Jenkins - Installation

There are multiple ways to install Jenkins, in an high level there are three methods described below to install Jenkins. Each installation method is explained in brief,  so that you can decide what is needed according to your interest / requirement

• Installing and running as Docker container

In this method, Docker engine needs to be installed in the operating system and Jenkins deployed as docker container. This is the best and clean method to install the Jenkins.

As docker is being used for Jenkins, it would be very much easier to load the new docker image when it comes to upgrading the Jenkins. More over, any project / pipe line items created on Jenkins can use docker agent to deploy the required environment as container.

Hence the host operating system which runs the docker engine will remain clean and the Jenkins along with project / pipe line environments would be portable as they are running as containers.

• Installing as standalone Web application ARchive (WAR) file

    This is by far easiest method to try out Jenkins. It supports in any operating system where Java is installed, that is all it requires to run the Jenkins via this method. Just install Java and download the Jenkins WAR file, run the Jenkins by executing Java command.

As this method is kind of standalone deployment, it is easier to perform but you have to take care of developing initialization script / daemon to execute the java Jenkins WAR file in background

• Installing as Operating System Package

This is also an another easier method to install the Jenkins. The installation method varies according to the operating system, like apt for Ubuntu, yum for fedora/CentOS based systems.

As this method involves operating system native package manager for installing Jenkins, the OS package manager needs to be configured to use Jenkins repository in order to install latest versions of Jenkins.

Example: apt repo for Ubuntu and yum repo for fedora/CentOS based systems needs to be configured to use respective Jenkins repository, before kicking off the Jenkins installation

Choose an installation method that suites your requirement and refer the following URL: https://jenkins.io/doc/book/installing/ for more specific instructions for installing Jenkins.

I recommend running Jenkins as container as it provides isolated environment from the host operating system and also provides portability across systems. The same container engine can be used for setting up project / pipe line environments as well.