Ant: The Definitive Guide

Compilation of all Java™ source files is no longer the only step necessary to build many Java-based projects. For the typical HelloWorld program, book examples, and simple applets, source file compilation is sufficient. Complex Java-based projects, like web applications or Swing-based programs (such as JBuilder), require much more. Up-to-date sources must be retrieved from source control. Dependencies not automatically handled by the Java compiler need to be managed. Various classes must be bundled and delivered to multiple locations, sometimes as JAR or WAR files. Some Java technologies, such as Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) and Remote Method Invocation (RMI) classes, need separate compilation and code generation steps not performed...