Navigating Gradle Version Differences for Jacoco and SonarQube Integration

If you're developing with Gradle and rely on Jacoco for code coverage and SonarQube for code quality analysis, you may encounter some hiccups as you switch between different versions of Gradle. Specifically, the migration from Gradle 7 to Gradle 8 introduces syntax changes that could affect your project setup. This post aims to guide you through these changes and ensure a smooth transition, plus a few additional tips to keep your development process seamless.

Jacoco Configuration Changes

Gradle 7

In Gradle 7, the Jacoco configuration for enabling reports looks like this:

jacocoTestReport {
    reports {
        xml.enabled true
        csv.enabled false
        html.enabled false
    }
}

This setup enables XML reports while disabling CSV and HTML reports. It's a straightforward approach for those focusing on XML outputs for further processing or integration with other tools.

Gradle 8+

Starting with Gradle 8, the syntax for configuring Jacoco reports has changed. The new method focuses on the required property. Here's how you can adapt your Jacoco report settings for Gradle 8:

jacocoTestReport {
    reports {
        xml.required = true
        csv.required = false
        html.required = false
    }
}

This change ensures that your configuration remains compatible with Gradle 8, enabling XML reports while keeping CSV and HTML reports disabled.

SonarQube Integration Changes

Gradle 7

For Gradle 7, the authentication token for SonarQube is set via a JVM argument in the following manner:

-Dsonar.login=

And to run the SonarQube task along with your tests, you would use:

./gradlew test sonarqube

Gradle 8+

In Gradle 8, there's a slight adjustment to how the authentication token is specified, as well as how the SonarQube task is invoked:

-Dsonar.token=

To run the SonarQube task in Gradle 8, the command changes to:

./gradlew test sonar

Additional Tips

Version Compatibility:

Always check the compatibility of your tools and plugins with the version of Gradle you're using. Upgrading Gradle might require updates to other parts of your build script.

Testing:

After making changes for version compatibility, run your full build and test cycle to ensure nothing is broken.

Documentation:

Keep an eye on the official documentation for Gradle, Jacoco, and SonarQube. They are invaluable resources for understanding new features and changes.
By paying attention to these details and adapting your build configuration as needed, you can navigate the differences between Gradle versions with minimal disruption to your development workflow. Remember, keeping your tooling up to date is key to taking advantage of the latest features and improvements, but it requires a bit of maintenance to ensure everything works together smoothly.