diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index bc3aef5a4..64c8ed305 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+/*
+ * Root project for xtext-core.
+ */
+
 ext.buildTime = new java.text.SimpleDateFormat('yyyyMMdd-HHmm').format(new Date())
 
 subprojects {
diff --git a/gradle/developers.gradle b/gradle/developers.gradle
index 7143585c8..d10cdd290 100644
--- a/gradle/developers.gradle
+++ b/gradle/developers.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+/*
+ * Information on Xtext developers used in generated pom files for Maven publishing.
+ */
+
 project {
 	developers {
 		developer {
diff --git a/gradle/eclipse-project-layout.gradle b/gradle/eclipse-project-layout.gradle
index 5d2e48d1c..db5c40c15 100644
--- a/gradle/eclipse-project-layout.gradle
+++ b/gradle/eclipse-project-layout.gradle
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 /*
- * Since we use the Eclipse Style layout where sources and resources
- * live in the same folders, we need to make some adjustments to Gradle'
- * defaults.
+ * Since we use the Eclipse Style layout where sources and resources live in the same
+ * folders, we need to make some adjustments to Gradle's defaults.
  */
 
 def isTestProject = name.endsWith('tests')
diff --git a/gradle/java-compiler-settings.gradle b/gradle/java-compiler-settings.gradle
index 073fa273c..72d77c2aa 100644
--- a/gradle/java-compiler-settings.gradle
+++ b/gradle/java-compiler-settings.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+/*
+ * Configuration of Java compiler, Javadoc, and additional dependency configurations.
+ */
+
 plugins.withType(JavaBasePlugin) {
 	sourceCompatibility = '1.8'
 }
diff --git a/gradle/manifest-gen.gradle b/gradle/manifest-gen.gradle
index 53abb32e4..6ef8c64e0 100644
--- a/gradle/manifest-gen.gradle
+++ b/gradle/manifest-gen.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+/*
+ * The MANIFEST.MF files of this project are maintained manually. We have to make sure
+ * that the Bundle-Version entries have the current timestamp in their qualifier using
+ * the same format as generated by Tycho for Eclipse plug-ins. We also have to generate
+ * a proper MANIFEST.MF for the source bundles.
+ */
+
 def baseVersion = project.version
 if (baseVersion.endsWith('-SNAPSHOT'))
 	baseVersion = baseVersion.substring(0, baseVersion.length() - 9)
diff --git a/gradle/maven-deployment.gradle b/gradle/maven-deployment.gradle
index 3366beb5b..155f4b439 100644
--- a/gradle/maven-deployment.gradle
+++ b/gradle/maven-deployment.gradle
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-//------------------------------------------------------
-// Create additional sources and Javadoc artifacts
+/*
+ * Configuration of artifacts to be deployed in Maven repositories.
+ */
 
 task sourcesJar(type: Jar, dependsOn: classes) {
 	classifier = 'sources'
@@ -15,23 +16,7 @@ task javadocJar(type: Jar, dependsOn: javadoc) {
 	from javadoc.destinationDir
 }
 
-//------------------------------------------------------
-// Sign the artifacts if the signing info is complete
-
-apply plugin: 'signing'
-signing {
-	required { gradle.taskGraph.hasTask('uploadArchives') }
-	sign configurations.archives
-}
-if (!project.hasProperty('signing.secretKeyRingFile') || !project.property('signing.secretKeyRingFile')
-		|| !project.hasProperty('signing.keyId') || !project.property('signing.keyId')
-		|| !project.hasProperty('signing.password') || !project.property('signing.password')) {
-	signArchives.enabled = false
-}
-
-//------------------------------------------------------
 // Configuration function for generated POMs
-
 def configurePom = { pom ->
 	pom.project {
 		if (project.hasProperty('title')) {
@@ -59,9 +44,6 @@ def configurePom = { pom ->
 // so we can use the title and description settings for setting up Maven publishing.
 afterEvaluate {
 	
-	//------------------------------------------------------
-	// Task for copying to a local Maven repository
-	
 	task createLocalMavenRepo(type: Upload) {
 		group = 'Upload'
 		description = 'Create or update the local Maven repository'
@@ -72,22 +54,4 @@ afterEvaluate {
 		}
 	}
 	
-	//------------------------------------------------------
-	// Task for uploading to a remote Maven repository
-	
-	uploadArchives.repositories.mavenDeployer {
-		beforeDeployment { deployment -> signing.signPom(deployment) }
-		repository(url: "https://oss.sonatype.org/service/local/staging/deploy/maven2/") {
-			if (project.hasProperty('sonatypeUserName') && project.hasProperty('sonatypePassword')) {
-				authentication(userName: sonatypeUserName, password: sonatypePassword)
-			}
-		}
-		snapshotRepository(url: "https://oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/snapshots/") {
-			if (project.hasProperty('sonatypeUserName') && project.hasProperty('sonatypePassword')) {
-				authentication(userName: sonatypeUserName, password: sonatypePassword)
-			}
-		}
-		configurePom(pom)
-	}
-
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/gradle/upstream-repositories.gradle b/gradle/upstream-repositories.gradle
index 8302e4cdb..f0f2bf36f 100644
--- a/gradle/upstream-repositories.gradle
+++ b/gradle/upstream-repositories.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+/*
+ * The build uses either public snapshots or branch-specific repositories on the Jenkins
+ * build server as upstream repositories. Use the argument '-PuseJenkinsSnapshots=true'
+ * to enable the Jenkins repositories. In this case you can select an upstream branch
+ * with the argument '-PupstreamBranch=<branch name>'.
+ */
+
 if (!hasProperty('upstreamBranch'))
 	ext.upstreamBranch = 'master'
 def jenkinsRepo = { jobName -> "http://services.typefox.io/open-source/jenkins/job/$jobName/lastStableBuild/artifact/build/maven-repository/" }
diff --git a/gradle/versions.gradle b/gradle/versions.gradle
index fb3843d75..0df348fd5 100644
--- a/gradle/versions.gradle
+++ b/gradle/versions.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+/*
+ * Base project version and versions of common dependencies.
+ */
+
 version = '2.11.0-SNAPSHOT'
 
 ext.versions = [