Get started
Install
Add the Nucleus Gradle plugin to your Kotlin project on macOS, Linux or Windows.
Nucleus ships as a Gradle plugin. Add it to your Kotlin project and you can target macOS, Linux and Windows from the same build.
TL;DR
- The plugin lives on the Gradle Plugin Portal — no extra repository config.
- Prerequisites: JDK 17+, Gradle 8+, Kotlin 2.0+. JDK 25+ unlocks the AOT cache.
Prerequisites
| Requirement | Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| JDK | 17+ | JBR 17+ recommended for the AWT backend; JDK 25+ enables AOT cache. |
| Gradle | 8.0+ | Wrapper bundled with new projects. |
| Kotlin | 2.0+ | Compose Multiplatform requires Kotlin 2.x. |
| OS | macOS 12+, Windows 10+, Linux (glibc 2.31+) | Tao backend requires Wayland or X11 on Linux. |
Pick the JDK
For development, any JDK 17+ works. To ship a GraalVM binary, install a GraalVM 25 distribution and let the plugin invoke native-image. The plugin can also use the JetBrains Runtime (JBR) for the AWT backend.
Next
- Quickstart — ship a running Tao window.
- Project setup — repositories, Gradle properties, multi-module layout.
- Configuration — the full
nucleus { … }DSL.