CocoaPods vs Gradle: What are the differences?

1. 1. Build System: CocoaPods is a dependency manager for iOS projects, while Gradle is a build automation tool primarily used for Android projects. CocoaPods uses an Xcode project file to manage dependencies, whereas Gradle uses a build.gradle file.

2. 2. Language Used: CocoaPods is written in Ruby and primarily used for Objective-C and Swift projects, while Gradle is written in Java and primarily used for Java and Kotlin projects.

3. 3. Plugin Ecosystem: CocoaPods has a smaller plugin ecosystem compared to Gradle. Gradle has a vast collection of plugins that offer additional functionality such as code analysis, version control integration, and more.

4. 4. Project Structure: CocoaPods uses a centralized project structure, where all dependencies are managed in a single file called "Podfile". In contrast, Gradle allows for a more modular project structure, with dependencies managed at the module or library level.

5. 5. Dependency Resolution: CocoaPods has a more strict and simple dependency resolution mechanism. It resolves dependencies based on the version specified in the Podfile. Gradle, on the other hand, offers more flexibility in dependency resolution, allowing for dynamic versions, transitive dependencies, and conflict resolution strategies.

6. 6. Compatibility: CocoaPods is compatible with macOS and iOS platforms, whereas Gradle is compatible with multiple platforms including Android, Java, Kotlin, and more.

In Summary, CocoaPods is a dependency manager primarily used for iOS projects written in Ruby, while Gradle is a build automation tool primarily used for Android projects written in Java, with differences in their systems, languages, ecosystems, project structures, dependency resolution, and compatibility.