Gradle Task To Call Other Tasks In Order

TLDR version: Here's how I did it in one of my projects (without introducing artificial dependencies).

//--- build aliases : define a synonym here if you want a shortcut to run multiple targets

def buildAliases = [
   'all' : ['clean', 'assemble', 'runProvisioner', 'stopTomcat', 'installTomcat', 'deployToTomcat', 'startTomcat'],
   'rebuild' : ['clean', 'assemble']
]
def expandedTaskList = []

gradle.startParameter.taskNames.each {
    expandedTaskList << (buildAliases[it] ? buildAliases[it] : it)
}

gradle.startParameter.taskNames = expandedTaskList.flatten()

println "\n\n\texpanded task list: ${gradle.startParameter.taskNames }\n\n"

In order to make use of these aliases, call them as tasks. Examples:

./gradlew all
./gradlew rebuild

or

gradle all
gradle rebuild

For further background, see :

https://caffeineinduced.wordpress.com/2015/01/25/run-a-list-of-gradle-tasks-in-specific-order/

It seems I've stumbled upon the issue being debated in GRADLE-427 in which gradle determines the best order to execute the tasks. I resolved my problem by following the advice therein which is also documented in the Gradle User Guide - Section 15.5 to establish ordering between disparate tasks. My final ci target thus appears as:

task ci(dependsOn: ['clean', 'build', 'uploadArchives'])
build.mustRunAfter clean
uploadArchives.mustRunAfter build

And everything now works as expected.