How to open a .groovy file
Quick, free ways to open Groovy on any system.
A .groovy file is a Apache Groovy Source File. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads Groovy yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.
Open a .groovy file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .groovy. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with IntelliJ IDEA or VS Code.
- On Mac, use IntelliJ IDEA or VS Code.
- On Linux, try IntelliJ IDEA or VS Code.
- Still stuck? Search for a dedicated Groovy viewer.
Best apps to open .groovy files
Windows
- IntelliJ IDEA
- VS Code
- any text editor
macOS
- IntelliJ IDEA
- VS Code
- any text editor
Linux
- IntelliJ IDEA
- VS Code
- any text editor
!
Before you open it: Caution. A .groovy file is a script that runs on the JVM. Review unfamiliar scripts, especially build or pipeline files, before running them.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open my .groovy file?
Almost always because no installed app understands Groovy. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.
How do I run a .groovy file?
With Groovy installed, run groovy file.groovy. Gradle and Jenkins run their own .groovy build and pipeline scripts automatically.
Is Groovy the same as Java?
No, but it runs on the same JVM and can use Java libraries. Groovy adds dynamic typing and terser syntax, and most Java code is also valid Groovy.