Gradle KTS. How to move dependencies configuration to a separate file from main build?

Question

I'm trying to create modular build script in kotlin. Basically main script and dependencies script. in the build.gradle.kts I have:

applyFrom("dependencies.kts")

and in dependencies.kts I have the actual dependencies:

dependencies {
    listOf(
            kotlinModule("stdlib-jre8"),
            // Spring boot
            "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web",
            "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-security",
            "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-logging",
            "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-actuator",
            // Spring
            "org.springframework.data:spring-data-mongodb",
            // Logging
            "org.slf4j:slf4j-api",
            "org.slf4j:jcl-over-slf4j",
            "ch.qos.logback:logback-classic"
    ).forEach { compile(it) }

    listOf(
            "org.codehaus.groovy:groovy-all",
            "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test",
            "org.spockframework:spock-core:1.0-groovy-2.4",
            "org.spockframework:spock-spring:1.0-groovy-2.4"
    ).forEach { testCompile(it) }
}

This fails with:

Error: Could not find method kotlinModule() for arguments [stdlib-jre8] on object of type org.gradle.api.internal.artifacts.dsl.dependencies.DefaultDependencyHandler.

If I try to import kotlinModule, it fails with:

Error:Cause: startup failed:
script '/home/czar/personal/work/***/dependencies.kts': 1: unable to resolve class org.gradle.script.lang.kotlin.kotlinModule
@ line 1, column 1.
import org.gradle.script.lang.kotlin.kotlinModule
^
1 error

What am I doing wrong and how to do it right?

Versions and relevant information:

• Gradle: 4.0
• Gradle KTS: 0.9.0
• editor: IntelliJ U 2017.1.4
• Kotlin Plugin: 1.1.3 EAP
• Kotlin version for project: 1.1.2.5

My build works perfectly when I have dependencies in the main file. All necessary configurations (buildscript, plugins, repositories, etc.) are present, but omitted here for brevity.

Answer 1

A couple of things here:

1. I'm assuming you have nothing inside build.gradle.kts but applyFrom("dependencies.kts"); if so, you still need a buildscript and plugins block on it:

   buildscript {
     repositories {
       //gradleScriptKotlin()
       mavenCentral()
       maven { setUrl("https://repo.spring.io/milestone") }
     }
   
     dependencies {
       classpath("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-gradle-plugin:2.0.0.M2")
       classpath(kotlin("gradle-plugin"))
     }
   }
   
   plugins {
     //id("io.spring.dependency-management")
     id("org.gradle.application")
     id("org.gradle.idea")
     //id("org.gradle.java")
     id("org.jetbrains.kotlin.jvm") version "1.1.2-5"
     //id("org.springframework.boot")
   }
   ...
   // applyFrom("dependencies.kts")
   

2. dependencies.kts should be renamed to dependencies.gradle.kts (and also the reference)

3. Depending on the Gradle version you are using kotlinModule("stdlib-jre8") might be deprecated already; kotlin("stdlib-jre8") is used in the most recent one.

4. You are missing some more settings on that file itself (buildscript, repositories and potentially plugins also).

   buildscript {
     repositories {
       //gradleScriptKotlin()
       mavenCentral()
       maven { setUrl("https://repo.spring.io/milestone") }
     }
   
     dependencies {
       classpath("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-gradle-plugin:2.0.0.M2")
       classpath(kotlin("gradle-plugin"))
     }
   }
   
   apply {
     plugin("io.spring.dependency-management")
     //plugin("kotlin-jpa")
     //plugin("kotlin-spring")
     plugin("kotlin")
     plugin("org.springframework.boot")
   }
   
   repositories {
     //gradleScriptKotlin()
     mavenCentral()
     maven { setUrl("https://repo.spring.io/milestone") }
   }
   ...
   // ...your `dependencies` block here
   

Notice I'm using spring-boot-gradle-plugin:2.0.0.M2 and the milestone repo(s); you might be using a stable/prior version. Tweak accordingly.

Have a look in Kotlin language support for Gradle build scripts for some examples; they are slightly different on what you are doing here, but you might have a requirement on doing things like that.