BUG: excludeDependencies - Global Configuration Exclude Results in Very Messy Plugin Poms

[codeconsole]

The following code

    protected void excludeDependencies(Project project) {
        project.configurations.all ({ Configuration configuration ->
            configuration.exclude group:"org.slf4j", module: "slf4j-simple"
        })
    }

results in really nasty plugin poms.

if you create a Grails plugin, that exclude gets added to EVERY dependency (including dependences that don't even have slf4j!):

For example, look at this mess:

 <artifactId>grails-plugin-sitemesh3</artifactId>
  <version>2.0.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
  <packaging>pom</packaging>
  <dependencies>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.sitemesh</groupId>
      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-sitemesh</artifactId>
      <version>3.1.0-M2</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.sitemesh</groupId>
      <artifactId>sitemesh</artifactId>
      <version>3.1.0-M2</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-core</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-logging</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-encoder</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-web-common</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-web-gsp</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.2</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
      <artifactId>spring-webmvc</artifactId>
      <version>5.3.27</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
      <artifactId>spring-boot-autoconfigure</artifactId>
      <version>2.7.12</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter</artifactId>
      <version>2.7.12</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-actuator</artifactId>
      <version>2.7.12</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-plugin-databinding</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-plugin-i18n</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-plugin-interceptors</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-plugin-rest</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-plugin-services</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-plugin-url-mappings</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
      <artifactId>grails-web-boot</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails.plugins</groupId>
      <artifactId>gsp</artifactId>
      <version>6.0.1</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails.plugins</groupId>
      <artifactId>hibernate5</artifactId>
      <version>8.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.grails.plugins</groupId>
      <artifactId>scaffolding</artifactId>
      <version>5.0.0</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.hibernate</groupId>
      <artifactId>hibernate-core</artifactId>
      <version>5.6.15.Final</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-logging</artifactId>
      <version>2.7.12</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-tomcat</artifactId>
      <version>2.7.12</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
      <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-validation</artifactId>
      <version>2.7.12</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>com.bertramlabs.plugins</groupId>
      <artifactId>asset-pipeline-grails</artifactId>
      <version>3.4.7</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>com.h2database</groupId>
      <artifactId>h2</artifactId>
      <version>1.4.200</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>javax.xml.bind</groupId>
      <artifactId>jaxb-api</artifactId>
      <version>2.3.1</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.apache.tomcat</groupId>
      <artifactId>tomcat-jdbc</artifactId>
      <version>9.0.75</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.fusesource.jansi</groupId>
      <artifactId>jansi</artifactId>
      <version>1.18</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.glassfish.web</groupId>
      <artifactId>el-impl</artifactId>
      <version>2.2.1-b05</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>javax.servlet</groupId>
      <artifactId>jstl</artifactId>
      <version>1.1.2</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.apache.tomcat.embed</groupId>
      <artifactId>tomcat-embed-jasper</artifactId>
      <version>9.0.76</version>
      <scope>runtime</scope>
      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>
    </dependency>
  </dependencies>
  <dependencyManagement>
    <dependencies>
      <dependency>
        <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
        <artifactId>grails-bom</artifactId>
        <version>6.0.0</version>
        <scope>import</scope>
        <type>pom</type>
      </dependency>
      <dependency>
        <groupId>org.grails</groupId>
        <artifactId>grails-bom</artifactId>
        <version>6.0.0</version>
        <scope>import</scope>
        <type>pom</type>
      </dependency>
      <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-dependencies</artifactId>
        <version>2.7.12</version>
        <scope>import</scope>
        <type>pom</type>
      </dependency>
    </dependencies>
  </dependencyManagement>
</project>

@puneetbehl Is there another way of going about this? There should not be a global exclusion like this.
An exclusion:

      <exclusions>
        <exclusion>
          <artifactId>slf4j-simple</artifactId>
          <groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
        </exclusion>
      </exclusions>

should only exist when library is actually dependent on slf4j-simple.

[codeconsole]

@puneetbehl Can you at least make it an option to run excludeDependencies?

You can default it to run, but give the end user the ability to not have the exclusion added to every dependency.

[codeconsole]

Perhaps a simple fix would be to ONLY have this exclusion rule added IF the plugin java-library is not being used.

Or again, at least have a plugin option to not force the addition of the rule.

I am not sure exactly why the rule is there, but the only viable reason I can see is if it is mean to help the end user. If a library is being built, the exclusions can be added to the specific dependencies that actually have a transitive slf4j-simple library

[codeconsole]

However, I really think this rule can just be removed. If it is that important, it should just be added to the grails-app create-app generated build.gradle file. But even then, I think it is poor design to have a global exclusion for a hypothetical scenario. Perhaps you can explain why the rule was added?

[codeconsole]

Here is an example of how the exclusion should be handled on individual dependencies and not have a global exclude enforced by the plugin.

https://github.com/grails/grails-core/blob/5899fec4567b394f1d02fddbbd9aaeba752d8be0/grails-web-url-mappings/build.gradle#L13