Java project: should .classpath .project file be committed into repository?

Java Problem Overview

Should I check in my .project and .classpath files?

My friend told me that I should only check in .java files and the build.xml to guarantee portability. He said ".classpath will cause you much less portability on different environment. .project is entirely your local eclipse setting"

I agree with him, but partially.

-- Not checking in .project file will make my development less efficient (I can't simply "import" a project code from a directory)

-- Not checking in .classpath file seems OK to me (?) if my build.xml is written carefully.

Anyone wants to share their experience here?

Java Solutions

Solution 1 - Java

There is nothing wrong with checking in .project and .classpath. I would do so, if your build.xml isn't able to create both of the files for you. As you said, it's uncomfortable to miss these files when you try to create a new eclipse workspace.

Before you check in .classpath you should be sure that there is no absolute path in it. Convert it into a relative one with a text editor.

Edit: Or even better, use eclipse classpath variables in your otherwise absolute pathes, like @taylor-leese commented.

Solution 2 - Java

For my 2 cents, I would rate it as a bad practice. Projects should not be tied to an IDE, and especially should not be tied to a specific version of an IDE.

Checking in Eclipse config files might work well for simpler and short-term projects. For larger projects that are developed over several years this will generally cause more hassle, as IDE versions change, and project config files don't. Just imagine checking in a 2 year old branch with Eclipse 2.0 config files in Eclipse 4.3 with some customized libraries and m2e integration... No fun at all...

Solution 3 - Java

One thing I would caution against with checking in .classpath file is make sure you don't reference files outside of your project. Eclipse stores the location of these files with a full filepath, and you would need to make sure other developers had those files in exactly the same place.

Solution 4 - Java

The key question with all such files is "Can they be reproduced automatically?" If not, check them into source control.

In this case, I'd say "yes," unless you're using maven, which has m2eclipse and the eclipse plugin to generate them for you.

Solution 5 - Java

I don't really know eclipse preferences files, but with IntelliJ, those files are OS agnostics, which means that it won't ruin your portability. Unless you define libraries with a full path to your system (That would be pretty dangerous/stupid).

When you share preferences, you're sure that everyone will work with the same conditions on the project (plugins configuration, encoding, profiles [for intelliJ]) which can really be a good thing.

It doesn't bother me when some Eclipse files are here, and I think it shouldn't/doesn't really bother other developers when some hidden files just lay there.

Solution 6 - Java

We check in .project and .classpath. With ProjectSet's this allows us to check out complex workspaces with a single "Import Team ProjectSet"

Solution 7 - Java

> Not checking in .project file will > make my development less efficient (I > can't simply "import" a project code > from a directory)

for this issue, you can choose to create new project and import existing source.

one issue with IDE specific files like .project is that other Developers may want to use another IDE do develop the project, so they may add another type of project files. this will make your repo messy.

Solution 8 - Java

I would prefer to checkin .project and .classpath.

This would be helpful when this project is being shared by multiple developers. It becomes easy and faster to setup development env. by simply importing this as existing project on any system using eclipse.

Only caution needs to be taken here is classpath's are relative to project.

Solution 9 - Java

I often have a similar, more general questionning. The problem essentially is :

which files am I commiting for me?
which files am I commiting for others?
→ How do I combine both objectives of "versionning"?

I offered discussing this there, so you may find more details about the problem, along with interesting solutions :)

The one I like best is the use of git submodule: keep your .project files etc. in a private commit repo. And make your final, pure, essential src production into a neat submodule nugget: a public repo.

project/ # root module
|   .git # private repo
|   .project
|   .classpath
|   momsNumber.txt
+---src/     # submodule
|   |   .git # public repo
|   |   main.java
|   +---package/
|   |   |    Etc.java

See there anyway.

Solution 10 - Java

There is not problem of checking in .classpath and .project files into repository. It will help developers which use Eclipse to get going faster.

Warning: Make sure your .classpath file is referencing only artifacts which either checked into the repository with the project or can be obtained automatically (such as maven artifacts).

Content Type	Original Author	Original Content on Stackoverflow
Question	sean	View Question on Stackoverflow
Solution 1 - Java	tangens	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 2 - Java	Nick G.	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 3 - Java	MikeTheReader	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 4 - Java	Dominic Mitchell	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 5 - Java	Colin Hebert	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 6 - Java	Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 7 - Java	mhshams	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 8 - Java	YoK	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 9 - Java	iago-lito	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 10 - Java	Eugene Ryzhikov	View Answer on Stackoverflow