# The Problem with Gradle

DevFeed: [The Problem with Gradle](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/the-problem-with-gradle-32233.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://bruceeckel.com/2021/01/02/the-problem-with-gradle/>)

Author: Bruce Eckel

Published: 2021-01-02T00:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Bruce Eckel - Computing Thoughts](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/bruce-eckel-computing-thoughts.md>)

Topics: [Gradle](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/gradle.md>), [make](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/make.md>), [Groovy](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/groovy.md>), [Kotlin](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/kotlin.md>), [Programming](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/programming.md>)

Tags: [article](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/article.md>), [gradle](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/gradle.md>), [groovy](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/groovy.md>), [kotlin](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/kotlin.md>), [make](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/make.md>), [programming](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/programming.md>)

## AI overview

The author explains why Gradle has been difficult to understand after using simpler, dedicated build tools such as make and Ant. They describe Gradle's configuration and mental-model challenges, including the transition from Groovy to Kotlin, and their reliance on others to manage Gradle build files.

## Source excerpt

Or: How to Remain Sane when Approaching Gradle (with apologies to Hans Dockter). (James Ward and I go into more detail about this article in the Happy Path Programming Podcast). I started using make in the 80's. When I wrote Thinking in C++, I created a tool I called makebuilder which analyzed the examples extracted from the book and generated an appropriate makefile. make is a dedicated tool that only cares about dependencies and actions, so it is reasonably approachable.