Run/Debug Configuration: Gradle

You can run Gradle tasks using run configuration. The default options listed in such configuration are enough to run your task. If you want, you can also create an advanced configuration using additional options or adding more tasks and arguments.

Create a run/debug Gradle configuration

From the main menu, select Add Configuration. Alternatively, right-click any task in the Gradle tool window and select Modify Run Configuration.
Specify a name of your configuration in the Name field to quickly identify it when editing or running the configuration, for example, from the Run popup Alt+Shift+F10 or the Gradle tool window.
Specify where you want your configuration to run on. The default Local Machine option will run your configuration locally on your computer.
You can change the location of your run execution. For example, use SSH or Docker to run your target.
You can also run your target on WSL. If you need to configure a new target or change the existing configuration, click Manage targets and in the Run Targets dialog, add your changes. For more information, refer to Run targets.
If you need, specify Store as project file that saves the file with the run configuration settings, so you can share it with other team members. The default location is .idea/runConfigurations. However, if you do not want to share the .idea directory, you can save the configuration to any other directory within the project.
To change the location, select this option and click and in the dialog that opens, add the new location.
If you don't need to specify anything in the Run field, the default tasks such as help and tasks specified in the Before build section. section will be executed. Alternatively, if you are creating a run configuration from the Gradle tool window, the task you have selected will be displayed in this field. However, you can specify additional external tasks and arguments for your run configuration. Use spaces to separate one task from another. If you want to see the available list of Gradle tasks and arguments, click in the field.
Specify the location of your Gradle project.
You can either enter it manually or click and point to the desired location in the dialog that opens. However, if you are creating a run configuration from the Gradle tool window, IntelliJ IDEA will display the name of your project automatically.
You can also click Gradle registered projects icon to select an available Gradle module from the list of registered Gradle modules in your existing IntelliJ IDEA project.
If you need, you can specify a path to the build script file instead of the project path. This might be helpful if you have a custom build script to which you want to refer.
If you need, specify the environment variables that you want to use in you project.
The following default options are enabled, but you can click Modify options and use the Add Run Options list to add the new options or remove some default ones:
- Open run/debug tool window when started - automatically opens the Run/Debug tool window when the configuration is executed and several debugger options
- Debug Gradle scripts - enables breakpoints in the Gradle scripts.
  This option is disabled when you execute your test using left gutter in the editor or the context menu. This is done to speed up your debugging process.

Add Run Options

The Add Run Options list lets you add more run options to the Run/Debug Configurations dialog or remove some of the default ones from it. The list is divided into various sections, so you can easily navigate through the available options.

Operating System

Item	Description
Allow multiple instances	Select this option to allow running multiple instances of this run configuration in parallel. By default, it is disabled, and when you start this configuration while another instance is still running, IntelliJ IDEA suggests stopping the running instance and starting another one. This is helpful when a run configuration consumes a lot of resources and there is no good reason to run multiple instances.

Item

Description

Allow multiple instances

Select this option to allow running multiple instances of this run configuration in parallel. By default, it is disabled, and when you start this configuration while another instance is still running, IntelliJ IDEA suggests stopping the running instance and starting another one. This is helpful when a run configuration consumes a lot of resources and there is no good reason to run multiple instances.

Java

Item	Description
VM options	Specify the options to be passed to the Java virtual machine when launching the application, for example, `-mx`, `-verbose`, and so on. When specifying JVM options, follow these rules: Use spaces to separate individual options. If the value of an option includes spaces, enclose either the value or the actual spaces with double quotes. If an option includes double quotes as part of the value, escape the double quotes using backslashes. You can pass environment variable values to custom Java properties. -Xmx1024m -Dspaces="some arg" -Dmy.prop=\"quoted_value\" -Dfoo=${MY_ENV_VAR} Use code completion in this field: start typing the name of a flag, and the IDE suggests a list of available command line options. This works for `-XX:` and `-X` options and some standard options that are not configured by IntelliJ IDEA automatically, like `-ea`, but not for `-cp` or `–release`. The `-classpath` option specified in this field overrides the classpath of the module.

Item

Description

VM options

Specify the options to be passed to the Java virtual machine when launching the application, for example, -mx, -verbose, and so on.

When specifying JVM options, follow these rules:

Use spaces to separate individual options.
If the value of an option includes spaces, enclose either the value or the actual spaces with double quotes.
If an option includes double quotes as part of the value, escape the double quotes using backslashes.
You can pass environment variable values to custom Java properties.

-Xmx1024m -Dspaces="some arg" -Dmy.prop=\"quoted_value\" -Dfoo=${MY_ENV_VAR}

Use code completion in this field: start typing the name of a flag, and the IDE suggests a list of available command line options. This works for -XX: and -X options and some standard options that are not configured by IntelliJ IDEA automatically, like -ea, but not for -cp or –release.

The -classpath option specified in this field overrides the classpath of the module.

Logs


	You can select which log files that are generated while running or debugging should be displayed in the console, that is, on the dedicated tabs of the Run or Debug tool window. You can also select an option that saves the console output to a file or show the console output when a message is printed to `stdout` or `stderr`.

Code Coverage


	You can select options related to running your configuration with code coverage.

Before Launch


	You can select additional options to add before the run configuration is executed. For example, you can add a Gradle task that you want to execute before you run your configuration. Click Add before launch task and in the list that opens, select Gradle task, and in the dialog that opens configure your task.

You can select additional options to add before the run configuration is executed. For example, you can add a Gradle task that you want to execute before you run your configuration.

Click Add before launch task and in the list that opens, select Gradle task, and in the dialog that opens configure your task.

Gradle

Item	Description
Debug all tasks on the execution graph	When you select this option, every task in the execution graph will be debugged. For example, all the dependent tasks of the task you are trying to debug.
Debug forked Gradle tasks in separate debug tabs	Select this option to run a debugging process in a separate tab in the Debug tool window.
Run as test	By default, this option is disabled. In such case, IntelliJ IDEA doesn't open the Run tool window and doesn't rerun tests tasks if they are up to date. However, if IntelliJ IDEA finds test tasks in the run configuration, those are highlighted in the Gradle tool window, IntelliJ IDEA doesn't rerun test tasks, but opens the Gradle tool window. The option becomes enabled when you trigger the test execution from the editor using in the gutter or the context menu. In this case, IntelliJ IDEA opens the Run tool window and reruns the test tasks each time the execution is triggered even if the tests are up to date. This option might be helpful in controlling the rerunning process of the test tasks in your project.

Item

Description

Debug all tasks on the execution graph

When you select this option, every task in the execution graph will be debugged. For example, all the dependent tasks of the task you are trying to debug.

Debug forked Gradle tasks in separate debug tabs

Select this option to run a debugging process in a separate tab in the Debug tool window.

Run as test

By default, this option is disabled. In such case, IntelliJ IDEA doesn't open the Run tool window and doesn't rerun tests tasks if they are up to date.

However, if IntelliJ IDEA finds test tasks in the run configuration, those are highlighted in the Gradle tool window, IntelliJ IDEA doesn't rerun test tasks, but opens the Gradle tool window.

The option becomes enabled when you trigger the test execution from the editor using in the gutter or the context menu.

In this case, IntelliJ IDEA opens the Run tool window and reruns the test tasks each time the execution is triggered even if the tests are up to date.

This option might be helpful in controlling the rerunning process of the test tasks in your project.

Last modified: 08 October 2024