opensearch-project/OpenSearch

[Feature Request] Automate detection of unused dependencies

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#19364 opened on Sep 22, 2025

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 (2 comments) (0 reactions) (1 assignee)Java (8,123 stars) (1,505 forks)batch import
Buildenhancementgood first issue

Description

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe

This repository has a lot of subprojects, each with its own set of dependencies. This leads to a lot of maintenance in keeping these dependencies up to date. We use dependabot to automate updates but that does not eliminate manual work. See #19347 for a case where a dependency was unused. It would be great to automate detection of unused dependencies so they can be removed in order to reduce maintenance overhead.

Describe the solution you'd like

See #5652 for one possible solution for detecting unused dependencies

Related component

Build

Contributor guide

Tech stack
java
Domain
build system
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
blocked
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Java programmingGradle or Maven build systemOpenSearch project architecture
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
35
Research direction
Review the discussion in #5652 for a potential implementation approach. Check the OpenSearch build system (likely Gradle) to understand how dependencies are declared and managed. Look at the project's build scripts (e.g., build.gradle files) to identify where unused dependencies might be detected. Consider using an existing tool like com.github.ben manes.versions or gradle dependency guard. Ensure the solution does not break existing builds and test it on a subproject like #19347.