It’s designed to be the starting point for all your automation and continuous delivery workflows.
Once Jenkins is installed and set up, simply click on Start using Jenkins on the landing page to get started. If you still see the message "Jenkins is almost ready," click Restart or manually reload the page after a minute.
Upon successful login with your credentials, you’ll see the Jenkins dashboard, which provides a comprehensive interface for all your operations.
Key Features of the Jenkins Dashboard
When you first log in to Jenkins, you might see an empty screen if no builds or jobs have been created yet.
1. Add Description
In the top-right corner, there is an option to add a description. This is where you can provide additional information about your Jenkins instance, such as server details, project notes, or company-specific information.
2. User Drop-Down Menu
At the top-right, linked to your username, is a drop-down menu providing quick access to some important features:
- Builds: View all pipeline builds.
- Configure: Create or configure projects, jobs, or pipelines.
- User Views: Display custom views created by or assigned to the user.
- Credentials: Manage credentials (if you have authorization).
Core Dashboard Sections
The dashboard includes several key sections that help you manage your Jenkins environment:
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| New Item | Use this to create a new project, pipeline, or job. |
| Build History | Displays a log of all previous builds, showing successes and failures. |
| Manage Jenkins | Contains all server-related settings and configurations. |
| My Views | Displays custom views created for jobs or pipelines. |
REST API Access
In the bottom-right corner of the dashboard, you’ll notice a REST API button. This provides you with documentation and access to interact with Jenkins programmatically. You can use the API to automate processes, extract metrics, or fetch artifacts from your builds.
Next, we'll dive deeper into building pipelines and automation as you continue to explore Jenkins. Stay tuned as we explore advanced configurations and hands-on examples.