diff --git a/picocli-codegen/build.gradle b/picocli-codegen/build.gradle
index 584204dbf..8c8cafda1 100644
--- a/picocli-codegen/build.gradle
+++ b/picocli-codegen/build.gradle
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ if (org.gradle.api.JavaVersion.current().isJava8Compatible() && !org.gradle.api.
     targetCompatibility = 1.6
 }
 dependencies {
-    api rootProject
+    implementation rootProject
     testImplementation "junit:junit:$junitVersion"
 }
 
diff --git a/picocli-examples/build.gradle b/picocli-examples/build.gradle
index e44e52493..3853c5897 100644
--- a/picocli-examples/build.gradle
+++ b/picocli-examples/build.gradle
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ configurations {
     ivy
 }
 dependencies {
-    api rootProject
-    api project(':picocli-groovy')
-    api "org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-stdlib"
-    api 'org.scala-lang:scala-library:2.13.3'
+    implementation rootProject
+    implementation project(':picocli-groovy')
+    implementation "org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-stdlib"
+    implementation 'org.scala-lang:scala-library:2.13.3'
     ivy            "org.apache.ivy:ivy:$ivyVersion" // for Intelli/J
     implementation "org.codehaus.groovy:groovy-all:$groovyVersion",
                    "org.apache.ivy:ivy:$ivyVersion", // for Intelli/J
diff --git a/picocli-groovy/build.gradle b/picocli-groovy/build.gradle
index b049d382a..1f868badb 100644
--- a/picocli-groovy/build.gradle
+++ b/picocli-groovy/build.gradle
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ configurations {
     ivy
 }
 dependencies {
-    api                rootProject
+    implementation rootProject
     compileOnly        "org.codehaus.groovy:groovy-all:$groovyVersion"
     ivy                "org.apache.ivy:ivy:$ivyVersion" // for Gradle
     testImplementation "junit:junit:$junitVersion"
diff --git a/picocli-shell-jline2/build.gradle b/picocli-shell-jline2/build.gradle
index 422f38e17..07e1bd8c3 100644
--- a/picocli-shell-jline2/build.gradle
+++ b/picocli-shell-jline2/build.gradle
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ description 'Picocli Shell JLine2 - easily build interactive shell applications
 version "$projectVersion"
 
 dependencies {
-    api rootProject
-    api "jline:jline:$jlineVersion"
+    implementation     rootProject
+    implementation     "jline:jline:$jlineVersion"
     testImplementation "junit:junit:$junitVersion"
 }
 
diff --git a/picocli-shell-jline3/build.gradle b/picocli-shell-jline3/build.gradle
index 3cd562e59..bea4ca1f4 100644
--- a/picocli-shell-jline3/build.gradle
+++ b/picocli-shell-jline3/build.gradle
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ sourceCompatibility = 1.8
 targetCompatibility = 1.8
 
 dependencies {
-    api                rootProject
+    implementation     rootProject
     api                "org.jline:jline:$jline3Version"
-    api                "org.jline:jline-console:$jline3Version"
+    implementation     "org.jline:jline-console:$jline3Version"
     testImplementation "junit:junit:$junitVersion"
 }
 
diff --git a/picocli-spring-boot-starter/build.gradle b/picocli-spring-boot-starter/build.gradle
index 19e233329..6f8bad130 100644
--- a/picocli-spring-boot-starter/build.gradle
+++ b/picocli-spring-boot-starter/build.gradle
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ repositories {
 }
 
 dependencies {
-    api                 rootProject
-    api                 "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:$springBootVersion"
+    implementation     rootProject
+    implementation     "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:$springBootVersion"
     annotationProcessor "org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-configuration-processor:$springBootVersion"
 }