samples VS javafx-maven-plugin

If you're relatively new to this, I would recommend checking out the JavaFX documentation at https://openjfx.io/openjfx-docs/#maven and starting from the samples: https://github.com/openjfx/samples/tree/master/HelloFX/Maven

i also replaced the build.gradle file contents with what the openJFX suggested i changed it to. then i sync'd it after changing the javafx version in that .gradle file to 17.0.1 instead of 16.

An example pom file (maven) for a JavaFX program looks like https://github.com/openjfx/samples/blob/master/HelloFX/Maven/hellofx/pom.xml

Yes, JavaFX is a pain to configure. I'd recommend using Maven or Gradle with the JavaFX plugin to manage your application, that way you don't need to download and configure the entire OpenJFX SDK. There are samles for both Maven and Gradle in the repo you linked, so I would try them out. Note that only the Gradle sample includes a wrapper, so if you try the Maven sample you'll need to install Maven first.

Non-modular project (i.e. not using java modules): https://github.com/openjfx/samples/blob/master/CommandLine/Non-modular/Gradle/hellofx/build.gradle

example maven no modular project structure here https://github.com/openjfx/samples/tree/master/IDE/Eclipse/Non-Modular/Maven/hellofx/src/main

I don't think it's difficult at all. Not today, certainly.

With a maven project it's a single dependency: org.openjfx:javafx-controls:18.0.1

And a simple plugin (org.openjfx:javafx-maven-plugin:0.0.5? (I think)), https://github.com/openjfx/javafx-maven-plugin has a quick start.

Then: mvn clean javafx:run

No need to tweak your JVM install, the maven downloads everything you need, including the platform binaries.

I tested jlink as well, but I don't remember if I changed my distribution of jdk before compiling that or not. https://github.com/openjfx/javafx-maven-plugin Did you use this plugin for jlinking?