Gradle Basics
BUILD & TOOLING › Gradle
Drills Gradle build files, dependency configurations, plugins, version catalogs, and build caching.
Almost every Android role assumes you can read and reason about Gradle, so interviewers probe whether you understand the build structure rather than just copy-pasting it. Expect questions on implementation vs api leakage, the Kotlin DSL, version catalogs, and what actually makes builds fast. Strong answers show you can keep modules decoupled and builds reproducible.
What this covers
- build.gradle.kts (Kotlin DSL) vs build.gradle (Groovy) and why Kotlin DSL is the default
- Project (top-level) vs module build files and the role of settings.gradle.kts
- Dependency configurations: implementation vs api vs compileOnly vs testImplementation and transitive leakage
- Applying plugins with the plugins{} block, version, and apply false
- Version catalogs (gradle/libs.versions.toml): versions, libraries, plugins, bundles, and type-safe accessors
- Build cache vs configuration cache and how they speed up builds
Study this topic
- Gradle Basics explained: the guided lesson
- 14 practice quiz questions
- 9 revision flashcards
- Gradle Basics interview questions and answers