add-dependency

Add one or more Maven dependencies — $ARGUMENTS — to this Kotlin/Gradle project. If multiple group:artifact coordinates are given (space-separated), process them all before rebuilding.

Steps

1. Parse the dependency list: Split $ARGUMENTS on whitespace to get one or more group:artifact coordinates. Process every item in the list.

2. Find the latest version: For each dependency, search Maven Central (https://search.maven.org) or the web for the latest stable release version. Do NOT use snapshot, milestone, alpha, beta, or RC versions unless no stable version exists.

3. Read the current version catalog: Read gradle/libs.versions.toml once to understand the existing structure and naming conventions before making any edits.

4. Add each dependency to the version catalog (gradle/libs.versions.toml):

   • Add a new version entry in the [versions] section using a short, conventional alias derived from the artifact name (e.g., io.ktor:ktor-client-core → version alias ktor if it doesn't already exist, or a more specific name if it does).
   • Add a new library entry in the [libraries] section following the existing naming pattern (hyphen-separated, e.g., ktor-client-core = { module = "io.ktor:ktor-client-core", version.ref = "ktor" }).
   • If a version entry already exists for this group (e.g., the group already has other dependencies at a shared version), reuse it instead of creating a duplicate.
   • Apply all catalog edits before moving on to build.gradle.kts.

5. Add each dependency to build.gradle.kts: For each dependency, add an implementation(libs.<alias>) line in the dependencies block of build.gradle.kts, using the catalog alias (hyphens and dots in the TOML key become dots in the accessor, e.g., ktor-client-core → libs.ktor.client.core). Use implementation unless the dependency is clearly test-only (in which case use testImplementation).

6. Rebuild the project: Run ./gradlew clean build -x test once after all dependencies have been added to verify they all resolve and the project compiles. If the build fails, diagnose and fix the issue (e.g., wrong artifact name, version incompatibility) before reporting success.

Important

• Always prefer the version catalog approach — never add raw dependency strings directly in build.gradle.kts.
• Maintain alphabetical ordering within each section of libs.versions.toml if the existing file follows that convention.
• If the artifact name provided is incomplete or ambiguous, search for the correct full group:artifact coordinates before proceeding.