Packaging and Deploying Plugins in Jenkins

1. Introduction

In Jenkins, plugins are essential for extending functionality and integrating with other tools and services. This lesson covers the process of packaging and deploying Jenkins plugins, ensuring they are ready for production use.

2. Key Concepts

• Plugins: Software components that add specific capabilities to Jenkins.
• Packaging: The process of preparing a plugin for distribution.
• Deployment: The act of installing the plugin to a Jenkins instance.
• Jenkins Update Center: A repository for Jenkins plugins.

3. Packaging Plugins

To package a Jenkins plugin, follow these steps:

1. Create the Plugin: Use the jenkins-plugin-pom to create a new plugin project.

   mvn archetype:generate -Dfilter=io.jenkins.archetypes:

2. Add Dependencies: Specify required dependencies in the pom.xml file.

   <dependencies>
       <dependency>
           <groupId>org.jenkins-ci.plugins</groupId>
           <artifactId>some-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>1.0</version>
       </dependency>
   </dependencies>

3. Build the Plugin: Use Maven to build the plugin.

   mvn clean package

4. Check the Output: The packaged file will be located in the target directory. The file will have a .hpi extension.

4. Deploying Plugins

To deploy a Jenkins plugin, you can follow either of the methods below:

1. Manual Installation: Upload the .hpi file via the Jenkins UI.

   Manage Jenkins > Manage Plugins > Advanced > Upload Plugin

2. Automated Installation: Use a configuration as code (JCasC) approach to define plugins in YAML.

   plugins:
     - my-plugin: 1.0

5. Best Practices

Follow these practices to ensure smooth plugin development and deployment:

• Keep plugins small and focused on a single purpose.
• Regularly update dependencies to keep up with Jenkins changes.
• Test plugins in a staging environment before deploying to production.
• Document plugin features and usage for users.
• Monitor plugin performance and user feedback for improvements.

6. FAQ