# Chapter 17. More about Tasks

In the introductory tutorial (Chapter 14, Build Script Basics) you learned how to create simple tasks. You also learned how to add additional behavior to these tasks later on, and you learned how to create dependencies between tasks. This was all about simple tasks, but Gradle takes the concept of tasks further. Gradle supports enhanced tasks, which are tasks that have their own properties and methods. This is really different from what you are used to with Ant targets. Such enhanced tasks are either provided by you or built into Gradle.

## 17.1. Defining tasks

We have already seen how to define tasks using a keyword style in Chapter 14, Build Script Basics. There are a few variations on this style, which you may need to use in certain situations. For example, the keyword style does not work in expressions.

Example 17.1. Defining tasks

`build.gradle`

    task(hello) << {
        println "hello"
    }

    task(copy, type: Copy) {
        from(file('srcDir'))
        into(buildDir)
    }

You can also use strings for the task names:

Example 17.2. Defining tasks - using strings for task names

`build.gradle`

    task('hello') <<
    {
        println "hello"
    }

    task('copy', type: Copy) {
        from(file('srcDir'))
        into(buildDir)
    }

There is an alternative syntax for defining tasks, which you may prefer to use:

Example 17.3. Defining tasks with alternative syntax

`build.gradle`

    tasks.create(name: 'hello') << {
        println "hello"
    }

    tasks.create(name: 'copy', type: Copy) {
        from(file('srcDir'))
        into(buildDir)
    }

Here we add tasks to the `tasks` collection. Have a look at `TaskContainer` for more variations of the `create()` method.

## 17.2. Locating tasks

You often need to locate the tasks that you have defined in the build file, for example, to configure them or use them for dependencies. There are a number of ways of doing this. Firstly, each task is available as a property of the project, using the task name as the property name:

Example 17.4. Accessing tasks as properties

`build.gradle`

    task hello

    println hello.name
    println project.hello.name

Tasks are also available through the `tasks` collection.

Example 17.5. Accessing tasks via tasks collection

`build.gradle`

    task hello

    println tasks.hello.name
    println tasks['hello'].name

You can access tasks from any project using the task's path using the `tasks.getByPath()` method. You can call the `getByPath()` method with a task name, or a relative path, or an absolute path.

Example 17.6. Accessing tasks by path

`build.gradle`

    project(':projectA') {
        task hello
    }

    task hello

    println tasks.getByPath('hello').path
    println tasks.getByPath(':hello').path
    println tasks.getByPath('projectA:hello').path
    println tasks.getByPath(':projectA:hello').path

Output of `gradle -q hello`

    > gradle -q hello
    :hello
    :hello
    :projectA:hello
    :projectA:hello

Have a look at `TaskContainer` for more options for locating tasks.

## 17.3. Configuring tasks

As an example, let's look at the `Copy` task provided by Gradle. To create a `Copy` task for your build, you can declare in your build script:

Example 17.7. Creating a copy task

`build.gradle`

    task myCopy(type: Copy)

This creates a copy task with no default behavior. The task can be configured using its API (see `Copy`). The following examples show several different ways to achieve the same configuration.

Just to be clear, realize that the name of this task is “`myCopy`”, but it is of type “`Copy`”. You can have multiple tasks of the same type, but with different names. You'll find this gives you a lot of power to implement cross-cutting concerns across all tasks of a particular type.

Example 17.8. Configuring a task - various ways

`build.gradle`

    Copy myCopy = task(myCopy, type: Copy)
    myCopy.from 'resources'
    myCopy.into 'target'
    myCopy.include('**/*.txt', '**/*.xml', '**/*.properties')

This is similar to the way we would configure objects in Java. You have to repeat the context (`myCopy`) in the configuration statement every time. This is a redundancy and not very nice to read.

There is another way of configuring a task. It also preserves the context and it is arguably the most readable. It is usually our favorite.

Example 17.9. Configuring a task - with closure

`build.gradle`

    task myCopy(type: Copy)

    myCopy {
       from 'resources'
       into 'target'
       include('**/*.txt', '**/*.xml', '**/*.properties')
    }

This works for any task. Line 3 of the example is just a shortcut for the `tasks.getByName()` method. It is important to note that if you pass a closure to the `getByName()` method, this closure is applied to configure the task, not when the task executes.

You can also use a configuration closure when you define a task.

Example 17.10. Defining a task with closure

`build.gradle`

    task copy(type: Copy) {
       from 'resources'
       into 'target'
       include('**/*.txt', '**/*.xml', '**/*.properties')
    }

### Don't forget about the build phases

A task has both configuration and actions. When using the `<<`, you are simply using a shortcut to define an action. Code defined in the configuration section of your task will get executed during the configuration phase of the build regardless of what task was targeted. See Chapter 20, The Build Lifecycle for more details about the build lifecycle.

## 17.4. Adding dependencies to a task

There are several ways you can define the dependencies of a task. In Section 14.5, “Task dependencies” you were introduced to defining dependencies using task names. Task names can refer to tasks in the same project as the task, or to tasks in other projects. To refer to a task in another project, you prefix the name of the task with the path of the project it belongs to. The following is an example which adds a dependency from `projectA:taskX` to `projectB:taskY`:

Example 17.11. Adding dependency on task from another project

`build.gradle`

    project('projectA') {
        task taskX(dependsOn: ':projectB:taskY') << {
            println 'taskX'
        }
    }

    project('projectB') {
        task taskY << {
            println 'taskY'
        }
    }

Output of `gradle -q taskX`

    > gradle -q taskX
    taskY
    taskX

Instead of using a task name, you can define a dependency using a `Task` object, as shown in this example:

Example 17.12. Adding dependency using task object

`build.gradle`

    task taskX << {
        println 'taskX'
    }

    task taskY << {
        println 'taskY'
    }

    taskX.dependsOn taskY

Output of `gradle -q taskX`

    > gradle -q taskX
    taskY
    taskX

For more advanced uses, you can define a task dependency using a closure. When evaluated, the closure is passed the task whose dependencies are being calculated. The closure should return a single `Task` or collection of `Task` objects, which are then treated as dependencies of the task. The following example adds a dependency from `taskX` to all the tasks in the project whose name starts with `lib`:

Example 17.13. Adding dependency using closure

`build.gradle`

    task taskX << {
        println 'taskX'
    }

    taskX.dependsOn {
        tasks.findAll { task -> task.name.startsWith('lib') }
    }

    task lib1 << {
        println 'lib1'
    }

    task lib2 << {
        println 'lib2'
    }

    task notALib << {
        println 'notALib'
    }

Output of `gradle -q taskX`

    > gradle -q taskX
    lib1
    lib2
    taskX

For more information about task dependencies, see the `Task` API.

## 17.5. Ordering tasks

Task ordering is an incubating feature. Please be aware that this feature may change in later Gradle versions.

In some cases it is useful to control the order in which 2 tasks will execute, without introducing an explicit dependency between those tasks. The primary difference between a task ordering and a task dependency is that an ordering rule does not influence which tasks will be executed, only the order in which they will be executed.

Task ordering can be useful in a number of scenarios:

- Enforce sequential ordering of tasks: eg. 'build' never runs before 'clean'.
- Run build validations early in the build: eg. validate I have the correct credentials before starting the work for a release build.
- Get feedback faster by running quick verification tasks before long verification tasks: eg. unit tests should run before integration tests.
- A task that aggregates the results of all tasks of a particular type: eg. test report task combines the outputs of all executed test tasks.

There are two ordering rules available: “must run after” and “should run after”.

When you use the “must run after” ordering rule you specify that `taskB` must always run after `taskA`, whenever both `taskA` and `taskB` will be run. This is expressed as `taskB.mustRunAfter(taskA)`. The “should run after” ordering rule is similar but less strict as it will be ignored in two situations. Firstly if using that rule introduces an ordering cycle. Secondly when using parallel execution and all dependencies of a task have been satisfied apart from the “should run after” task, then this task will be run regardless of whether its “should run after” dependencies have been run or not. You should use “should run after” where the ordering is helpful but not strictly required.

With these rules present it is still possible to execute `taskA` without `taskB` and vice-versa.

Example 17.14. Adding a 'must run after' task ordering

`build.gradle`

    task taskX << {
        println 'taskX'
    }
    task taskY << {
        println 'taskY'
    }
    taskY.mustRunAfter taskX

Output of `gradle -q taskY taskX`

    > gradle -q taskY taskX
    taskX
    taskY

Example 17.15. Adding a 'should run after' task ordering

`build.gradle`

    task taskX << {
        println 'taskX'
    }
    task taskY << {
        println 'taskY'
    }
    taskY.shouldRunAfter taskX

Output of `gradle -q taskY taskX`

    > gradle -q taskY taskX
    taskX
    taskY

In the examples above, it is still possible to execute `taskY` without causing `taskX` to run:

Example 17.16. Task ordering does not imply task execution

Output of `gradle -q taskY`

    > gradle -q taskY
    taskY

To specify a “must run after” or “should run after” ordering between 2 tasks, you use the `Task.mustRunAfter(java.lang.Object[])` and `Task.shouldRunAfter(java.lang.Object[])` methods. These methods accept a task instance, a task name or any other input accepted by `Task.dependsOn(java.lang.Object[])`.

Note that “`B.mustRunAfter(A)`” or “`B.shouldRunAfter(A)`” does not imply any execution dependency between the tasks:

- It is possible to execute tasks `A` and `B` independently. The ordering rule only has an effect when both tasks are scheduled for execution.
- When run with `--continue`, it is possible for `B` to execute in the event that `A` fails.

As mentioned before, the “should run after” ordering rule will be ignored if it introduces an ordering cycle:

Example 17.17. A 'should run after' task ordering is ignored if it introduces an ordering cycle

`build.gradle`

    task taskX << {
        println 'taskX'
    }
    task taskY << {
        println 'taskY'
    }
    task taskZ << {
        println 'taskZ'
    }
    taskX.dependsOn taskY
    taskY.dependsOn taskZ
    taskZ.shouldRunAfter taskX

Output of `gradle -q taskX`

    > gradle -q taskX
    taskZ
    taskY
    taskX

## 17.6. Adding a description to a task

You can add a description to your task. This description is displayed when executing `gradle tasks`.

Example 17.18. Adding a description to a task

`build.gradle`

    task copy(type: Copy) {
       description 'Copies the resource directory to the target directory.'
       from 'resources'
       into 'target'
       include('**/*.txt', '**/*.xml', '**/*.properties')
    }

## 17.7. Replacing tasks

Sometimes you want to replace a task. For example, if you want to exchange a task added by the Java plugin with a custom task of a different type. You can achieve this with:

Example 17.19. Overwriting a task

`build.gradle`

    task copy(type: Copy)

    task copy(overwrite: true) << {
        println('I am the new one.')
    }

Output of `gradle -q copy`

    > gradle -q copy
    I am the new one.

This will replace a task of type `Copy` with the task you've defined, because it uses the same name. When you define the new task, you have to set the `overwrite` property to true. Otherwise Gradle throws an exception, saying that a task with that name already exists.

## 17.8. Skipping tasks

Gradle offers multiple ways to skip the execution of a task.

### 17.8.1. Using a predicate

You can use the `onlyIf()` method to attach a predicate to a task. The task's actions are only executed if the predicate evaluates to true. You implement the predicate as a closure. The closure is passed the task as a parameter, and should return true if the task should execute and false if the task should be skipped. The predicate is evaluated just before the task is due to be executed.

Example 17.20. Skipping a task using a predicate

`build.gradle`

    task hello << {
        println 'hello world'
    }

    hello.onlyIf { !project.hasProperty('skipHello') }

Output of `gradle hello -PskipHello`

    > gradle hello -PskipHello
    :hello SKIPPED

    BUILD SUCCESSFUL

    Total time: 1 secs

### 17.8.2. Using StopExecutionException

If the logic for skipping a task can't be expressed with a predicate, you can use the `StopExecutionException`. If this exception is thrown by an action, the further execution of this action as well as the execution of any following action of this task is skipped. The build continues with executing the next task.

Example 17.21. Skipping tasks with StopExecutionException

`build.gradle`

    task compile << {
        println 'We are doing the compile.'
    }

    compile.doFirst {
        // Here you would put arbitrary conditions in real life.
        // But this is used in an integration test so we want defined behavior.
        if (true) { throw new StopExecutionException() }
    }
    task myTask(dependsOn: 'compile') << {
       println 'I am not affected'
    }

Output of `gradle -q myTask`

    > gradle -q myTask
    I am not affected

This feature is helpful if you work with tasks provided by Gradle. It allows you to add conditional execution of the built-in actions of such a task. [7]

### 17.8.3. Enabling and disabling tasks

Every task has an `enabled` flag which defaults to `true`. Setting it to `false` prevents the execution of any of the task's actions.

Example 17.22. Enabling and disabling tasks

`build.gradle`

    task disableMe << {
        println 'This should not be printed if the task is disabled.'
    }
    disableMe.enabled = false

Output of `gradle disableMe`

    > gradle disableMe
    :disableMe SKIPPED

    BUILD SUCCESSFUL

    Total time: 1 secs

## 17.9. Skipping tasks that are up-to-date

If you are using one of the tasks that come with Gradle, such as a task added by the Java plugin, you might have noticed that Gradle will skip tasks that are up-to-date. This behaviour is also available for your tasks, not just for built-in tasks.

### 17.9.1. Declaring a task's inputs and outputs

Let's have a look at an example. Here our task generates several output files from a source XML file. Let's run it a couple of times.

Example 17.23. A generator task

`build.gradle`

    task transform {
        ext.srcFile = file('mountains.xml')
        ext.destDir = new File(buildDir, 'generated')
        doLast {
            println "Transforming source file."
            destDir.mkdirs()
            def mountains = new XmlParser().parse(srcFile)
            mountains.mountain.each { mountain ->
                def name = mountain.name[0].text()
                def height = mountain.height[0].text()
                def destFile = new File(destDir, "${name}.txt")
                destFile.text = "$name -> ${height}\n"
            }
        }
    }

Output of `gradle transform`

    > gradle transform
    :transform
    Transforming source file.

Output of `gradle transform`

    > gradle transform
    :transform
    Transforming source file.

Notice that Gradle executes this task a second time, and does not skip the task even though nothing has changed. Our example task was defined using an action closure. Gradle has no idea what the closure does and cannot automatically figure out whether the task is up-to-date or not. To use Gradle's up-to-date checking, you need to declare the inputs and outputs of the task.

Each task has an `inputs` and `outputs` property, which you use to declare the inputs and outputs of the task. Below, we have changed our example to declare that it takes the source XML file as an input and produces output to a destination directory. Let's run it a couple of times.

Example 17.24. Declaring the inputs and outputs of a task

`build.gradle`

    task transform {
        ext.srcFile = file('mountains.xml')
        ext.destDir = new File(buildDir, 'generated')
        inputs.file srcFile
        outputs.dir destDir
        doLast {
            println "Transforming source file."
            destDir.mkdirs()
            def mountains = new XmlParser().parse(srcFile)
            mountains.mountain.each { mountain ->
                def name = mountain.name[0].text()
                def height = mountain.height[0].text()
                def destFile = new File(destDir, "${name}.txt")
                destFile.text = "$name -> ${height}\n"
            }
        }
    }

Output of `gradle transform`

    > gradle transform
    :transform
    Transforming source file.

Output of `gradle transform`

    > gradle transform
    :transform UP-TO-DATE

Now, Gradle knows which files to check to determine whether the task is up-to-date or not.

The task's `inputs` property is of type `TaskInputs`. The task's `outputs` property is of type `TaskOutputs`.

A task with no defined outputs will never be considered up-to-date. For scenarios where the outputs of a task are not files, or for more complex scenarios, the `TaskOutputs.upToDateWhen(groovy.lang.Closure)` method allows you to calculate programmatically if the tasks outputs should be considered up to date.

A task with only outputs defined will be considered up-to-date if those outputs are unchanged since the previous build.

### 17.9.2. How does it work?

Before a task is executed for the first time, Gradle takes a snapshot of the inputs. This snapshot contains the set of input files and a hash of the contents of each file. Gradle then executes the task. If the task completes successfully, Gradle takes a snapshot of the outputs. This snapshot contains the set of output files and a hash of the contents of each file. Gradle persists both snapshots for the next time the task is executed.

Each time after that, before the task is executed, Gradle takes a new snapshot of the inputs and outputs. If the new snapshots are the same as the previous snapshots, Gradle assumes that the outputs are up to date and skips the task. If they are not the same, Gradle executes the task. Gradle persists both snapshots for the next time the task is executed.

Note that if a task has an output directory specified, any files added to that directory since the last time it was executed are ignored and will NOT cause the task to be out of date. This is so unrelated tasks may share an output directory without interfering with each other. If this is not the behaviour you want for some reason, consider using `TaskOutputs.upToDateWhen(groovy.lang.Closure)`

## 17.10. Task rules

Sometimes you want to have a task whose behavior depends on a large or infinite number value range of parameters. A very nice and expressive way to provide such tasks are task rules:

Example 17.25. Task rule

`build.gradle`

    tasks.addRule("Pattern: ping<ID>") { String taskName ->
        if (taskName.startsWith("ping")) {
            task(taskName) << {
                println "Pinging: " + (taskName - 'ping')
            }
        }
    }

Output of `gradle -q pingServer1`

    > gradle -q pingServer1
    Pinging: Server1

The String parameter is used as a description for the rule, which is shown with `gradle tasks`.

Rules are not only used when calling tasks from the command line. You can also create dependsOn relations on rule based tasks:

Example 17.26. Dependency on rule based tasks

`build.gradle`

    tasks.addRule("Pattern: ping<ID>") { String taskName ->
        if (taskName.startsWith("ping")) {
            task(taskName) << {
                println "Pinging: " + (taskName - 'ping')
            }
        }
    }

    task groupPing {
        dependsOn pingServer1, pingServer2
    }

Output of `gradle -q groupPing`

    > gradle -q groupPing
    Pinging: Server1
    Pinging: Server2

If you run “`gradle -q tasks`” you won't find a task named “`pingServer1`” or “`pingServer2`”, but this script is executing logic based on the request to run those tasks.

## 17.11. Finalizer tasks

Finalizers tasks are an incubating feature (see Section C.1.2, “Incubating”).

Finalizer tasks are automatically added to the task graph when the finalized task is scheduled to run.

Example 17.27. Adding a task finalizer

`build.gradle`

    task taskX << {
        println 'taskX'
    }
    task taskY << {
        println 'taskY'
    }

    taskX.finalizedBy taskY

Output of `gradle -q taskX`

    > gradle -q taskX
    taskX
    taskY

Finalizer tasks will be executed even if the finalized task fails.

Example 17.28. Task finalizer for a failing task

`build.gradle`

    task taskX << {
        println 'taskX'
        throw new RuntimeException()
    }
    task taskY << {
        println 'taskY'
    }

    taskX.finalizedBy taskY

Output of `gradle -q taskX`

    > gradle -q taskX
    taskX
    taskY

On the other hand, finalizer tasks are not executed if the finalized task didn't do any work, for example if it is considered up to date or if a dependent task fails.

Finalizer tasks are useful in situations where the build creates a resource that has to be cleaned up regardless of the build failing or succeeding. An example of such a resource is a web container that is started before an integration test task and which should be always shut down, even if some of the tests fail.

To specify a finalizer task you use the `Task.finalizedBy(java.lang.Object[])` method. This method accepts a task instance, a task name, or any other input accepted by `Task.dependsOn(java.lang.Object[])`.

## 17.12. Summary

If you are coming from Ant, an enhanced Gradle task like Copy seems like a cross between an Ant target and an Ant task. Although Ant's tasks and targets are really different entities, Gradle combines these notions into a single entity. Simple Gradle tasks are like Ant's targets, but enhanced Gradle tasks also include aspects of Ant tasks. All of Gradle's tasks share a common API and you can create dependencies between them. These tasks are much easier to configure than an Ant task. They make full use of the type system, and are more expressive and easier to maintain.

[7] You might be wondering why there is neither an import for the `StopExecutionException` nor do we access it via its fully qualified name. The reason is, that Gradle adds a set of default imports to your script (see Section 16.8, “Default imports”).