IntelliJ IDEA: Gradle build cache invalidation after dependency version update

If IntelliJ IDEA appears to return stale build cache results after a dependency version change, the goal is to verify whether the cache is incorrectly reusing outdated outputs. The investigation should avoid clearing the entire cache or disabling the feature, focusing instead on inspecting cache keys, input timestamps, and task up‑to‑date checks. Uncertainty remains about which specific inputs affect cache validity for the changed library and how IntelliJ reports cache hits versus misses in the Build window.

Which cache key components should be examined to confirm that the new library version is part of the input set? How can the build log be interpreted to distinguish a true cache hit from a stale reuse?