ampere vs gradle

[CosmicIndustries]

Here’s a ready‑to‑use Amper Kotlin Multiplatform template plus a structured head‑to‑head comparison vs. Gradle based on the most recent tooling state (2026) and official sources:

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📌 Amper Multiplatform Starter (YAML)

Create a module.yaml at your project root — this defines targets, dependencies, and build settings:

product:
  # Shared multiplatform library
  type: lib
  platforms:
    - jvm
    - android
    - iosArm64
    - iosSimulatorArm64
    - iosX64
    - web # JS/Wasm

dependencies:
  # Shared libraries (example: Compose multiplatform UI)
  - org.jetbrains.compose.foundation:foundation:1.8.0: exported
  - org.jetbrains.compose.material3:material3:1.8.0: exported

dependencies@android:
  # Android platform-specific extensions
  - androidx.activity:activity-compose:1.8.0: exported
  - androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.6.1: exported

dependencies@ios:
  # (Upcoming/future) CocoaPods and native libs
  - pod: 'FirebaseCore'
    version: '~> 6.6'

settings:
  # Global Kotlin toolchain settings
  kotlin:
    languageVersion: 1.9

  # Enable Compose multiplatform
  compose:
    enabled: true

  # Android SDK config
  android:
    compileSdk: 33
    minSdk: 21

✔ This single manifest defines platform targets and dependency scopes declaratively.
✔ It handles JVM, Android, iOS, and JS in one unified module.
✔ Compose UI and other multiplatform libraries toggle via YAML flags. (Kotlin)

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⚔️ Amper vs. Gradle (Kotlin Multiplatform)

Aspect	Amper	Gradle (KMP plugin)
Primary Design	Declarative YAML build config	Script‑based Kotlin DSL
Native Multiplatform Support	Yes (JVM/Android/iOS/JS/Native) experimental focus	Yes mature and feature‑complete
Build Engine	Standalone (no user Gradle config)	Gradle under the hood
IDE Support	Supported in IntelliJ IDEA & Fleet	Excellent, mature
Dependency Resolution	YAML with platform qualifiers	Kotlin DSL with rich plugins
Android Toolchain Complexity	Partially supported via delegates	Very strong (AGP)
Publishing & Packaging	YAML + Amper commands	Gradle publishing built‑in
Ease of Setup	Simpler declarative model	More flexible but verbose
Extensibility / Plugins	Preview plugin system	Massive ecosystem
Community Adoption	Experimental / growing	Very widespread & stable

Quick context from tools docs

• Official support: Amper is an experimental multiplatform build tool by JetBrains that guides multiplatform configuration via a declarative module.yaml, covering JVM, Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, and web targets. (JetBrains)
• Standalone mode: Recent releases of Amper (v0.7+) shifted focus to a standalone build engine — Gradle‑free in many cases — with multiplatform support built right in. (The JetBrains Blog)
• IDE integration: Amper works in IDEs (IntelliJ IDEA 2025+, Fleet) with tooling support like run configurations and diagnostics. (The JetBrains Blog)

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🧠 Practical Summary

When to choose Amper

• You want simple, declarative multiplatform build configuration without writing Kotlin/Groovy scripts.
• You’re building a standard multiplatform library or app and prefer a manifest‑first workflow.
• You like IDE‑friendly tooling with YAML completion and quick fixes.
• You’re willing to adopt an evolving experimental tool that may simplify builds.

When to stick with Gradle

• You need deep Android support, custom plugin ecosystems, or niche build logic.
• You maintain large, long‑lived multiplatform codebases where stability and ecosystem maturity matter.
• You rely on advanced publishing workflows, custom task graphs, or 3rd‑party tooling that integrates tightly with Gradle.

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📌 Notes & Caveats

• Amper is experimental. It is usable for multiplatform today, but not yet as battle‑tested in complex real‑world apps as Gradle. (JetBrains)
• Android edge cases: Some Android tooling (e.g., dex conversion tasks) still use Gradle under the hood in hybrid setups according to community feedback. (Reddit)
• Plugin ecosystem: Amper’s plugin system is in early preview; expect gradual expansion. (Amper)

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If you want, I can produce a ready‑to‑run sample repository layout (folder structure, manifest files, and build commands) for a real multiplatform app using Amper — so you can clone and build it right away.