Configuring Gradle compiler encoding

build.gradle

apply plugin: 'java'
apply plugin: 'eclipse'

sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8

eclipseJdt << {
	ant.propertyfile(file: ".settings/org.eclipse.core.resources.prefs") {
		ant.entry(key: "eclipse.preferences.version", value: "1")
		ant.entry(key: "encoding/<project>", value: "utf-8")
	}
}

/**
 * 1st approach: Setting encoding during compilation in Java and Test classes
 */
compileJava.options.encoding = "UTF-8"
compileTestJava.options.encoding = "UTF-8"

/**
 * 2nd approach: Setting encoding during compilation in Java and Test classes
 *
tasks.withType(JavaCompile) {
	options.encoding = "UTF-8"
}

tasks.withType(Test) {
	systemProperty "file.encoding", "UTF-8"
}
*/

repositories {
jcenter()
  maven {
		url "https://oss.sonatype.org/content/groups/public/"
	}
}

def springVersion = "4.3.2.RELEASE"
def dbunitVersion = "2.5.1"

dependencies {

  /**
	 * Dependências das classes de produção
	 */
  compile "org.slf4j:slf4j-api:1.7.21"
  compile "org.slf4j:jul-to-slf4j:1.7.21"
  compile "org.slf4j:jcl-over-slf4j:1.7.21"
  compile "org.slf4j:slf4j-log4j12:1.7.21"
  /**
   * Spring
   */
  compile "org.springframework:spring-core:${springVersion}"
  compile "org.springframework:spring-context:${springVersion}"
  compile "org.springframework:spring-tx:${springVersion}"
  compile "org.springframework:spring-jdbc:${springVersion}"
    
	/**
	 * Dependências dos testes automatizados
	 */
	testCompile "junit:junit:4.12"
	testCompile "org.dbunit:dbunit:${dbunitVersion}"
	testCompile "br.com.triadworks:dbunitmanager:1.0.1-SNAPSHOT"
	testCompile "org.springframework:spring-test:${springVersion}"
	
	/**
	 * Dependências fixas
	 */
	compile fileTree(dir: "lib/oracle", include: '*.jar')
}

task wrapper(type: Wrapper) {
	description = "Generates gradlew[.bat] scripts"
	gradleVersion = "2.14.1"
}

Hi all

For anyone using a Kotlin based project put this in yout build.gradle.kts

tasks.withType<JavaCompile> {
    options.encoding = "UTF-8"
}

tasks.withType<Test> {
    systemProperty("file.encoding", "UTF-8")
}

tasks.withType<Javadoc>{
    options.encoding = "UTF-8"
}

There's also a more direct way for Test:

tasks.withType<Test> {
    defaultCharacterEncoding = "UTF-8"
}

And the same for JavaExec.

Just a note: In order to benefit from the configuration avoidance API, it's advised to use the configureEach(Action)-method:

tasks.withType<JavaCompile>().configureEach() {
    options.encoding = "UTF-8"
}

tasks {
    withType<JavaCompile>().configureEach { options.encoding = "UTF-8" }
    withType<JavaExec>().configureEach { defaultCharacterEncoding = "UTF-8" }
    withType<Javadoc>().configureEach { options.encoding = "UTF-8" }
    withType<Test>().configureEach { defaultCharacterEncoding = "UTF-8" }
}

Here's the build.gradle.kts code for all your UTF-8 needs using the configuration avoidance API.