### Build session state

A "build session" represents a single invocation of Gradle, for example when you run `gradlew build`.
A session runs the build one or more times.
For example, when continuous build is enabled, the session may run the build many times, but when it is disabled, the session will run the build once only.

## Platform architecture

Gradle is arranged into several coarse-grained components called "platforms".
Each platform provides support for some kind of automation, such as building JVM software or building Gradle plugins.
Most platforms typically build on the features of other platforms.

This platform is agnostic to what kind of software is being developed.
It might be Java or Kotlin libraries running on the JVM, Gradle plugins, Android or iOS applications, C++ libraries, and so on.

This platform does not provide special support for a particular language or ecosystem.

### JVM platform

- CLI client. This is the `gradle` or `gradlew` command, and is responsible for locating, starting and interacting with the Gradle daemon, potentially downloading the Gradle distribution. 
- Tooling API client. This a library that is embedded into applications, such as IDEs or CI agents, that allows them to act as a Gradle client.