Gradle Version Catalog

Gradle is a build automation tool used primarily for Java and Android projects. A Version Catalog is a feature introduced in Gradle 7.0 to simplify dependency management. It allows you to centrally define and organize versions, libraries, and plugins used in your project, making it easier to maintain consistency across multiple modules or projects.

A Version Catalog is a centralized file (usually libs.versions.toml) where you declare all dependencies, versions, and plugins for your project. Instead of hardcoding version numbers or dependency coordinates in build scripts, you reference them from the catalog. This reduces duplication and improves readability.

Structure of a Version Catalog

• Versions: Define reusable version numbers (e.g., kotlin = "1.9.0").
• Libraries: Declare dependencies with group, name, and version references (e.g., kotlin-stdlib = { group = "org.jetbrains.kotlin", name = "kotlin-stdlib", version.ref = "kotlin" }).
• Bundles: Group commonly used dependencies together (e.g., android-core = ["androidx-core", "androidx-lifecycle"]).
• Plugins: Define Gradle plugins with IDs and versions (e.g., android-application = { id = "com.android.application", version.ref = "agp" }).

Advantages

The main advantages are as follows:

• Centralized Management: All dependencies are defined in one place, making updates easier.
• Consistency: Ensures all modules use the same versions of libraries, avoiding conflicts.
• Reduced Duplication: Eliminates repetitive version numbers across build files.
• Improved Readability: Clear structure makes it easier to understand dependencies at a glance.
• Easy Maintenance: Changing a version or fixing a typo requires editing only one file.
• Reusability: Catalogs can be shared across multiple projects or teams.