Setting up a Jenkins Build Farm

This repo contains step-by-step instructions how to install Jenkins and sample Pipelines for CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment).

🔧 1. Install the Jenkins Server

• For Docker execute: docker run -p 8080:8080 -p 50000:50000 -v jenkins_home:/var/jenkins_home jenkins/jenkins:lts-jdk11
• For Linux Snaps execute: sudo snap install --classic jenkins
• Otherwise, download and install it from: https://jenkins.io/download (available for Arch Linux, FreeBSD, Gentoo, macOS, OpenBSD, OpenIndiana Hipster, openSUSE, Red Hat/Fedora/Alma/Rocky/CentOS, Ubuntu/Debian, Windows)

💻 2. Unlock the Jenkins Server

1. Launch your Web browser and enter the URL: http://HOSTNAME:8080 (replace HOSTNAME by the computer name where Jenkins has been installed).
2. Execute sudo cat /PATH/TO/initialAdminPassword (replace /PATH/TO) to view the initial password saved by Jenkins during the installation.
3. Enter the initial password to unlock Jenkins.

📌 3. Install Jenkins Plugins

1. Click on ‘Select plugins to install’
2. Add these plugins: ‘Build Name and Description Setter’
3. Click Install and wait until the installation has finished.

🧙‍♂️ 4. Create an Administrator Account

1. Enter the username, password (twice), and the full name.
2. Afterward, enter your Jenkins URL and log in.

📝 5. Create a Job

1. In the dashboard click on: + Create element (on left side).
2. Enter a job name (e.g. “sample-pipeline”) and select Pipeline, then press the OK button.
3. The job configuration is displayed now - scroll down and select the Pipeline script.
4. As script copy&paste the content of the Jenkinsfiles/sample.txt.
5. Click the Save button.

▶️ 6. Start the Job

1. Click on Dashboard (on left side).
2. In your job list press the green Play button (on right side).
3. The Stage View visualizes the whole build process in a neat table.

🏆 Congratulations

You’re all set. Welcome to the Jenkins ecosystem! More background information can be found here:

• Homepage at: https://www.jenkins.io
• User Documentation at: https://www.jenkins.io/doc
• Handbook at: https://www.jenkins.io/doc/book

🚀 What’s Next?

• Install the Jenkins app on your smartphone to trigger and watch builds anytime anywhere. It’s available for free at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mobilabsolutions.jenkins.app
• Add jobs: see the sample Pipeline scripts in subfolder 📂Jenkinsfiles to build GitHub projects.
• Add user accounts: click Manage Jenkins > Users to create and manage user accounts.
• Add plugins: discover more than 2000(!) Jenkins plugins at: https://plugins.jenkins.io
• Add machines (called ‘nodes’) to extend your build farm. More information at: https://www.jenkins.io/doc/book/using/using-agents
• Add more automation, e.g. nightly builds and tests.
• Perform a backup: just zip the Jenkins home folder (at: /var/snap/jenkins or: .jenkins in your home directory) and copy it to another disk.

📜 License & Copyright

This open source project is licensed under the CC0 license. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.