Apache ANT - The Java Build Tool

Apache Ant is a Java-based build tool. It is an open-source tool and is implemented in Java. Ant is being used by many developers to build a number of products such as TOMCAT etc. Programmers who develop softwares across multiple platforms, therefore need better build tools. Most of the other existing tools are inherently shell-based, that is, they evaluate a set of dependencies, then execute commands. Many are therefore OS dependent. Ant is certainly different. Instead of a model where it is extended with shell-based commands, Ant is extended using Java classes. Instead of writing shell commands, the configuration files are XML-based, calling out a target tree where various tasks get executed. Each task is run by an object that implements a particular Task interface. This makes Ant platform-independent and OS non-dependent.

Ant requires a Java VM and is definitely more portable. Ant targets are described in XML and Ant is better suited for Java-specific tasks. Here the commands or tasks are implemented by Java Classes, built in or stored in JAR files. Ant comprises of build files that are composed of targets which in turn are composed of tasks. Ant generates events and makes it possible to create a GUI for monitoring and controlling executions.

The question is being asked frequently why another build tool when many others exist. The answer lies in the fact that Ant has capabilities for building cross-platform products and has none of the dreaded bugs or issues that many other build tools have. Being XML based and comprising of components like targets and tasks, ANT makes it possible to build non-platform dependent, trouble-free products that are open source in nature.

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Java Development India offers Apache ANT development, Apache ANT consulting and Apache ANT related solutions from our offshore software development outsourcing centre at Kochi, Kerala in India.