In our last blog, we took our first steps into the world of Jenkins. We familiarized ourselves with the dashboard, set up user accounts with secure and restricted access.

Now, we’re ready to dive deeper into the exciting world of build automation!

Plugin Management

While Jenkins may not always be the first choice for CI/CD, plugins make it incredibly versatile, enabling custom functionality tailored to specific project needs.:

  • Most programming languages have supporting plugins for building and running tasks.
  • Need to send notifications after every build? There’s a plugin for that.

In the Manage Jenkins section, under Configure System, you'll find a list of available third-party integrations. Remember, some of these plugins could have been set up during the initial server installation.

In many cases, while working with Jenkins, you may need features that aren’t available by default.

What then? Plugins are the answer, offering endless ways to extend Jenkins’ capabilities. While Jenkins is minimal out of the box, its active community consistently releases plugins that integrate the latest tools and technologies.

Before we explore the various plugins essential for our pipelines, here are some key principles:

  • Only install what you need to keep your Jenkins environment efficient and streamlined.

Let’s dive into enhancing our Jenkins experience!

Common types of plugins:

Administration Plugins

These enhance management and security, offering:

  • Access Control: Manage user roles and permissions.
  • Service Authentication: Implement methods like LDAP for better security.
  • Audit Trails: Track actions and limit access.
  • Node and Job Management: Handle various operating systems and node operations.

User Interface (UI) Plugins

UI plugins allow for personalized experiences:

  • Custom Views: Tailor menus and layouts.
  • Email Templates: Customize build notification emails.

Formatting Options

: Improve text and image presentation.

Source Code Management (SCM) Plugins

SCM plugins integrate with version control systems:

  • Version Control Support: Work with Git, Mercurial, and others.
  • Code Fetching: Pull code from platforms like GitHub and GitLab.
  • Authentication: Enable secure access to repositories.

Build Management Plugins

These manage the build process effectively:

  • Trigger Notifications: Notify for build outcomes.
  • Artifact Management: Handle build artifacts efficiently.
  • Custom Build Steps: Trigger deployments or other actions.

How to add Plugins in Jenkins?

To add plugins in Jenkins, you can either use the web interface or the Jenkins CLI. Here's a step-by-step guide to install plugins using the Jenkins web interface:

  • Using the web interface
  • Using Jenkins CLI

Method 1: Using the web interface

Step 1. Access Jenkins Dashboard

  • Open your browser and go to your Jenkins URL (usually http://localhost:8080 if running locally).
  • Log in to your Jenkins dashboard with your credentials.

Step 2. Navigate to Plugin Manager

  • From the Jenkins dashboard, click on the “Manage Jenkins” option in the left-hand sidebar.
  • On the "Manage Jenkins" page, click “Manage Plugins”.

Step 3. In the "Plugin Manager" window, there are multiple tabs:

Updates: Check for available plugin updates and update them.
Available: Install new plugins that are not yet installed.
Installed: View, manage, uninstall, or disable installed plugins.
Advanced: Upload custom plugins, set up proxy, and update site settings.
  • To install a new plugin, click on the “Available” tab.
  • This tab shows all plugins that are not currently installed on your Jenkins instance.

Step 4. Search for a Plugin

  • Use the search bar at the top to find the plugin you want to install.
    • Example: If you want to install the "Git" plugin, type "Git" in the search bar.

Step 5. Select and Install the Plugin

Once you’ve found the plugin, check the box next to its name.

    • Install: Jenkins installs the plugin while running.
    • Install after restart: Jenkins will install the plugin after the next restart.

After selecting the plugins you want, click on “Install” or “Install after restart”

.

Step 6. Wait for Installation to Complete

  • After clicking install, you’ll see the progress of plugin installation. It may take a few minutes.
  • Once complete, Jenkins will display a success message.

Step 7. (Optional) Restart Jenkins

  • If you chose "Install" than you can use it without restarting only
  • If you chose "Install after restart"
    • You will see a message: "Downloaded Successfully. Will be activated during the next boot"
    • Now you need to restart (Click on: Restart Jenkins when installation is complete and no jobs are running)

Step 8. Verify Plugin Installation

  • After the plugin is installed, you can verify it by navigating to the “Installed” tab in the Plugin Manager to see it listed there.
  • Some plugins might also add a new configuration option in "Manage Jenkins" or on your job configuration pages.

Method 2: Using Jenkins CLI

If you're comfortable using the Jenkins CLI, you can install plugins with the following steps:

Restart Jenkins (if needed):

java -jar jenkins-cli.jar -s http://<jenkins-server> restart

Install a Plugin:
Use the following command to install a plugin via the CLI:

java -jar jenkins-cli.jar -s http://<jenkins-server> install-plugin <plugin-name>

Download Jenkins CLI:

wget http://<jenkins-server>/jnlpJars/jenkins-cli.jar