jip: Clone a Java Project. Run It. Done.

Why I Created jip

This project started with a simple frustration, not a grand plan to reinvent Java development.

I’m sure you occasionally clone Java projects from GitHub to test an idea, explore a library, or see how someone else solved a problem. I do that, too. And I got increasingly frustrated with one thing: instead of getting straight to the code, I often found myself fighting with Maven or Gradle just to get a project running.

You clone a repository and want to experiment. Instead, you end up figuring out build configurations, plugins, dependency declarations, wrapper scripts, and whatever else the project requires. You don’t necessarily have Maven or Gradle installed on every machine, and changing or adding dependencies can turn a quick experiment into more work than the experiment itself.

Rust showed me how cleanly these concerns can be handled when they are integrated into the development workflow. I wanted to bring some of that simplicity to Java: straightforward dependency management, readable configuration, and tooling that stays out of the way.

That was the reason I created jip: a simple tool to clone Java projects, resolve dependencies, and run code without turning a quick experiment into a build-system exercise.

The goal is simple: fewer obstacles between discovering a Java project and actually using it.

Why Can’t Java Have Something Simpler?

The longer I work with other programming languages, the more I appreciate their approach to dependency management.

Python has pip and a straightforward way to declare dependencies. Rust has Cargo, with a clear project manifest, dependency resolution, and a lock file for reproducible builds.

Java, on the other hand, has Maven and Gradle. Both are powerful and useful for complex projects, but for simply trying out code, they can feel unnecessarily complicated.

Why should I need to understand an entire build system just to test and adjust a small Java project?

I wanted something closer to the experience I get with Rust: a compact dependency file, a predictable workflow, and a single tool to manage the essentials.

That idea became jip.

What Is jip?

jip is a lightweight, pip-inspired dependency manager and runner for Java. It is distributed as a single binary and uses a slim jip.toml configuration file instead of requiring a complex build configuration for everyday development.

The basic workflow is straightforward:

jip get https://github.com/example/project.git
cd project
jip run

No need to install Maven or Gradle. jip handles the dependencies, so you can focus on exploring the code instead of fighting with the build system.

jip resolves dependencies, compiles the Java sources when needed, detects the main class, and runs the application.

You can also use jip get to clone a repository and automatically convert a detected Maven or Gradle configuration into a jip.toml file. Execution remains a separate, explicit step so you can inspect the code before running it.

The goal is simple: spend your time exploring Java code, not figuring out how to launch it.

A Compact Dependency Configuration

Instead of a large build configuration, jip uses TOML to describe the dependencies a project needs.

For example:

[project]
name = "hello-java"
version = "1.0.0"
java = "25"

[dependencies]
com.google.guava:guava = "33.0.0-jre"

[test-dependencies]
org.junit.platform:junit-platform-console-standalone = "1.11.4"

The configuration separates runtime dependencies from test dependencies. jip also supports compile-only dependencies, custom repositories, and a jip.lock file that pins resolved dependency versions.

The result is a configuration that is easy to read, understand, and maintain.

More Than Just Dependencies

Although the initial motivation was to make GitHub projects easier to run, jip has grown into a practical collection of Java development utilities.

Some of its features include:

• Dependency management: Add, remove, update, and inspect dependencies.
• Build and execution: Compile projects, detect the main class, and run applications.
• GitHub workflows: Clone repositories and convert supported Maven and Gradle configurations.
• Reproducibility: Lock resolved dependency versions and support offline execution using cached dependencies.
• Testing: Compile and run JUnit tests.
• Packaging: Build standard JARs or self-contained executable fat JARs with all dependencies included.
• JDK management: Install, list, select, and remove JDK installations from supported vendors.
• Project maintenance: Inspect dependency trees, find outdated packages, and view dependency metadata.
• Multi-module projects: Detect supported Maven and Gradle module structures and build modules in dependency order.

jip can also reuse dependencies from the local Maven cache, reducing unnecessary downloads when the required artifacts are already available.

Is jip Intended to Replace Maven and Gradle?

Not necessarily for every project.

Maven and Gradle have established ecosystems and support sophisticated build pipelines, custom plugins, and complex enterprise requirements. jip does not attempt to reproduce every capability of those systems.

Its focus is different: make Java development and experimentation simpler, faster, and less dependent on build-system complexity.

If you maintain a large production project with elaborate build requirements, your existing build system may remain the right choice.

But if you frequently clone repositories, evaluate libraries, test ideas, or build smaller Java applications, jip offers a much more direct workflow.

You can also use jip init to convert supported Maven and Gradle configurations into jip’s format. The original build files are left untouched, so you can try the alternative without committing to a migration.

Try It Out

jip is open source and available on GitHub:

github.com/autumoswitzerland/jip

Written in Rust, jip is available as prebuilt binaries for different platforms, so you don’t need to compile the source code yourself. Download the release for your platform, install it, and start exploring Java projects without the usual Maven or Gradle hassle.