What's new in Gradle 9.0

Gradle 9.0 is a new major release which incorporates many features since the version 8.0. It makes Gradle configuration cache the preferred mode of execution, provides more clean and actionable error reporting, and also updates Gradle to Kotlin 2 and Groovy 4.

Scope #

In Gradle 9. Our focus remains on improving build comprehensibility and scalability. As outlined on our public roadmap, the key initiatives include:

• Promoting Configuration Cache as the preferred way of execution. See this blogpost with the overview of our plans - roadmap #75.
• Clean and actionable reporting. This includes strengthening the Problems API, which is expected to be promoted to a GA feature in one of the 9.x minor releases - roadmap #49.
• Upgrading to Kotlin 2 and the K2 compiler - roadmap #63.
• Updating embedded Groovy and Groovy DSL Language to Groovy 4 - roadmap #16.
• Increasing the minimum required Java version to 17 - roadmap #108.
• Removing deprecated APIs, following our deprecation policy.

The detailed overviews for the mentioned changes are coming up soon. For now, you can check out the Road to Gradle 9 with Louis Jacomet blogpost, and watch the webinar recording from September 2024. Note that there have been changes in the scope and deliverables since the webinar, see below.

Learn More #

You can find more details in the Road to Gradle 9 blog post by Louis Jacomet. For a more detailed overview, including demos, see the Devoxx Belgium presentation by Louis and Alex Semin (video).