The Gradle model task shows the objects in the model space of Gradle. The output shows the object hierarchy. By default a full report is shown, with a lot of information. We can customize the output format with the --format task argument. The default value is full, but we can also use the value short. With the value short a lot less information is shown.

Let's see the output of the model task for a sample project:

$ gradle -q model
------------------------------------------------------------
Root project
------------------------------------------------------------

+ tasks
      | Type:           org.gradle.model.ModelMap | Creator:        Project..tasks()
      | Rules:
         ⤷ VersionFileTaskRules#createVersionFileTask(ModelMap, VersionFile)
    + buildEnvironment
          | Type:       org.gradle.api.tasks.diagnostics.BuildEnvironmentReportTask
          | Value:      task ':buildEnvironment'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(buildEnvironment)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + components
          | Type:       org.gradle.api.reporting.components.ComponentReport
          | Value:      task ':components'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(components)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + dependencies
          | Type:       org.gradle.api.tasks.diagnostics.DependencyReportTask
          | Value:      task ':dependencies'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(dependencies)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + dependencyInsight
          | Type:       org.gradle.api.tasks.diagnostics.DependencyInsightReportTask
          | Value:      task ':dependencyInsight'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(dependencyInsight)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ HelpTasksPlugin.Rules#addDefaultDependenciesReportConfiguration(DependencyInsightReportTask, ServiceRegistry)
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + dependentComponents
          | Type:       org.gradle.api.reporting.dependents.DependentComponentsReport
          | Value:      task ':dependentComponents'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(dependentComponents)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + generateVersionFile
          | Type:       mrhaki.gradle.VersionFileTask
          | Value:      task ':generateVersionFile'
          | Creator:    VersionFileTaskRules#createVersionFileTask(ModelMap, VersionFile) > create(generateVersionFile)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + help
          | Type:       org.gradle.configuration.Help
          | Value:      task ':help'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(help)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + init
          | Type:       org.gradle.buildinit.tasks.InitBuild
          | Value:      task ':init'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(init)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + model
          | Type:       org.gradle.api.reporting.model.ModelReport
          | Value:      task ':model'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(model)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + projects
          | Type:       org.gradle.api.tasks.diagnostics.ProjectReportTask
          | Value:      task ':projects'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(projects)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + properties
          | Type:       org.gradle.api.tasks.diagnostics.PropertyReportTask
          | Value:      task ':properties'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(properties)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + tasks
          | Type:       org.gradle.api.tasks.diagnostics.TaskReportTask
          | Value:      task ':tasks'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(tasks)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
    + wrapper
          | Type:       org.gradle.api.tasks.wrapper.Wrapper
          | Value:      task ':wrapper'
          | Creator:    tasks.addPlaceholderAction(wrapper)
          | Rules:
             ⤷ copyToTaskContainer
+ versionFile
      | Type:           mrhaki.gradle.VersionFile
      | Creator:        VersionFileTaskRules#versionFile(VersionFile)
      | Rules:
         ⤷ versionFile { ... } @ build.gradle line 8, column 5
    + outputFile
          | Type:       java.io.File
          | Value:      /Users/mrhaki/Projects/sample/version.txt
          | Creator:    VersionFileTaskRules#versionFile(VersionFile)
    + version
          | Type:       java.lang.String
          | Value:      1.0.1.RELEASE
          | Creator:    VersionFileTaskRules#versionFile(VersionFile)
$ 

Now we use the short format:

$ gradle -q model --format=short
------------------------------------------------------------
Root project
------------------------------------------------------------

+ tasks
    | buildEnvironment = task ':buildEnvironment'
    | components = task ':components'
    | dependencies = task ':dependencies'
    | dependencyInsight = task ':dependencyInsight'
    | dependentComponents = task ':dependentComponents'
    | generateVersionFile = task ':generateVersionFile'
    | help = task ':help'
    | init = task ':init'
    | model = task ':model'
    | projects = task ':projects'
    | properties = task ':properties'
    | tasks = task ':tasks'
    | wrapper = task ':wrapper'
+ versionFile
    | outputFile = /Users/mrhaki/Projects/sample/version.txt
    | version = 1.0.1.RELEASE
$

Written with Gradle 3.2.

Original blog post