Apache Ant
What is Ant?
“Apache Ant is a Java-based build tool. In theory, it is kind of like Make, but without Make’s wrinkles” -Apache Ant Website
Why Ant then?
Ant is different
· Ant has Java Class like extensions
· Use of XML instead of Shell Scripts
· Each task is taken care by creating its object
· Standardized
· Platform Independent
Where to get it?
You can get Ant from the following links:
●Apache Ant Homepage:
(Download > Current Release of Ant > apache-ant-bin.zip 11MB Approx)
● IDE: Ant comes in as bundled 3rd party tool/modules with IDEs like Eclipse, Netbeans, IDEA
build.xml
● Similar to make file but an XML file
● Its the default file where ant will look for what to build, how to build
● Has projects, targets, tasks
<Project>
Three attributes of <Project>
1) name: [Optional] Name of the project
2) basedir: [Optional] The base directory for path calculation. If not set then directory of the build file will be taken as the basedir
default: [Required] The default target to be called when no target is specified in command line.
A <Project> may have one or more <target>
● A <target> defines set of
● A < target > may depend on other
● A < target > gets executed only once
● A < target > has properties which determines how it will be executed
● A < target > can be specified when executing ant from command line
<task>
Independent code which can be executed
● Can have multiple attributes
● Ant has some built-in ready to be used tasks
Hello World with Ant:
Lets compile , pack and run a simple Hello World program in Java.
Step 1: Write your Java source code
Step 2: Write a build.xml file
Step 3: Run Ant with the build.xml
Lets write the build.xml First of all ,:
lets examine what you want to do:
●You’d like to Compile
●You’d like to package it into a Jar file.
●You’d also like to clean up the mess.
●Finally you’d like to run your application
●Lets create the root tags ..
Run the Ant:
Place your files in the class path and execute:
Ant Resources:
Homepage: http://ant.apache.org User Manual: http://jakarta.apache.org/ant/manual/index.html
Wiki: http://wiki.apache.org/ant/FrontPage
FAQ: http://ant.apache.org/faq.html
Books: http://sourceforge.net/projects/antbook
Contribution: http://www.apache.org/foundation/contributing.html
