# vanniktech gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin Review

> This Kotlin-based Gradle plugin turns project dependencies into PNG, SVG, and DOT graphs. It suits engineers inspecting module relationships and transitive dependencies, although its custom generator API is explicitly experimental.

**vanniktech/gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin** — Gradle plugin that generates dependency graphs from your project.

- Repository: https://github.com/vanniktech/gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin
- Website: http://vanniktech.com
- Stars: 1,627 · Forks: 102
- Language: Kotlin
- License: Apache-2.0
- Published: 2026-10-16 · Updated: 2026-10-16 · Language: en
- Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/vanniktech-gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin

## What dependency graphs solve in Gradle builds

The plugin addresses a narrow but useful problem: Gradle can resolve dependencies without making the resulting relationships easy for a person to inspect. A build may contain direct dependencies, project modules, and long transitive chains. Reading those relationships through dependency declarations or repeated terminal commands takes more effort than opening a graph. This plugin turns the structure into a visual report.

It is intended for engineers who need to understand what a Gradle project depends on and how those dependencies connect. The default output has two scopes. `generateDependencyGraph` creates a complete dependency graph, while `generateProjectDependencyGraph` creates a graph of the project's modules. The first is useful when the question concerns an external library and everything it brings in. The second is more directly useful for reviewing the architecture of a multi-module build.

The plugin does not replace Gradle dependency resolution. It reports the resolved structure through reporting tasks after the build has inspected the project. The README does not claim that the plugin removes unused dependencies, detects vulnerabilities, checks license policy, or resolves version conflicts. It is therefore best understood as a visualization layer for build analysis.

## Default graph tasks and report formats

The plugin exposes two default reporting tasks. The complete graph is written to `build/reports/dependency-graph/`, and the project-module graph is written to `build/reports/project-dependency-graph/`. The README states that graphs are generated in `.png`, `.svg`, and `.dot` formats.

The three formats serve different needs. SVG can be opened in a browser or included in documentation, PNG is convenient for a report or image-oriented workflow, and DOT provides a text-based graph representation. The repository includes example SVG files named `art/dependency-graph.svg` and `art/project-dependency-graph.svg`, which document the expected visual output.

The plugin is applied either at the root of a project or at a specific project. The README says both placements work. That gives the build either a repository-wide report or a more localized report, depending on where the plugin is applied. The documentation does not explain what happens when the plugin is applied to multiple subprojects, so applications that need several local reports should verify task names and output directories first.

Because the plugin uses Gradle reporting tasks, generation fits the build tool rather than requiring a separate visualization application. The README does not state that either task is attached to `check`, `build`, or another lifecycle task. Running the task directly is therefore the clearest initial verification.

## Installing version 0.8.0 and generating the first report

The documented stable setup requires Gradle 3.3 or higher. Add the plugin to the buildscript classpath, resolve it from `mavenCentral()`, and apply the documented plugin ID. The following block is the README's stable setup. It belongs in the applicable `build.gradle` file.

```groovy
buildscript {
 repositories {
 mavenCentral()
 }
 dependencies {
 classpath "com.vanniktech:gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin:0.8.0"
 }
}

apply plugin: "com.vanniktech.dependency.graph.generator"
```

After applying the plugin, run the documented `generateDependencyGraph` reporting task.

The expected output is written to `build/reports/dependency-graph/`, where the documented `.png`, `.svg`, and `.dot` files should appear. To inspect only the relationships among project modules, run `generateProjectDependencyGraph` instead. Its documented destination is `build/reports/project-dependency-graph/`.

The README also documents a snapshot installation. It uses `0.9.0-SNAPSHOT` and the Sonatype snapshot repository, so it is a separate setup from the stable `0.8.0` example and should not be substituted without a deliberate snapshot decision.

## Filtering graphs through custom generators

The extension point allows a build to create a task-specific graph. According to the README, a `Generator` is hooked into the `dependencyGraphGenerator` extension. A named generator can select dependencies, decide whether transitive children are included, and change the appearance of dependency nodes.

The README's Groovy example names a generator `jetbrainsLibraries`. Its `include` predicate accepts dependencies whose group starts with `org.jetbrains`. Its `children` predicate returns `true`, which includes transitive dependencies. The `dependencyNode` callback adds Graphviz styling to the selected nodes. This configuration creates a task named `generateDependencyGraphJetbrainsLibraries`.

The Kotlin example follows the same model through `generators.create("jetbrainsLibraries")`. It reads `dependency.moduleGroup`, applies the same inclusion rule, and configures transitive traversal and node styling. This is useful when the build itself uses Kotlin DSL and the dependency report needs to focus on a particular ecosystem.

The tradeoff is important. Filtering can make a graph easier to read, but it also hides dependencies outside the configured predicate. The README describes this extension mechanism as "extremely experimental" and says it will likely change between releases. A build that depends on these task names or callbacks should pin the plugin version and verify the generated task after an upgrade.

## Limitations and upgrade considerations

The primary limitation is scope. The plugin reports dependency structure but does not, based on the README, act as a dependency-audit or policy-enforcement tool. It does not document automatic unused-dependency removal, vulnerability scanning, license validation, or automatic correction of conflicting versions. Teams needing those capabilities still need other tooling.

Compatibility is another constraint. The README gives Gradle 3.3 as the minimum, but it does not provide a compatibility matrix for current Gradle versions or a list of tested plugin versions. The listed stable release is `0.8.0`, published on 2022-06-21. Earlier listed releases are `0.7.0` from 2021-12-18 and `0.6.0` from 2021-06-27. The repository is not archived and the last push was on 2026-10-13, but the available release history still ends at `0.8.0`. Repository activity should not be treated as evidence that a new plugin release is available.

The project uses the Apache License 2.0. That license covers the project under its stated terms, but it does not automatically settle questions about the license of dependencies, generated reports, or artifacts produced by another part of a build. Those are separate review items.

## Comparison with a custom Graphviz task

A realistic alternative is a small custom Gradle task that obtains dependency information and delegates rendering to Graphviz. The difference is control rather than output quality. The plugin supplies ready-made complete, project-module, and custom-generator tasks with PNG, SVG, and DOT output. A custom task can choose a different dependency query, output shape, or reporting integration.

The alternative costs more implementation work. The build author must define the task, determine how to collect dependency coordinates, and connect those results to a renderer. The plugin avoids that setup by providing a Gradle task model and generator extension. That makes it the simpler option when the goal is to inspect standard dependency relationships.

A custom task is preferable when the required graph cannot be represented by the documented filters or when the output must feed a separate internal reporting system. It is also preferable when the organization already owns a standardized Graphviz rendering pipeline and does not want an additional plugin in its build. The plugin is the more direct choice for a local Gradle report with the documented output directories and formats.

## Practical adoption decision for Gradle projects

Start with `generateDependencyGraph` because it exposes the complete structure, including transitive dependencies. Confirm that the output appears under `build/reports/dependency-graph/` and that the SVG is readable for the project's documentation or review process. Then run `generateProjectDependencyGraph` to check the project-module view.

Add a custom generator only when the default graphs are too broad for a recurring question. Confirm the generated task name, inclusion predicate, child traversal, and node styling. Because the README labels the extension experimental, avoid making a build depend on undocumented behavior beyond the examples provided.

The plugin earns its place in builds where dependency visualization is a recurring maintenance task, not merely a one-time curiosity. It does not answer whether dependencies are unused, insecure, or license-compatible. Those questions require separate tools and process. The final judgment is specific: use `gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin` for Gradle-native PNG, SVG, and DOT dependency reports, after verifying that its version and experimental filters match the build's Gradle setup.

## Conclusion

Adopt this plugin when visual dependency inspection is worth adding to a Gradle build, especially for projects with many modules or transitive dependencies. Do not choose it as a dependency-audit, unused-library detector, or conflict-resolution tool. Verify compatibility with the Gradle version used by the project, inspect output from both root and subproject application, and test the experimental generator API before relying on custom filtered tasks.

## FAQ

### Which Gradle plugin ID does gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin use?

The README applies the plugin with `com.vanniktech.dependency.graph.generator`.

### Which Gradle version does gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin require?

The documented minimum is Gradle 3.3. The README does not provide a compatibility matrix for newer Gradle versions.

### What tasks and output formats does gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin provide?

The default tasks are `generateDependencyGraph` and `generateProjectDependencyGraph`. The README states that they generate `.png`, `.svg`, and `.dot` files in their respective report directories.

## Sources

- [License: Apache-2.0](https://github.com/vanniktech/gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin/blob/master/LICENSE)
- [Project website](http://vanniktech.com)
- [README](https://github.com/vanniktech/gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin/blob/master/README.md)
- [Releases](https://github.com/vanniktech/gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin/releases)
- [vanniktech/gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin on GitHub](https://github.com/vanniktech/gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin)

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Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/vanniktech-gradle-dependency-graph-generator-plugin