Ant properties are key-value pairs used for configuration and customization in build files. They can be defined using the “property” task, command-line arguments with “-D” flag, or loaded from external property files.
There are three types of properties: local, global, and reference. Local properties have a limited scope within a target, while global properties persist throughout the entire build process. Reference properties allow referencing complex objects like filesets or paths.
To define a property, use the “property” task:
<property name="myProperty" value="exampleValue"/>
For external property files:
<property file="path/to/properties/file.properties"/>
Using command-line argument:
ant -DmyProperty=exampleValue
To access a property, enclose its name in “${}”:
<echo message="The value of myProperty is ${myProperty}"/>
