# files

abstract fun files(vararg paths: Any): ConfigurableFileCollection(source)

Creates a ConfigurableFileCollection containing the given files.

You can pass any of the following types to this method:

- A CharSequence, including String as defined by file.

- A File as defined by file.

- A java.nio.file.Path as defined by file.

- A URI or java.net.URL as defined by file.

- A org.gradle.api.file.Directory or org.gradle.api.file.RegularFile as defined by file.

- A Sequence, Array or Iterable that contains objects of any supported type. The elements of the collection are recursively converted to files.

- A org.gradle.api.file.FileCollection. The contents of the collection are included in the returned collection.

- A org.gradle.api.provider.Provider of any supported type. The provider's value is recursively converted to files. If the provider represents an output of a task, that task is executed if the file collection is used as an input to another task.

- A java.util.concurrent.Callable that returns any supported type. The callable's return value is recursively converted to files. A `null` return value is treated as an empty collection.

- A org.gradle.api.Task. Converted to the task's output files. The task is executed if the file collection is used as an input to another task.

- A org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskOutputs. Converted to the output files the related task. The task is executed if the file collection is used as an input to another task.

- Anything else is treated as a failure.

The returned file collection is lazy, so that the paths are evaluated only when the contents of the file collection are queried. The file collection is also live, so that it evaluates the above each time the contents of the collection is queried.

The returned file collection maintains the iteration order of the supplied paths.

The returned file collection maintains the details of the tasks that produce the files, so that these tasks are executed if this file collection is used as an input to some task.

This method can also be used to create an empty collection, which can later be mutated to add elements.

#### Return

The file collection.

#### Parameters

paths

The paths to the files. May be empty.

abstract fun files(paths: Any, configuration: Action<ConfigurableFileCollection>): ConfigurableFileCollection(source)

Creates a ConfigurableFileCollection containing the given files.

#### Return

The file collection.

#### Parameters

paths

The contents of the file collection. Evaluated as per files.

configuration

The block to use to configure the file collection.

#### See also

files