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- Java Build Tools

What are the best Java Build Tools ?
Gradle, apache maven, cmake, sonatype nexus, and bazel are the most popular tools in the category "java build tools". "flexibility" is the primary reason developers pick gradle over its competitors, while "dependency management" is the reason why apache maven was chosen..

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List of Open Source Java Build Tools
- by devopscube
- November 20, 2022

Java is a popular programming language, and as such there are many open-source Java build tools available. This article looks at 4 of the most popular Java build tools.
It also covers when you should use each tool in development. Finally, it provides some helpful tips on how to get started using these tools effectively.
A lot of engineering teams are using Java Build tools to automate their build processes. This article will look into popular and widely used open-source Java build tools with their pros and cons.
What is a Java Build Tool?
A java build tool is a program or command-line utility that automates the process of compiling, assembling, and deploying software.
Build tools are often used to automate processes such as building an application binary from source code
Build tools are not only limited to just compiling code, they can also help with the following: package management, dependency handling, and in continuous integration pipelines.
When it comes to continuous integration build tools play an important part in building and packaging the source cod e by handling all the dependencies.
Best Open Source Java Build Tools
Following is the list of Open source Java Builds.
Apache Maven
- Ant with ivy
Maven Website: maven.apache.org
One of the most popular is Maven, which was originally developed in 2001 and has since been adopted as the de facto standard for building Java projects.
Maven’s scalability and extensibility make it an attractive choice for small development teams who need automated builds but don’t have a lot of resources allocated toward software engineering overhead.
You can get started by installing maven .
Official Website: gradle.org
Gradle is built upon the concepts of ant and maven. Gradle uses Groovy scripts for declaring the project configuration. Gradle was designed for multi-project builds and supports incremental builds by determining which parts of the build are up-to-date.
Ant is mostly treated as a legacy right now. Industry going forward with Gradle build tool. I personally feel, Ant and Maven still we can use it, it mainly depends on the project. Sometimes we can use a combination of Ant and Gradle, Maven and Gradle, or even three together.
Official Website: scala-sbt.org
SBT is a Scala-based build tool. It’s considered to be among the most popular Java Build Tools. Sbt has many plugins and allows developers to easily create their own custom tasks for specific purposes.
The SBT can execute projects in multiple JVM languages, including Ruby and JavaScript.
One of the main benefits of using SBT with a java project is that it can automatically download the dependencies and set up a development environment
SBT for java has many plugins which are contributed by third-party developers.
Apache Ant with ivy
Official Website: ant.apache.org
Ant is a java library, which helps to drive the process defined in the build file. Mainly Ant is used to build java applications. Ant is very flexible; it does not impose any rules like coding conventions, or directory structure. Ivy is a subproject of Ant, which acts as a dependency manager.
Here you can refer to some ant scripts: Ant Scripts
What is the Need for Java Build Tools?
The answer to this question is simple: if we are not automating our build processes then we will be spending more time doing manual work.
We can say that a build tool should automate the process of compiling, packaging, and deploying an application.
ANT vs Maven
Let me share with you some of the important differences between ANT and Maven.
- ANT – we need to provide information about the project structure whereas Maven has a convention to place source code, compiled code, packages, etc., So for Maven, we do not need to provide information about the project.
- Maven has a life cycle of the build process, whereas ANT does not.
- Maven is a framework and Ant is just a tool.
- Ant is mainly for building tools and Maven is mainly a project management tool.
- Ant is less preferred and Maven is more preferred than Ant.
Maven vs Gradle
Let me share with you some of the important features or reasons, which Gradle is having and Maven does not. These features promoting Gradle to choose over other build tools.
- When it comes to performance, Gradle has features like Incremental build and Compiler Daemon, which increase dramatic speed and reduced build time.
- Ant integration with Gradle works very well.
- Google adopted Gradle as the default build tool for android projects. so Gradle has more support for better building Android projects.
- Gradle releases a new version usually every 6 to 8 weeks and adds new features every release.
For a more detailed comparison between Maven and Gradle. Please refer to this link.
In this article, we have learned about some of the popular open-source java build tools . Of course, selecting a build tool for your java projects depends on your choice. If you have any queries regarding the build tools, leave a comment below.
Also, in terms of DevOps , it is very important to know about build tools. Check out the DevOps Engineer guide to know more.
- Build Tools
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The java programming language is based on the syntax of C and C++ but has a simpler object model. Though it provides very little lower level functionality.
First, thanks for providing information. My question is, if i want to use java, spring, JPA, apache camel, infinispan cache, jboss server. Which one should i use?
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- Build Tools in Java
- Java Howtos
What is Build Tools
Top 5 build tools in java, comparisons between java build tools.

This article mainly focuses on Java build tools. First, we will learn what build tools are, and then we will discuss 5 of the most popular ones for Java.
Whatever programming language developers use to develop software, build tools play an important role in automating the build processes.
A build tool turns the software’s source code into executable code. We all know that whatever code we write in Java, the computer doesn’t understand.
So we must convert it into binary, which is what the build tool does.
Also, build tools, compile the code, run the test cases, and manage the software’s dependencies, packages, and deployment to the production system.
Furthermore, the question can arise: can’t we manage dependencies, packages, and compilation by ourselves? Yes, we can do that.
But think that we are making changes to our code 5 to 7 times per day if we follow the Agile development strategy. Will we waste our time compiling and downloading required dependencies whenever we update the version of our code?
Not really! We should use build tools to overcome these problems and save time.
Here, we have an overview of the top 5 Java build tools.
A contemporary automation tool for project build automation is called Gradle .
It is used in software development. Gradle features a built-in DSL based on either Kotlin or Groovy code.
Gradle is a more up-to-date version of Apache Ant that uses Apache Groove, a domain-specific language (DSL), instead of XML. Every stage of the development of an app can benefit from using Gradle.
It allows incremental builds and can perform all of Ant’s functions, plus much more.
Ant and Maven are the foundations upon which Gradle is based. Gradle uses groovy scripts to declare the project configuration.
Gradle supports incremental builds by identifying which body components are the most recent because it was created for multi-project forms.
Since 2004 there has been this software program from the Apache Software Foundation. According to some, Maven is an updated version of Apache Ant.
This build tool is based on Java and supports projects written in other programming languages. It just requires that you create exceptions because it builds using conventions.
Maven makes it simple to create plugins for a particular purpose. Additionally, you can utilize it simultaneously for numerous projects. Maven is reliant on XML.
The Java development environment uses Apache Maven, a potent software project management tool, to manage, build, and maintain project dependencies. Maven uses XML to configure projects.
The predecessor of Apache Maven was Apache Ant. Ant was created as a substitute for the build tool Make, which was previously widely used in software development and was first made available in 2000.
Ant is used to automate build tasks using an XML file. Though, the Apache Ivy plugin is required for Ant to provide dependency management.
Learning Ant shouldn’t be too challenging if you are familiar with build tools, dependency management, and XML. It is still quite helpful even though it is regarded as “ancient”.
Apache Ant is incredibly adaptable. Depending on the functions you want this software to carry out, you can modify it.
For example, Apache Ant may be used to compile the source code of an app and run it, just like other build automation applications.
Java is the operating system for this free-build automation server. Many developers utilize Jenkins , which has been operating for more than ten years.
The 1,400 plugins increase the capabilities it can support. Jenkins can be used to compile, test, and deploy programs.
Jenkins can be started on a Java app server like Apache Tomcat as a standalone application or servlet.
It is often used as a tool for CD (Continuous Delivery) and CI (Continuous Integration). Jenkins is excellent for continuously developing and testing software projects.
Its features simplify the work of developers by enabling them to incorporate changes to a project and allow continuous software delivery by interacting with various testing and deployment tools.
This is a 2008 edition of an interaction build tool. The Scala Build Tool is called SBT .
It is regarded as one of the most widely used Java Build Tools. It supports Java even if Scala projects are its primary use.
In addition to offering all the capabilities in typical build automation software, SBT is explicitly tailored for Scala applications. It controls dependencies as well.
SBT has several plugins, and you can add further functionality to the program.
The SBT can carry out tasks in various JVM languages, including JavaScript and Ruby. One of the key advantages of utilizing SBT with Java projects is that it can set up a development environment and download dependencies automatically.
Other developers have created numerous plugins for SBT for Java.
We’ve seen that some open sources and paid-for build automation solutions exist.
A Maven is a build tool, whereas Jenkins is a continuous integration tool if we compare the top tools, Jenkins and Maven. Jenkins can use Maven as a build tool.
Gradle is faster than Maven when the two are compared since it offers the characteristics of incrementality, build caching, and cradle daemon.
We can say that every tool is best in their way. But your decision will determine the build tool you choose for your Java projects.

Shubham is a software developer interested in learning and writing about various technologies. He loves to help people by sharing vast knowledge about modern technologies via different platforms such as the DelftStack.com website.
Build tools in java
A build tool is utility program to automate the process of repetitive tasks like compiling source code and creating files etc. A build tool can be executed from the command line. Note: Apache Ant, Maven and Gradle are the commonly used building tools in java.
Why build tools are used?
Build tools are used to automate the process of repetitive tasks like source code compilation etc and take this burden away from the developers.


15 BEST Java Tools & Software for Developers (2023)
There are many tools available for Java management. These software ease the entire process of developing, testing and deployment in Java.
Following is a handpicked list of Java Tools for Developers , with their popular features and website links. The list contains both open source(free) and commercial(paid) tools.

Best JAVA Tools for Development
Name | Free Trial | Platforms | Link |
---|---|---|---|
30 Days Free Trial | Windows and Linux | ||
30-Day Free Trial | Windows, Mac and Linux | ||
Open Source Tool | Windows, Mac and Linux | ||
Open Source Tool | Windows, Mac and Linux | ||
Open Source Tool | Windows, Mac and Linux |
1) Site24x7
Monitor the performance of your Java applications with Site24x7 APM Insight. Site24x7 is a SaaS-based all-in-one monitoring solution for DevOps and IT. With Site24x7 APM, you can get a holistic view of your application performance in real-time and debug errors with ease.

Customer Support: Chat, Contact Form, Email and Phone
Platforms: Windows and Linux
Programming Languages Supports: Java, .NET, Ruby, PHP, Node.js, and Python
- Free Trial: 30 Days Free Trial
Key Features:
- Get a bird’s eye view of Java app performance with application dependency maps
- Support for monitoring individual methods or functions in code using custom instrumentation
- Support for distributed tracing – identify errors across microservices and distributed architecture
- Real-time reports on JVM performance including key metrics like JVM CPU usage, garbage collection, run-time memory, heap memory, with alerting.
- It provides Java, .NET, Ruby, PHP, Node.js, and Python languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with ServiceNow, PagerDuty, Opsgenie, Jira, Moogsoft, ConnectWise Manage, Zoho Desk, ManageEngine AlarmsOne, Webhooks, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and more.
- This tool also provide Mobile access, SLA management, Hosted status pages, For Managed Service Providers, Alerts and reports, Root cause analysis, Web Page Speed, Website Monitoring, DNS Server Monitoring, 120+ Global Monitoring Locations, Website Availability Monitoring (HTTP / HTTPS), Website Defacement Monitoring, and more.
- Offers plugin support MySQL, WebLogic, GlassFish, Tomcat, Apache, Nagios databases, load balancers, message brokers and caches
- It provides customer support via Chat, Contact Form, Email and Phone
- Supported Platforms: Windows and Linux Price: Plans start at $9 a month Free Trial: 30 Days Free Trial
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
Notifications of drive space and uptime problems. | The user interface needs to be improved more. |
Monitoring of your website. | Cloud monitoring functions are limited. |
Great gameplay with a very responsive touchscreen | |
It offer APM monitoring, cloud monitoring, and server monitoring. | |
A custom integration with a variety of apps is available. |
Visit Site24x7 >>
30 Days Free Trial
2) ManageEngine Applications Manager
ManageEngine Applications Manager helps proactively monitor Java applications and the infrastructure performance.

Customer Support: Chat, Email and Phone
Programming Languages Supports: GO, C++, Python, Java, JavaScript, and Swift
- Monitor, optimize and troubleshoot Java application performance with the help of code-level insights, distributed traces, and more.
- Supports monitoring of Java Virtual Machine (JVM), Java Runtime Environment (JRE), Java application server, JDBC, JMX and Java thread dumps.
- prevent fault occurrence and unnecessary oversight.
- Automatic corrective actions using web hooks to start external actions.
- Machine learning enabled analytics which helps anticipate future resource utilization and growth.
- It provides GO, C++, Python, Java, JavaScript, and Swift languages supports Seamlessly integrates with OpManager, AlarmsOne, Analytics Plus, ServiceDesk Plus, ServiceNow and Slack
- This tool also provide Application Discovery and Dependency Mapping, Business Service Management, Fault Management and Alerts, Application Analytics, Mobile Application and REST APIs
- Offers plugin support OpManager, APM plugin
- It provides customer support via Chat, Email and Phone
- Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac and Linux
- Price: Plans start at $395 for 10 Monitors with 1 User
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
A wide range of network devices can be monitored. | Agents are required for End-User-Monitoring. |
Simple setup and installation | There is limited integration. |
Affordable, and easy –to-use | SQL knowledge is required for customized reports. |
Group apps will allow you to monitor your entire service efficiently. | |
Detection and resolution of network issues in a timely manner. | |
Discovery and mapping of dependencies in an automated and dynamic manner. |
Visit ManageEngine >>
JUnit is an open source unit testing tool for Java programming language. It is important Java development tool for test-driven development and deployment.

- Preparation of input data and setup/creation of fake objects
- Loading databases with a specific known set of data
- It provides annotations so that test classes can have fixture run before or after every test
- JUnit provides support for writing and running tests
- It provides annotations to identify test methods
- Provides assertions for testing expected results
- JUnit tests allow writing codes faster, which increases quality
- It provides Java, React, Go, Python, Node.js languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with Eclipse, NetBeans, Mockito, etc.
- This tool also provide Hierarchical test structures, Display names and tags
- Offers plugin support Gradle, Project Report, and Project Build Plugins
- It provides customer support via Email
- Price: Open Source Tool Free to Download
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
The JUnit framework is an open source project. | It’s not suitable for testing at the higher levels |
Enhances the productivity and stability of the code. | Group testing cannot be done in JUnit |
Easily integrates with most software programs. | |
A simple and easy-to-use application. |
Download link: http://junit.org/junit4/
4) NetBeans
NetBeans is FREE, open-source IDE. It is one of the best Java developer tools which allows developing desktop, mobile and web applications.

- It offers complete support for Latest Java Technologies
- Support for fast & smart code editing
- Easy & Efficient Project Management process
- Rapid User Interface Development
- Helps to write bug-free code
- NetBeans IDE offers superior support for C/C++ and PHP developers
- It provides Java, JavaScript, PHP and HTML languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with Databases, and Source Code Management tools
- This tool also provide Contributing code, Validating issues and Reporting issues
- Offers plugin support NetBeans CSV Editor, NB Figletize, NB SpringBoot, Codename One NetBeans Plugin, jVi for NB Update Center, Twig Linter, Upload Files Button, External Java Code Formatters for NetBeans, Yoda Quote and GUI Popup & Inspect
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
Maintain Project Groups to differentiate applications. | Netbeans provides only one view unlike Eclipse. |
It offers readymade script templates. | Heavyweight as plugins cannot be uninstalled. |
It has tools for static analysis. | There can be a problem with performance. |
Offer fantastic Maven support. | |
Free and open source software. |
Download link: https://netbeans.org/downloads/index.html
5) Apache Maven
Apache Maven is a software Project Management Tool. It is based on the Project Object Model (POM) concept.

- Simple project setup that follows best practices to get a new project or module started in seconds
- This Java programmer software allows easy writing of plugins using Java
- Instant access to new features with very few extra configuration
- Ant tasks for dependency management and deployment outside of Maven
- Release management and distribution publication
- It encourages the use of a central repository of JARs and other dependencies
- It provides Java, C, C++, Perl, Tcl and Python languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with Eclipse IDE, JetBrains
- This tool also provide Simple project setup, Superior dependency management, Manage a project’s Build, Reporting and Documentation
- Offers plugin support clean, compiler, deploy, failsafe, install, resources, site, surefire and verifier
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
The best way to manage dependencies. | The builds are complex and fragile. |
A pom file can automatically add project dependencies. | Maven knowledge at the basic level is required. |
There is a large central repository. | There can be a lot of complications errors that can occur. |
It is possible to maintain and modularize the code. | |
It is very easy to locate information about a project. |
Download link: http://maven.apache.org/download.cgi
Mockito is an Open Source Java Mocking and Unit Testing Tool. Mockito is a popular open source Java mocking framework. It helps developers to write clean, well-designed and loosely-coupled code.

- It can be used to write Behaviour Driven Development style tests with syntactic sugar facilitates
- It offers nice, easily readable syntax. It also provides some annotations needed for reducing boilerplate code
- Mockito allows writing of relaxed tests
- It provides Python, Java, C++, .NET languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with JUnit
- This tool also provide Partial mocking, Automatically inject mocks, Speed with test automation, High quality tests, Unlock continuous delivery, Securing production code quality, and more.
- Offers plugin support MockMaker, PluginSwitch and StackTraceCleanerProvider, and more.
- Supported Platforms: Windows
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
The mockito tool is almost everywhere (Python, Java, C++, .NET). | Understand the concepts and follow best practices takes time. |
Supports mocks as well as test spies. | No support for private or static methods. |
There is a huge community on StackOverflow | |
It supports mocks as well as test spies. |
Download link: http://site.mockito.org/
Ehcache is an open source, standards-based caching tool for Java language. It is robust, proven, full-featured tool which can be integrated with other popular libraries and frameworks.

- Ehcache strives to maintain a small footprint to keep apps as light as possible
- Revamped API that leverages Java generics and Cache interactions
- API is very simple and easy to use
- Scalable to hundreds of caches
- Allows box Spring Caching and Hibernate integration to with javax.cache support
- It provides Java languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with GitHub and Jira
- This tool also provide Minimal dependencies, Scalable, Flexible, Standards Based, Distributed Caching and Extensible
- Offers plugin support Springcache
- It provides customer support via community & support forums
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
It provides Hibernate cache implementation. | There is a lot of disk space consumed by Disk Cache |
The implementation is simpler and easier. | The security of data cannot be guaranteed |
An interface for listening to caches and cache managers | |
It supports multiple cache manager instances as well as multiple cache | |
areas within a single cache manager |
Download link: http://www.ehcache.org/downloads/
8) VisualVM
VisualVM is a visual tool for integrating command-line JDK tools. It also offers lightweight profiling capabilities. It is designed for both development and production time use.

- It displays both local and remote Java Processes
- Monitor Process Performance and Memory
- Visualize Process Threads
- Profile Performance and Memory Usage
- Take and Display Thread Dumps
- It can read basic information about the crashed Java process
- Helps to analyze Core Dumps
- It provides JavaScript, Python, Ruby, R, Java, Scala, Kotlin, Clojure, C and C++ languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with NetBeans, Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA and VS Code
- This tool also provide Display local and remote Java processes, Display process configuration, Monitor process performance, Visualize process threads, and more.
- Offers plugin support Eclipse, Visual GC, MBeans, Tracer, Go To Source, Threads Inspector, Buffer Monitor, Security, OQL, JConsole, VisualVM, BTrace, Coherence, CRaSH and TDA
- It provides customer support via Email and Chat
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
Monitoring memory usage and application behavior. | Support that is lacking |
Monitoring of application threads. | |
Analyzing the memory allocation for the different applications in the system. | |
JVM monitoring tool with modern features built-in | |
Generate heap dumps and analyze them |
Download link: https://visualvm.github.io/download.html
9) Oracle JDeveloper
Oracle J Developer is a free Java development IDE. It is one of the best Java tools which allows developers to build reliable Service Oriented Architecture with Java. It supports the full development life cycle.

- Ability to generate servlets which operate as EJB clients
- It supports creating and editing Web Socket annotations of Java classes
- Allows to specify a configuration class to hold the Meta data
- It provides Java, Oracle Database, MySQL and Linux languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with Hormel, Mastercard, Dropbox, FedEx, Skanska, MRV, CES, plusoft, XEROX, NI, NRMA, Heathrow, digi and Coronado
- This tool also provide Flexible load balancer, Outbound data transfer, VCN Flow Logs, Site-to-Site VPN, Content Management Starter Edition, etc.
- Offers plugin support Bastion, Block Volume Management, Compute Instance Monitoring, Compute Instance Run Command, Custom Logs Monitoring, Management Agent, Oracle Autonomous Linux, Oracle Java Management Service, OS Management Service Agent, Vulnerability Scanning, NetBeans and SDK
- It provides customer support via Phone and Chat
- Price: Free to Download
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
Provides support for Agile development. | This program consumes a lot of memory. |
A complete lifecycle management system. | It does not provide auto-completion of code. |
It allows interaction with isolated objects. | There is no support for auto-formatting or indentation. |
It is lightweight. | |
Data mapping or transformation is provided. |
Download link: https://www.oracle.com/tools/downloads/jdeveloper-12c-downloads.html
10) Java Decompiler
Java Decompiler is a freeware Java tool that reconstructs Java source code from CLASS files. It allows to decompile, Java applets, JAR and ZIP files for producing accurate Java source code.

- The tool supports Drag and Drop
- It displays color coded Source Code
- Seamlessly integrates with Eclipse
- This tool also provide Displays Java source codes, Debugging, Recover lost source code, open source projects, etc.
- Offers plugin support JD-Eclipse
- It provides customer support via GitHub forum
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
This is a powerful abstraction. | Complexity of using a tool |
It is a cross-cutting behavior. | The options for support are limited |
Support for declarative statements. | |
It is a supportive and productive environment. |
Download link: http://java-decompiler.github.io/
Gradle is a project automation Java tool. It builds on the features of Apache Ant and Apache Maven. It also serves as the default build tool for the Android platform.

- Better modeling of dependencies using the Java Library plugin reduces the size of the compile classpath
- It comes with a remote build cache with convenient management tools
- Gradle Wrapper allows to execute Gradle builds on machines where it is not installed
- It supports multi-project builds and also partial builds
- It can easily adapt to any structure
- Its smart classpath helps to avoid unnecessary compilation when the binary interface of a library not changed
- It provides Python, C++, Java and Python languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with Slack, Bamboo, GitLab, TeamCity, CircleCI, Jenkins, Github and TravisCI
- This tool also provide Customizable logging, Build performance summary, Visual build timeline, Performance data, Test behavior details, etc.
- Offers plugin support Liferay, Kelin, Jetbrains, ebean, Quarkus, Ktlint and GraphQL
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
An enhanced user experience | XML files are not used in Gradle projects. |
It allows for custom dependency scopes. | Expertise in technical areas is required |
It is highly customizable | |
In terms of performance, it is fast and efficient |
Download link: https://gradle.org/
12) Cobertura
Cobertura is free Java tool that calculates the percentage of code accessed by tests. It can also be used to identify which parts of Java program are lacking test coverage.

- It allows line and branch coverage in a detailed tree view
- View source code and colored according to line coverage
- Launch Scala, Eclipse JUnit, and PDE in covered mode
- It filters out uninteresting classes and packages
- Instruments Java bytecode after finishing compiling
- Allows to generate reports in HTML or XML
- Display the percentage of lines, branches covered for each class, package, and the entire project
- It provides Java, HTML, PHP, JavaScript, CSS and Groovy languages supports
- This tool also provide Calculates the percentage of code accessed by tests, Identify lacking test coverage, Generate coverage reports
- Offers plugin support Maven plugin
- It provides customer support via GitHub forum, Email, Ticket
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
It is an easy-to-use tool | There are limited integrations available |
The source code is not needed to measure coverage. | The classes must be compiled with the debug option enabled. |
Easy-to-understand reports | Java is the only language supported. |
Source code coverage tool | |
Designed for developers as well as testers. |
Download link: http://cobertura.github.io/cobertura/
Groovy is a powerful language with static-typing & compilation capabilities. It is aimed at improving developer’s productivity.

- Concise, readable and expressive syntax
- It integrates easily with any Java program to deliver an effective application with powerful features
- Seamlessly integrates with Java and other third-party libraries
- Flexible & malleable syntax, advanced integration & customization
- Great for writing concise and maintainable tests
- It provides Java, Python, Ruby and Smalltalk languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with Groovy Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, Netbeans, Groovy Emacs Modes, TextMate, vim, UltraEdit, SlickEdit, EditRocket and VSCode
- This tool also provide Support for both static and dynamic typing, Support for operator overloading,
- Support for various markup languages such as XML and HTML.
- Offers plugin support Groovy Eclipse Plugin, TextMate, Vim, UltraEdit, EditRocket, etc.
- It provides customer support via Email, Slack, Reporting Issues
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
There is a dynamic typing feature | Groovy has no base code format |
You can easily integrate it into your system | Need to learn new concepts like closures are important to write and understand. |
It is very easy to implement file operations in your application | |
A powerful feature set of tools for builders, runtime, closures, and compile-time metaprogramming |
Download link: http://groovy-lang.org/download.html
14) Yourkit
YourKit is an innovative tool for profiling Java &.NET applications. It is the standard-setter in the evolution of profiling tools.

- Straightforward installation process
- Developer friendly environment
- Powerful analysis capabilities
- Built-in SSH tunneling supports ease profiling in restricted network conditions
- Permissive license policy allows unlimited number of profiled applications
- It offers high-level monitoring web, database, I/O
- High-level profiling results to see the big picture and find out the exact issues
- It provides Java, .NET and JavaScript languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, JDeveloper, NetBeans
- This tool also provide Profile remote applications, CPU profiling, Flame graphs, Database queries and web requests, Memory profiling, Comparing CPU and memory snapshots, Performance inspections, Telemetry and performance charts, Exception profiling, Command line interface ,etc.
- Offers plugin support Jenkins, Eclipse, TeamCity and Bamboo
- It provides customer support via Email and Phone
- Supported Platforms: Aix, FreeBSD, Windows, Mac and Linux
- Price: Request a Quote from Sales
- Free Trial: 15 Days Free Trial
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
Support from the customer is excellent | Memory usage is high |
Time savings tool | Not all run configurations of IntelliJ are supported |
A higher return on investment | It is aimed at only .NET 2.0 developers |
It is easy to use for developers | |
Layout is very good. |
Download link: https://www.yourkit.com/java/profiler/download/
15) Eclipse
Eclipse is an open-source integrated development environment for Java. It is one of the best core Java tools that offers modern features, large numbers of modeling tools, java testing tools, and development frameworks.

- Model Driven Development
- Provide Complete Detailed reports
- It is also easy to customize. In conjunction with the Ctrlflow Automated Error Reporting Server
- Eclipse offers the best tooling for JEE projects
- It provides C, C++ and Java, and JavaScript languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with JUnit, JBoss Tools, EGradle IDE, MetaEdit+ plugin, Cantata, Industrial TSI, etc.
- This tool also provide Code, Build & Debug in your browser, IDEs are packaged and distributed as Linux Containers, Share development setups with a URL and Multi-tenant by default
- Offers plugin support GitHub, Gitlab, Bitbucket, Eclipse IDE and Nodeclipse
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
It is very easy to use many plugins. | The performance of the application is slow |
This is a great solution for larger projects. | The Eclipse IDE needs to be restarted when you have installed a new plug-in |
It provides modeling support. | It consumes a significant amount of memory |
For large and complex web development projects, Eclipse is a good choice. | |
It is easier to debug errors when using Eclipse |
Download link: https://www.eclipse.org/
16) IntelliJ Idea
IntelliJ IDEA is a multi-purpose IDE which focuses on Java development. It is one of the best Java programming tools that offers advanced support for the web, mobile, and hybrid application development.

- It analyses source code between all project files and languages
- It gives list of the most relevant symbols applicable in the current context
- It allows cross-language refactoring
- Finds duplicate code fragments on the fly
- Inspections and quick-fixes
- Editor-centric environment
- It allows user to use static methods or constants easily
- It provides JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, Node.js, Angular, React, Vue.js, Java, Kotlin, Groovy and Scala languages supports
- Seamlessly integrates with Slack, Confluence, Mailbox, VCS, Zendesk and Upsource
- This tool also provide Developer ergonomics, Deep code insight, Instant navigation and search, Run, test, and debug, Version control, JVM frameworks, Client-side and JavaScript development, Deployment, Collaboration and teamwork.
- Offers plugin support Kubernetes, PyCharm, JetBrains and ReSharper
- It provides customer support via Contact Form, Email and Phone
- Price: Plans start at $14.90 a month.
👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
---|---|
The debugging support is excellent. | Multiple projects cannot be opened in the same window at the same time. |
A wide range of convenient features are available. | Enterprise editions are expensive. |
A clear and detailed documentation is provided. | |
A faster scripting environment for the server and client side |
Download link: https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/download-thanks.html
❓ What are Java Tools?
Java Tools are software applications that help developers to ease the entire process of developing, testing, and deployment in Java. These tools help developers to monitor, optimize, troubleshoot and improve the performance of Java applications. It also allows you to check the database, memory, and concurrency and helps you find runtime and compile-time issues in Java programs.
🚀 Which are the Best Java Development Tools?
Below are some of the best Java development tools:
- ManageEngine Applications Manager
- Apache Maven
✅ How various Java Tools are used in Application Development?
Here is how Java tools are used in application development:
- Java tools are used to monitor, optimize and improve the performance of Java applications
- Finding runtime and compile-time issues in Java programs
- Monitoring of JVM, JRE, Java application server, JDBC, JMX, etc.
- It is used to analyze the physical and virtual Java server metrics like fan speed, power supply, temperature, etc.
- Java tools are used to automate the patching process
- These tools are used to write and run tests with ease
- Java tools are used for easy and efficient Java project management
- These tools help to monitor individual methods and functions in Java code
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What's with all the Java Build tools?
what's the point of using ant, maven, and buildr? won't the using build in eclipse or netbeans work fine? i'm just curious what the purpose and benefit of extended build tools are.
- build-automation

10 Answers 10
Dependency Management : The build tools follow a component model that provides hints on where to look for dependencies. In Eclipse / Netbeans, you have to depend on a JAR and you don't really know if this JAR has been updated or not. With these build tools, they 'know' updates in dependencies (generally because of a good integration with your source control repository), recalculate transitive dependencies and ensure that everything is always built with the latest versions.
Access Control : Java, apart from class level access control, has no higher abstraction. With these build tools you can specify exactly which projects you want to depend on you and control visibility and access at a higher level of granularity.
Custom Control : The Eclipse / Netbeans build always builds JAR files. With custom build mechanisms, you could build your own custom (company-internal) archive with extra metadata information, if you so wish.
Plugins : There are a variety of plugins that come with build tools which can do various things during build. From something basic like generating Javadocs to something more non-trivial like running tests and getting code coverage, static analysis, generation of reports, etc.
Transport : Some build systems also manage transport of archives - from a development system to a deployment or production system. So, you can configure transport routes, schedules and such.
Take a look at some continuous integration servers like CruiseControl or Hudson . Also, the features page of Maven provides some insight into what you want to know.
- sorry but what's a dependency? – cesar Sep 5, 2009 at 5:26
- 4 Well, if you are doing a personal project, then probably an eclipse build will suffice. However, if you are part of an organization and you are building one component which is part of a larger system, then your component would depend on some other components in the system - which are also in constant development. These are your dependencies. – Anirudh Sep 5, 2009 at 6:05
- 1 i think it should be said that even a personal project require a build tool - and it aint hard to use maven/ant/softsons, or god forbid, even make! Only relying on an IDE to build is a sign of a developer who doesnt care about the way they work. A good crafts man uses good tools, and build tools is one of them. – Chii Sep 5, 2009 at 9:10
- Since NetBeans uses Ant as its underlying build tool ( projects.netbeans.org/buildsys/design.html#project-layout ) your points also apply to the the NetBeans IDE itself. Your "Custom Control" point is wrong. NetBeans does not use a custom mechanism. Eclipse does not build JAR files by default ( viralpatel.net/blogs/2008/12/… ). IDEs also uses build tool (with different capabilities of course), hence the comparison does not really fit. IMO the difference between IDEs and build tools is just the user interface. – wierob Sep 14, 2009 at 12:24
- @wierob - I would disagree that the difference between IDEs and build tools is just the UI. 1) I never said that Netbeans uses a custom build mechanism. Please reread what i have written and 2) Just because Netbeans uses Ant internally does not make any of the points i have made invalid. Like i have pointed out, please read about Maven / Hudson / CruiseControl to get a better understanding. – Anirudh Sep 15, 2009 at 17:25
On top of all the other answers. The primary reason I keep my projects buildable without being forced to use NetBeans or Eclipse is that it makes it so much easier to setup automated (and continuous) builds.
It would be rather complicated (in comparison) to set up a server that somehow starts eclipse, updates the source from the repository, build it all, sends a mail with the result and copies the output to somewhere on a disk where the last 50 builds are stored.
- Wouldn't you just create an executable jar (that you created with an IDE/x build tool) and have a Windows task run the jar file? – trilogy Jul 22, 2021 at 17:40
- That's not really how things work if you want the build process to be a part of your CI/CD (which is often a good thing). And, seriously, running Windows? – Fredrik Jul 23, 2021 at 20:36
- Ok, well you’re working in a much larger org with different needs. Majority of programmers use an IDE. And what’s wrong with Windows Server? – trilogy Jul 23, 2021 at 20:37
- So, most devs use their IDE for sure. But when you want to build and test automatically when creating a PR or even automate the build as part of your release. You probably don't want to allocate someone to do the build. That's why it is good to ALSO be able to build your projects from the command line in a script. Windows Server? Well, what is exceptionally good with it? That it makes sure you use all your memory and CPU for trivial things? :-) If you're happy with it, keep using it. (btw, we are 7 but it was just as true in orgs with 100 devs or 2000 devs). – Fredrik Jul 27, 2021 at 18:53
- Yeah we had a linux box that was running tasks using crontab and it was disastrous. 1. You had to create some sort of mechanism so that if a running task is still running, that it won't run again (task scheduler has a checkbox for this) 2. rsync is vastly slower than robocopy (robocopy allows multithreading copying which can be 10x faster), and 3. linux doesn't have event listening on files so detecting new files and running a task on them required again, more scripting with "flag files" and iterating over the entire folder. – trilogy Jul 28, 2021 at 13:56
If you are a single developer or a very small group, it can seem that a build system is just an overhead. As the number of developers increases though it quickly becomes difficult to track all changes and ensure developers are keeping in sync. A build system reduces the rate of increase of those overheads as your team grows. Consider the issues of building all the code in Eclipse once you have 100+ developers working on the project.
One compelling reason to have a separate build system is to ensure that what has been delivered to your customers is compiled from a specific version of the code checked into your SCM . This eliminates a whole class of "works on my box" issues and in my opinion this benefit is worth the effort on its own in reduced support time. Isolated builds (say on a CI server ) also highlight issues in development, e.g. where partial or breaking changes have been committed, so you have a chance to catch issues early.
A build in an IDE builds whatever happens to be on the box, whereas a standalone build system will produce a reproducible build directly from the SCM. Of course this could be done within an IDE, but AFAIK only by invoking something like Ant or Maven to handle all the build steps.
Then of course there are also the direct benefits of build systems. A modular build system reduces copy-paste issues and handles dependency resolution and other build related issues. This should allow developers to focus on delivering code. Of course every new tool introduces its own issues and the learning curve involved can make it seem that a build system is a needless overhead (just Google I hate Maven to get some idea).
- To borrow from Churchill. It has been said that Maven is the worst form of build tool except all the others that have been tried. – Rich Seller Sep 10, 2009 at 11:30
The problem with building from the IDE, is that there are tons of settings affecting the build. When you use a build tool all the settings a condensed in a more or less readable form into a small set of scripts or configuration files. This allows in the ideal case anybody to execute a build with hardly any manual setup.
Without the build tool it might become next to impossible to even compile your code in let's say a year, because you'll have to reverse engineer all the settings
- This is a good point. There could be instances where the team doing the testing and building and packing of content will be different from the development team and will not necessarily have an IDE installed (and consequently, no IDE settings). It is then important to have the build settings outside of your IDE. – Anirudh Sep 5, 2009 at 6:10
Different features. For example Maven can scan your dependencies and go download them, and their dependencies so you don't have to. For even a medium sized project there may be a very large number of dependencies. I don't think Eclipse can do that.
- Eclipse can do that... with Maven plugin. – topchef Sep 5, 2009 at 5:11
- @gigory: so in the end, its still maven! – Chii Sep 5, 2009 at 9:08
@anonymous,
- Why do you I assume that me, a member of your team, is using an IDE all the time? I might want to build the code on a headless build server, is that ok?
- Would you also deny me the right of using a continuous integration engine?
- May I fetch dependencies from a central repository please? How can I do that?
- Would you tie me to a specific IDE? I can't run Eclipse easily on my very old laptop, but I'll buy a new one.
Maybe I should also uninstall subversion and use patches or just zip folders on a sftp/ftp/Samba share.
- forget about it, to put it simply, if the only person using your code or touching it, is you, then do as you please. – lazy Sep 5, 2009 at 5:02
- 4 These are good points, but I'd be more inclined to upvote this if you didn't phrase it as these condescending questions – Andy White Sep 5, 2009 at 5:05
- 1 Plenty of companies do assume you are using an IDE, and in many they assume you are in fact using the same IDE as everyone else. I don't think you meant your post to sound sarcastic and mean, but it does, which is not in the spirit of SO, IMHO. The points you raise are are valid, but someone who needs to ask this question in the first place might need a little more explanation and a little less snark. – Peter Recore Sep 5, 2009 at 6:08
- The same could be said about the tone of the question. – finnw Sep 5, 2009 at 13:27
- My answer was meant to be sarcastic but not mean. The sarcasm was meant to make him realize the importance of build tools. But I guess I failed miserably. @Peter, What should I explain when you say "little more explanation"? @anonymous asked @Anirudh what a dependency was. Should I write a manual when he could google "integration engine etc.?" Yes, companies assume that you're using an IDE, usually the same IDE, no problem. If you can't build code without an IDE in your company, it means to me that the company doesn't know much about software development in general, no offense. – lazy Sep 5, 2009 at 18:55
The build tools allow you to do a build automatically, without human invention, which is essential if you have a code base being able to build many applications (like we do).
We want to be certain that each and everyone of our applications can build correctly after any code base changes. The best way to check that is to let a computer do it automatically using a Continouos integration tool. We just check in code, and the CI server picks up there is a change and rebuilds all modules influenced by that change. If anything breaks the responsible person is mailed directly.
It is extremely handy being able to automate things.
To expand on Jens Schauder's answer, a lot of those build options end up in some sort of .project file. One of the evils of Eclipse is that they store absolute path names in all of it's project files, so you can't copy a project file from one machine to another, which might have its workspace in a different directory.
The strongest reason for me, is automated builds.
- Tosh. Eclipse only stores absolute paths if set it up to do so. If you use classpath containers, variables, or workspace-relative references there are no absolute paths. Don't blame the tool for your bad practices. – Rich Seller Sep 7, 2009 at 15:23
IDEs just work on a higher abstraction layer.
NetBeans nativly uses Ant as its underlying build tool and recently can directly open maven projects in NetBeans. Hence, your typical NetBeans project can be compiled with ant and your maven project already is a NetBeans project.
As with every GUI vs CLI discussion, IDEs seem easier for beginners but once you get the idea it becomes cumbersome to do complex things.
Changing the configuration with an IDE means clicking somewhere which is easy for basic things but for complex stuff you need to find the right place to click. Furthermore IDEs seem to hide the importent information. Clicking a button to add a library is easy but you may still not know where the library is, etc.
In contrast, using a CLI isn't easy to start with but becomes quickly easy. It allows to do complex things more easily.
Using Ant or Maven means that every one can choose his/her own IDE to work one the code. Telling someone to install IDE X to compile it is much more overhead than telling "run <build command> in your shell". And of course your can't explain the former to an external tool.
To sum up, the IDE uses a build tool itself. In case of NetBeans Ant (or Maven) is used so you can get all the advantages and disadvantages of those. Eclipse uses its own thing (as far as I know) but also can integrate ant scripts.
As for the build tools themselves Maven is significantly different from Ant. It can download specified dependencies up to the point of downloading a web server to run your project.
In all projects, developers will often manually invoke the Build process.but it is not Suitable for large Projects, Where it is very difficult to keep track of what needs to be built, in what sequence and what dependencies there are in the building process.Hence we Use Build Tools for Our Projects. Build Tools Done varieties of the task in the Application which will do by the Developer in their daily life. They are 1.Downloading dependencies. 2.Compiling source code into binary code. 3.Packaging that binary code. 4.Running tests. 5.Deployment to production systems.
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Java Build Tools What are the best Java Build Tools ? Gradle, Apache Maven, CMake, Sonatype Nexus, and Bazel are the most popular tools in the category "Java Build Tools". "Flexibility" is the primary reason developers pick Gradle over its competitors, while "Dependency management" is the reason why Apache Maven was chosen. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
Definite better alternative to ant (and a good successor) is Maven. Maven has advantages over ant, and the plugin development for Maven is going on at a rapid pace. Advantages of Maven (over ant you can say) Dependencies are downloaded automatically. Standardized, very consistent layout.
6 Best Java build automation tools as of 2023 - Slant Development DevOps What are the best Java build automation tools? 6 Options Considered 54 User Recs. Dec 17, 2022 Last Updated Here’s the Deal Slant is powered by a community that helps you make informed decisions.
Following is the list of Open source Java Builds. Apache Maven Ant with ivy Gradle SBT Apache Maven Maven Website: maven.apache.org One of the most popular is Maven, which was originally developed in 2001 and has since been adopted as the de facto standard for building Java projects.
Comparisons Between Java Build Tools We’ve seen that some open sources and paid-for build automation solutions exist. A Maven is a build tool, whereas Jenkins is a continuous integration tool if we compare the top tools, Jenkins and Maven. Jenkins can use Maven as a build tool.
A build tool can be executed from the command line. Note: Apache Ant, Maven and Gradle are the commonly used building tools in java. Why build tools are used? Build tools are used to automate the process of repetitive tasks like source code compilation etc and take this burden away from the developers.
Best JAVA Tools for Development 1) Site24x7 2) ManageEngine Applications Manager 3) JUnit 4) NetBeans 5) Apache Maven 6) Mockito 7) Ehcache 8) VisualVM 9) Oracle JDeveloper 10) Java Decompiler 1) Site24x7 Monitor the performance of your Java applications with Site24x7 APM Insight.
Access Control: Java, apart from class level access control, has no higher abstraction. With these build tools you can specify exactly which projects you want to depend on you and control visibility and access at a higher level of granularity. Custom Control: The Eclipse / Netbeans build always builds JAR files.
Best JAVA Tools for Developers #1) SonarQube #2) Eclipse #3) NetBeans #4) JUnit #5) Apache Spark #6) Jenkins #7) IntelliJ IDEA #8) Android Studio #9) Apache Maven #10) Gradle #11) Jcreator Additional Tools Conclusion Recommended Reading Best JAVA Tools for Developers