Maven vs Gradle: Which Java Build Tool Should You Use in 2025?

Maven and Gradle are the two dominant build tools for JVM projects. Maven ruled the Java world for over a decade with its strict conventions. Gradle came later and challenged everything — Groovy/Kotlin DSL over XML, incremental builds, and Android as a first-class target. This guide tells you exactly when each wins.

At a glance

How Maven works

Maven uses a fixed build lifecycle with phases like validate → compile → test → package → verify → install → deploy. Every plugin binds to a phase; you run a phase and Maven executes everything bound up to and including it.

pom.xml structure

<project>
  <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
  <groupId>com.example</groupId>
  <artifactId>my-app</artifactId>
  <version>1.0.0</version>
  <packaging>jar</packaging>

  <properties>
    <java.version>21</java.version>
    <maven.compiler.source>${java.version}</maven.compiler.source>
    <maven.compiler.target>${java.version}</maven.compiler.target>
  </properties>

  <dependencies>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-web</artifactId>
      <version>3.3.0</version>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.junit.jupiter</groupId>
      <artifactId>junit-jupiter</artifactId>
      <version>5.10.2</version>
      <scope>test</scope>
    </dependency>
  </dependencies>

  <build>
    <plugins>
      <plugin>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-maven-plugin</artifactId>
      </plugin>
    </plugins>
  </build>
</project>

Common Maven commands

mvn compile           # Compile source
mvn test              # Run tests
mvn package           # Build JAR/WAR
mvn install           # Install to local ~/.m2 repo
mvn deploy            # Push to remote repo
mvn clean package     # Clean then build
mvn spring-boot:run   # Run Spring Boot app
mvn dependency:tree   # Print dependency tree
mvn versions:display-dependency-updates  # Show outdated deps

Maven dependency scopes

How Gradle works

Gradle uses a directed acyclic graph (DAG) of tasks. Instead of fixed phases, you define tasks and their dependencies. Gradle runs only what's needed, checks if outputs are up-to-date, and caches results.

build.gradle.kts (Kotlin DSL)

plugins {
    id("org.springframework.boot") version "3.3.0"
    id("io.spring.dependency-management") version "1.1.5"
    kotlin("jvm") version "2.0.0"
    kotlin("plugin.spring") version "2.0.0"
}

group = "com.example"
version = "1.0.0"

java {
    toolchain {
        languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(21)
    }
}

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
}

dependencies {
    implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web")
    testImplementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test")
    testRuntimeOnly("org.junit.platform:junit-platform-launcher")
}

tasks.withType<Test> {
    useJUnitPlatform()
}

build.gradle (Groovy DSL — still common)

plugins {
    id 'java'
    id 'org.springframework.boot' version '3.3.0'
    id 'io.spring.dependency-management' version '1.1.5'
}

group = 'com.example'
version = '1.0.0'

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
}

dependencies {
    implementation 'org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web'
    testImplementation 'org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test'
}

test {
    useJUnitPlatform()
}

Common Gradle commands

./gradlew build           # Compile, test, assemble
./gradlew test            # Run tests only
./gradlew bootRun         # Run Spring Boot app
./gradlew dependencies    # Print dependency tree
./gradlew tasks           # List all available tasks
./gradlew clean build     # Clean then build
./gradlew build --parallel  # Parallel build
./gradlew build --build-cache  # Use build cache
./gradlew build --scan    # Publish build scan to scans.gradle.com

Performance comparison

Build speed is the most visible difference. Gradle wins decisively for large multi-module projects.

Why Gradle is faster

1. Incremental compilation — only re-compiles changed classes and their dependents
2. Up-to-date checks — compares input/output checksums; skips task if nothing changed
3. Build cache — stores task outputs locally and remotely; reuses across machines (CI hits dev cache)
4. Parallel task execution — independent tasks run concurrently
5. Configuration cache — skips configuration phase on repeated builds (Gradle 8+)

Dependency management

Both tools use Maven Central and can consume any Maven/Ivy artifact. The key differences are in how they handle conflicts and BOMs.

Version conflict resolution

Maven uses nearest-wins — the dependency closest to the root in the tree wins. This is predictable but can include old transitive dependencies.

Gradle uses highest-version-wins by default — if multiple versions of the same dependency appear, the highest version is selected. Override with:

// Gradle: force a specific version
configurations.all {
    resolutionStrategy {
        force("com.fasterxml.jackson.core:jackson-databind:2.17.0")
    }
}

<!-- Maven: use dependencyManagement to enforce version -->
<dependencyManagement>
  <dependencies>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.core</groupId>
      <artifactId>jackson-databind</artifactId>
      <version>2.17.0</version>
    </dependency>
  </dependencies>
</dependencyManagement>

BOM (Bill of Materials) support

Both tools support importing a BOM to align dependency versions:

// Gradle
dependencies {
    implementation(platform("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-dependencies:3.3.0"))
    implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web") // no version needed
}

<!-- Maven -->
<dependencyManagement>
  <dependencies>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
      <artifactId>spring-boot-dependencies</artifactId>
      <version>3.3.0</version>
      <type>pom</type>
      <scope>import</scope>
    </dependency>
  </dependencies>
</dependencyManagement>

Multi-project builds

Both tools support multi-module projects, but Gradle scales better.

Maven multi-module

my-app/
├── pom.xml          ← parent POM (packaging=pom)
├── api/
│   └── pom.xml
├── service/
│   └── pom.xml
└── web/
    └── pom.xml

<!-- parent pom.xml -->
<modules>
  <module>api</module>
  <module>service</module>
  <module>web</module>
</modules>

Maven builds modules in declared order. Parallel builds (-T 4 or -T 1C) help but are limited.

Gradle multi-project

my-app/
├── settings.gradle.kts   ← declares all subprojects
├── build.gradle.kts      ← root conventions
├── api/
│   └── build.gradle.kts
├── service/
│   └── build.gradle.kts
└── web/
    └── build.gradle.kts

// settings.gradle.kts
rootProject.name = "my-app"
include("api", "service", "web")

Gradle analyzes the task DAG and automatically parallelizes independent subprojects. With build cache, unchanged modules are never rebuilt.

Plugin ecosystem comparison

Android: Gradle only

If you're building Android apps, there is no choice — Android Studio and the Android Gradle Plugin (AGP) are the only official path. Maven is not supported.

// Android build.gradle.kts
plugins {
    id("com.android.application")
    id("org.jetbrains.kotlin.android")
}

android {
    namespace = "com.example.myapp"
    compileSdk = 35

    defaultConfig {
        applicationId = "com.example.myapp"
        minSdk = 24
        targetSdk = 35
        versionCode = 1
        versionName = "1.0"
    }

    buildTypes {
        release {
            isMinifyEnabled = true
            proguardFiles(getDefaultProguardFile("proguard-android-optimize.txt"))
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    implementation("androidx.core:core-ktx:1.13.1")
    implementation("androidx.compose.ui:ui:1.6.7")
    testImplementation("junit:junit:4.13.2")
}

Groovy DSL vs Kotlin DSL

Gradle supports two DSLs. Kotlin DSL is now recommended for new projects:

When to use Maven

When to use Gradle

Migration: Maven to Gradle

Gradle includes a built-in migration tool:

# In a Maven project directory
gradle init --type java-application
# or for existing Maven project:
gradle init
# Gradle reads pom.xml and generates build.gradle.kts automatically

The generated build script handles most dependencies and plugins. Manual review needed for:

• Custom Maven plugins (need Gradle equivalents)
• Complex execution blocks in Maven plugins
• Profile-based builds (use Gradle variants/flavors instead)

Maven vs Gradle vs other build tools

Common mistakes

Maven vs Gradle: related terms

FAQ

Should I use Maven or Gradle for a new Spring Boot project?

Both work equally well for Spring Boot. Maven is the default in Spring Initializr and has a smaller learning curve. Gradle is preferred if you use Kotlin, need faster CI builds, or are building a multi-module monorepo. Start with Maven if your team is already familiar with it; migrate to Gradle when build times become a problem.

Is Gradle always faster than Maven?

For small single-module projects, the difference is negligible. Gradle's advantages compound on large multi-module projects where incremental builds and build caching eliminate redundant work. On a 100+ module project, Gradle can be 5–10× faster with a warm cache.

Can I use Maven and Gradle in the same project?

Not simultaneously, but you can have both pom.xml and build.gradle.kts in a repository during migration. Many teams run Maven for production builds and use gradle init to test migrated scripts in parallel before cutting over.

Which build tool does IntelliJ IDEA support better?

IntelliJ supports both excellently. For Gradle, the Kotlin DSL gives full type-safe autocomplete — better than Groovy DSL. For Maven, IntelliJ's Maven tool window is very mature. Both tools have first-class IntelliJ integration.

Should Android developers ever use Maven?

No. Android development requires the Android Gradle Plugin (AGP). Maven cannot build Android apps. If you're targeting Android, use Gradle — it's non-negotiable.

What's the difference between gradle build and gradle assemble?

assemble compiles and packages (JAR/APK) but skips tests. build runs everything including tests and checks. Use assemble for quick package builds; build for full verification.