JeKa

The Next-Gen Build Tool for Java & Co

Description

JeKa is a modern Java build tool designed for simplicity, combining ease of use with robust handling of complex scenarios.

It targets a generation of Java developers who prefer simple, Java-centric tools over complex XML-based or external DSL-based solutions for building their applications.

Features

• Zero-Config Builds: Build Java projects with zero setup — no configuration required.
• Java-Based Configuration: Customize builds with simple properties or plain Java code — no XML, No DSL.
• Full Portability: Automatically download specific versions of the JDK, JeKa, or third-party tools if missing — no JDK required.
• Cloud-Native Ready: Effortless native compilation and Docker image creation — no setup or configuration needed.
• Run Java/Kotlin Scripts: Execute simple scripts or full applications directly from source code — no compilation and dep management needed.
• Instant App Deployment: Push application code to Git, and it's ready to run — no pipeline required.
• Simple Extensions: Easily integrate third-party tools or handle complex scenarios with minimal effort.
• Super Lightweight: Comes as a zero-dependency JAR of less than 2MB.
• Supported Technologies: Java, Kotlin, Git, Docker, GraalVM, Spring-Boot, Node.js, OpenAPI, Jacoco, SonarQube, Protobuf, Maven, and more.

Use Cases

• Effortless project builds: Build traditional or cloud-native Java projects with minimal configuration.
• Use Java for scripting: Write scripts, DevOps pipelines or applications in Java, runnable directly from source code.
• Handle complex build scenarios gracefully: Encapsulate build logic using intuitive Java mechanisms.
• Make Java more attractive: Learn Java effortlessly, without complex XML or intimidating tools.

Installation

Visit the installation page.

Usage (Examples)

Execute build methods

• Compile, test and create JAR: jeka project: pack
• Compile to native executable: jeka native: compile
• Create a JVM-based Docker image: jeka docker: build
• Create a native-based Docker image: jeka docker: buildNative

Execute Java applications

• Run a Java application directly from its Git repository: jeka -r <git url> -p [program args...]
• Example: jeka -r https://github.com/jeka-dev/demo-cowsay#0.0.6 -p Hello JeKa

Help

• Display help on console: jeka --help
• Display docs on KBeans: jeka --doc

Configure using properties

jeka.inject.classpath=dev.jeka:jacoco-plugin dev.jeka:sonarqube-plugin

@project.moduleId=my-org:my-lib
@project.gitVersioning.enable=true
@project.pack.jarType=SHADE

@jacoco.jacocoVersion=0.8.12

Configure using Java code

@JkDep("commons-net:commons-net:3.11.1")
class Build extends KBean {

  final JkProject project = load(ProjectKBean.class).project;

  @JkDoc("Deploy Spring-Boot application on remote server")
  public void deploy() {
    Path jar = project.artifactLocator.getMainArtifactPath();
    this.sendThroughFtp(jar);
    this.sendRestartCommand();
  }
  ...

Visit the documentation, and explore the examples.

External Plugins

External plugins must be explicitly imported and are hosted as JAR files on Maven Central.

The following plugins are part of JeKa’s monorepo and are released together, so their version does not need to be specified when importing:

• Spring Boot Plugin
• SonarQube Plugin
• JaCoCo Plugin
• Node.js Plugin
• Kotlin Plugin
• Protobuf Plugin
• Nexus Plugin

The following plugin is maintained in a separate repository:

• OpenAPI Plugin

Community

• Contribute: Contribution Guide
• Issues: Report or track issues
• Discussions: Join discussions
• Twitter: Follow us
• Email Support: support@jeka.dev

This project is supported by the OW2 Consortium.

Versioning

JeKa follows Semantic Versioning 2.0.

Roadmap

• Improve documentation
• Enhance existing functionality based on user feedback.
• Develop a dedicated plugin for Kubernetes.
• Provide examples showcasing JeKa's use for provisioning cloud platforms via their SDKs.