev-community-tony-robalik.md>)

Topics: [Java](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/java.md>), [Gradle](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/gradle.md>), [Maven](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/maven.md>), [Kotlin](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/kotlin.md>), [Back end](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/backend.md>)

Tags: [analysis](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/analysis.md>), [build-tool](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/build-tool.md>), [coding](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/coding.md>), [community](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/community.md>), [compilers](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/compilers.md>), [dependencies](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/dependencies.md>), [dependency](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/dependency.md>), [development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/development.md>), [ecosystem](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ecosystem.md>), [engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/engineering.md>), [gradle](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/gradle.md>), [inclusive](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/inclusive.md>), [java](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/java.md>), [jvm](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/jvm.md>), [kotlin](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/kotlin.md>), [maven](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/maven.md>), [software](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software.md>), [software-supply-chain-attack](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software-supply-chain-attack.md>)

## AI overview

This opinion article examines dependency and classpath problems in the Java ecosystem, including misleading metadata, fat JARs, split packages, reflection, protobuf usage, and compiler differences. It explains how classloader behavior can create conflicts and notes that classpath properties can also enable software supply-chain attacks.

## Source excerpt

I am the author of the moderately popular (⭐ 2k) Dependency Analysis Gradle Plugin, a static analysis tool that helps Gradle build authors maintain a healthy dependency graph. I also maintain some of the largest Gradle repos on the planet: a Kotlin backend repo with over 2500 subprojects, and an Android repo with more than 7200 subprojects (both proprietary). I have... seen some shit. Note: I refer to both the cases above as being part of the "Java ecosystem," though both use Kotlin as the preferred language, and one runs on the JVM while the other runs on ART (the Android runtime) on mobile devices. I come to you with a simple proposition: I believe the Java ecosystem is cursed. Hear me out. We are cursed with... Lying metadata, overuse of "fat" jars with underuse of package relocation, split packages, undocumented usage of reflection to access upstream dependencies, usage of terms like "upstream" that have different meanings in different contexts, misuse of protobuffers, different compilers with different notions of their obligations vis-a-vis the Java class file format... Lying metadata This was already covered in-depth in This is why we can't have nice things: When POM files lie, but the summary is: sometimes dependencies have hand-written metadata, which is certainly A Choice given that build tools exist. I suppose it's harder to teach a build tool to lie. It's just a list, man Despite the bewildering complexity of dependency resolution engines in tools like Gradle and Maven, at the end of the day a classpath is just a list of class files (and jars that package class files). When your running program "sees" a class or interface for the first time, it has to load it. It does this with a ClassLoader. The classloader searches the classpath (just a list of class files!)1 and picks the first class file that matches the class it just encountered. Importantly, your classpath may have more than one class file for that class. Even well-behaved builds may have this problem, fo