Jenkins, originally developed for continuous integration, is the most widely adopted solution for software process automation, continuous integration, and continuous delivery.
In this blog, we are going to cover Jenkins Overview, the installation prerequisites, its features, and various concepts of Jenkins.
If you want to know more about DevOps certification please go through our previous blog on [DOFD] DevOps Foundation Certification Exam and everything you need to know about it.
Index:
Jenkins Overview
Jenkins is an open-source automation tool written in Java built for Continuous Integration. It helps organizations accelerate the software development process through automation. Jenkins can be integrated with all sorts of tasks related to building, testing, and delivering or deploying software.
Jenkins takes over with the help of a frontend tool to help define the job or task. Jenkins then pulls the code and moves it to the commit phase. Next comes the build phase where the code is compiled and tested. Finally, the code moves on to the staging area with the help of Docker to deploy it.
Jenkins Features
The following are the main features provided by Jenkins:
- Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery: Jenkins can be used as a simple CI server or turned into a continuous delivery hub for any project.
- Plugins: With hundreds of plugins, Jenkins can be integrated with practically every tool in a continuous integration and continuous delivery toolchain.
- Easy installation: Jenkins can be installed through native system packages, Docker, or even run standalone by any machine with a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed.
- Easy configuration: Jenkins can be easily set up and configured via its web interface.
- Extensible: Jenkins can be extended to provide infinite possibilities for what Jenkins can do, with plugins.
- Distributed: Jenkins can easily distribute work across multiple machines.
Jenkins Installation Pre-requisites
There are certain pre-requisites to have Jenkins up and running in your system:
- Since Jenkins is a Java-based application, Java’s latest version(JDK) should be installed on your system.
- Apache Tomcat’s latest version is required to deploy applications.
- Good internet connectivity to download Jenkins war File, is required to install Jenkins.
- 1 GB of free disk space to install and run the applications.
- Depending on your applications, required software should be installed on your systems such as Apache Ant, Maven, or Gradle.
Also Check: CloudOps vs DevOps, to know the major differences between them.
Initial Setup
After installing Jenkins, open a web browser and access it at http://localhost:8080
. You’ll be prompted to enter an initial admin password, which you can find in the Jenkins server logs. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the initial setup.
Also Read: Connection to Localhost Failed
Securing Jenkins
Securing Jenkins is crucial to protect your automation server from unauthorized access. You can do this by creating user accounts and setting up access controls.
Creating Your First Jenkins Job
Once Jenkins is up and running, it’s time to create your first job. Jobs are the heart of Jenkins, representing the tasks you want to automate.
Adding Plugins
Jenkins has a vast library of plugins that extend its functionality. You can easily add and manage plugins through the Jenkins web interface.
Integrating Jenkins with Version Control Systems
To make the most out of Jenkins, you should integrate it with version control systems like Git. This enables automatic builds and deployments whenever there are code changes.
Troubleshooting Jenkins Installation
In case you encounter issues during installation or while using Jenkins, there are various resources and communities available for troubleshooting and seeking help.
Tips for Effective Jenkins Usage
To optimize your use of Jenkins, consider the following tips:
- Regularly update Jenkins and its plugins to access new features and security updates.
- Implement automated tests to ensure the quality of your code.
- Document your build and deployment processes for future reference.
Jenkins Concepts
- Basic Configuration and Overview: You should have a basic understanding of Jenkins and what are all the configuration options available.
- Jenkins pipeline Implementation: Jenkins has two concepts, one is pipeline as code and another is Freestyle projects.
- Jenkins CI/CD Implementation: Jenkins implements the entire CI/CD pipeline from committing the code to deploying the software.
- Backup and Restore: Jenkins provides a backup plugin that can be used to back up critical configuration settings related to Jenkins and restore them later.
- Resetting the admin password: You should know how to reset the admin password.
- Upgradation: While using Jenkins, it is very critical to keep it up-to-date with the latest version.
- Tool Integration: There are various tools available such as Ant, Git, Docker, and Jira. You should know how to integrate these tools as part of Jenkins.
- Management: Jenkins provides a lot of options in the Jenkins Management page, such as users, groups, roles, LDAP, plugins, server maintenance, and much more.
- Master and Slave: The Jenkins master, which is your main server, schedules the jobs, assigns slaves, and sends builds to slaves to execute the jobs.
- Metrics and Trends: There are various plugins that show metrics for builds, a build is compiling source code into an executable. These metrics help understand how frequently the builds pass/fail over time, Mean Time To Failure(MTTF), Mean Time To Recovery(MTTR), and much more.
- Security: Not every person is able to define jobs or other administrative tasks in Jenkins. So Jenkins has the ability to have a security configuration in place, such as ensuring role-based access.
FAQs
What is Jenkins used for?
Jenkins is primarily used for automating various stages of the software development lifecycle, including building, testing, and deploying applications.
Is Jenkins difficult to install?
Jenkins installation is straightforward if you follow the official documentation and ensure that your system meets the pre-requisites.
Can Jenkins be integrated with cloud services?
Yes, Jenkins can be integrated with various cloud platforms and services to enhance its capabilities.
What are some popular Jenkins plugins?
Popular Jenkins plugins include Git, Docker, Maven, and JIRA.
How can I secure my Jenkins server?
You can secure your Jenkins server by setting up user accounts, access controls, and regularly updating Jenkins and its plugins to patch security vulnerabilities.
Related/References
- What Is DevOps | DevOps Principles | Advantages Of DevOps | Why DevOps?
- [DOFD] DevOps Foundation Certification Exam: Everything You Need To Know
- Git | Version Control System | Git Workflow | Advantages
- CI/CD Pipeline | Continuous Integration | Continuous Deployment
- [AZ-400] Microsoft Azure DevOps Certification Exam: Everything You Need To Know
- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) Certification Exam: Everything You Must Know
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