Apache Ant is a Java library and command-line tool whose mission is to drive processes described in build files as targets and extension points dependent upon each other. In theory, it is kind of like Make, without Make’s wrinkles and with the full portability of pure Java code.
The main known usage of Ant is the build of Java applications. Ant supplies a number of built-in tasks allowing to compile, assemble, test and run Java applications. Ant can also be used effectively to build non Java applications, for instance C or C++ applications. More generally, Ant can be used to pilot any type of process which can be described in terms of targets and tasks.
According to Ant’s original author, James Duncan Davidson, the name is an acronym for “Another Neat Tool”.
Website: ant.apache.org
Support: FAQ
Developer: Apache Software Foundation
License: Apache License 2.0
Apache Ant is written in Java. Learn Java with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
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Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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