DevOps Dictionary

Groovy is a dynamic programming language for the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) that makes Java development and automation faster by reducing boilerplate and supporting concise scripting. It runs on the JVM, integrates directly with Java libraries, and can be used as a script or compiled like Java, which makes it useful for build pipelines, configuration, and rapid prototyping. Groovy addresses the problem of slow iteration when tasks require lots of verbose Java code by offering a more flexible syntax, optional static typing for safer builds, and runtime features like closures (functions you can pass around) and metaprogramming (changing behavior at runtime).

With Groovy, teams can express automation and glue code quickly and keep JVM compatibility, while without it they often rely on more verbose Java or switch ecosystems, increasing maintenance overhead and slowing delivery. This gap exists because Groovy keeps the JVM runtime model but relaxes compile-time constraints, trading some strictness for speed of iteration.