How to distribute a custom gradle plugin in a custom gradle distribution

[Ravikanth (Chavali)]

I have created a custom gradle plugin; I have access restrictions around using maven repo(s) and will not be able to use it by publishing it.

I would like to create a custom gradle distribution with the custom gradle plugin included. and would like to be able to use that to apply my custom plugin.

I couldnt find any direction on best way to create custom gradle distribution. For example, would it be sufficient if i drop the plugin jars in a /lib/plugins or any other specifics.

Once the custom gradle distribution is created and installed, would i be able to apply the plugin with standard procedures ? Example apply plugin: “gradle-custom-plugin”

I have come across the following links, that were helpful but have a few clarifications.

Best approach to apply custom plugin to root project via init script in a custom distribution

If I am shipping a custom distribution with my own custom plugins, what would you say is the best way to make sure that all projects apply some custom plugin that is shipped with the distribution? My thought was to have the init script add a BuildListener and in the listener apply the plugin I want to allprojects.

The below link provides a way to use init.gradle and build.gradle to apply a custom plugin.

How can you use an init script to specify a repo/dependency for a plugin JAR, but allow version to be configured in build's root project?

This is how you could do it. In your ‘init.gradle’: class OurPlugins { def buildscript OurPlugins(buildscript) { this.buildscript = buildscript buildscript.repositories { mavenCentral() } } void jsPlugin(String version) { buildscript.dependencies { classpath "com.eriwen:gradle-js-plugin:$version" } } } allprojects { extensions.create('ourPlugins', OurPlugins, buildscript) } Then in your ‘build.gr…

I realize there is also an open unresolved issue (Cannot load custom plugin (from outside distribution) to project from an init script)
https://issues.gradle.org/browse/GRADLE-2407

Does that mean, this restriction is only if we are intending to use init script ? And would we be able to follow the standard process similar to apply plugin: ‘gradle-custom-plugin’ if we take any alternate approaches ?

Thank you!

[st_oehme (Stefan Oehme)]

You can include an init script in your custom distribution. This init script can put your plugin on the project’s build script classpath:

rootProject {
  buildscript.dependencies {
    classpath files("${initscript.sourceFile}/../../lib/myCustomPlugin.jar")
  }
}

[Ravikanth (Chavali)]

Thank you;
I could not get it to work using ${initscript.sourceFile} instead used ${initscript.sourceFile.parentFile} based on the discussion in Best approach to apply custom plugin to root project via init script in a custom distribution

// Make the SINGLE plugin visible to all projects, by including it in the build script classpath. rootProject { buildscript.dependencies { classpath files("${initscript.sourceFile.parentFile}/../lib/plugins/samp1-1.0.0.jar") } }

It was also helpful to include multiple plugins by pointing to the directory instead of specific file.
// Make MULTIPLE plugin visible to all projects, by including it in the build script classpath. include filter is Optional rootProject { buildscript.dependencies { classpath fileTree(dir: "${initscript.sourceFile.parentFile}/../lib") } }