Jenkins

Basic information

Jenkins is an open-source automation server designed to facilitate continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines. It automates various stages of software development, including building, testing, and deploying applications.

• Model: Automation Server
• Version: 2.516 (LTS)
• Release Date: June 24, 2025 (for version 2.516 LTS)
• Minimum Requirements: 2 CPU cores, 256 MB RAM, 1 GB disk space.
• Supported Operating Systems: Cross-platform, including Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions (e.g., Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat, CentOS, Alpine, Amazon Linux). Requires Java Development Kit (JDK) 8 or higher, with support for LTS versions like Java 11, 17, and 21.
• Latest Stable Version: 2.516 (LTS)
• End of Support Date: LTS releases are supported for approximately 12 weeks, with bug and security fixes provided every 4 weeks. End of support for underlying operating systems varies; for example, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 derivatives were no longer supported by the Jenkins project after November 16, 2023.
• End of Life Date: As an open-source project, Jenkins itself does not have a defined end-of-life date. Support for specific underlying operating systems or Java versions follows their respective end-of-life cycles.
• License Type: MIT License.
• Deployment Model: Server-based, deployable as a standalone web application (using Eclipse Jetty), within servlet containers (like Apache Tomcat), via native packages (Windows, macOS, Linux), as Docker containers, or on cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).

Technical Requirements

• RAM: Minimum 256 MB. Recommended 4 GB or more for small teams. Large installations can require 70+ GB, depending on the number of concurrent jobs and complexity.
• Processor: Minimum 2 CPU cores. Recommended 4 CPU cores for small teams.
• Storage: Minimum 1 GB of drive space. Recommended 50 GB or more for small teams. 10 GB is a recommended minimum when running Jenkins as a Docker container.
• Display: A modern web browser is required to access and manage the Jenkins user interface.
• Ports: Typically uses port 8080 by default, which is configurable.
• Operating System: Any operating system that supports a compatible Java Development Kit (JDK), including Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions.

Analysis of Technical Requirements

Jenkins' technical requirements are highly flexible and scalable. While it can run on minimal resources for basic tasks, real-world enterprise deployments often necessitate significantly more RAM, CPU, and storage to handle complex CI/CD pipelines, numerous concurrent builds, and a large number of agents. The exact hardware depends heavily on the workload, number of users, and the size and frequency of builds. Proper planning and monitoring are essential to ensure optimal performance and stability.

Support & Compatibility

• Latest Version: Jenkins 2.516 (LTS).
• OS Support: Jenkins is cross-platform, supporting Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions. It requires a compatible Java Development Kit (JDK), with LTS versions of Java 8, 11, 17, and 21 being supported.
• End of Support Date: LTS releases receive support for approximately 12 weeks, with patches for bugs and security issues released every 4 weeks. The Jenkins project aligns its support for underlying operating systems with their respective end-of-life dates.
• Localization: Jenkins supports internationalization and localization. The community actively contributes translations for the core and plugins, often utilizing tools like Crowdin. The user interface language can be influenced by browser settings.
• Available Drivers: Jenkins leverages an extensive plugin ecosystem rather than traditional drivers. With over 1,800 plugins, it integrates with a vast array of DevOps tools, version control systems (e.g., Git, Subversion), cloud services, and deployment platforms.

Analysis of Overall Support & Compatibility Status

Jenkins boasts robust support and compatibility due to its open-source nature and vibrant community. The extensive plugin ecosystem ensures integration with virtually any tool in the software development lifecycle, offering high flexibility. Continuous development and regular LTS releases provide ongoing maintenance and security updates. However, users must manage compatibility with their chosen operating systems and Java versions, paying attention to their respective end-of-life cycles.

Security Status

• Security Features: Jenkins includes robust access control with user roles and permissions, secure plugin management, build environment isolation, secure configuration practices, and continuous security testing. It offers protection against Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) and uses a markup formatter to prevent Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks. Credentials management is also a core feature.
• Known Vulnerabilities: Specific vulnerabilities, such as remote code execution (e.g., CVE-2017-1000353), have been identified and addressed. Regular updates and patching are critical to mitigate these risks.
• Blacklist Status: Not applicable for an open-source automation server.
• Certifications: No specific industry security certifications are broadly advertised for the open-source Jenkins project itself. However, adherence to security best practices is emphasized.
• Encryption Support: Supports encryption of sensitive data both in transit (e.g., via HTTPS/SSL/TLS) and at rest (e.g., encrypted file systems, secure credential storage).
• Authentication Methods: Jenkins supports its own user database, and integrates with external systems like LDAP, Active Directory, GitHub, Google, and SAML. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is available via plugins, offering methods such as security questions and OTP over email.
• General Recommendations: Implement strong, unique passwords, enable HTTPS/SSL, utilize centralized authentication systems, apply role-based access control (RBAC) and the principle of least privilege, disable unnecessary services, conduct regular security assessments, and monitor logs for suspicious activity.

Analysis on the Overall Security Rating

Jenkins offers a comprehensive suite of security features, providing administrators with granular control over access, configurations, and build environments. Its open-source nature allows for community scrutiny and rapid patching of vulnerabilities. However, the overall security rating is highly dependent on how Jenkins is configured and managed. Misconfigurations, outdated plugins, or insufficient access controls can introduce significant risks. Proactive security measures, regular updates, and adherence to best practices are paramount for maintaining a secure Jenkins environment.

Performance & Benchmarks

• Benchmark Scores: No standardized, universally applicable benchmark scores are available for Jenkins, as performance is highly variable.
• Real-World Performance Metrics: Performance is directly tied to the underlying hardware, the complexity and number of concurrent build pipelines, and the efficiency of job configurations. Jenkins is designed for scalability, supporting distributed builds across multiple agent nodes to handle large workloads. Memory usage can fluctuate significantly, ranging from hundreds of megabytes for small instances to tens of gigabytes for large, active controllers.
• Power Consumption: Not directly measurable for software. Power consumption is a function of the hardware infrastructure on which Jenkins is deployed.
• Carbon Footprint: Not directly measurable for software. The carbon footprint is associated with the energy consumption of the physical or virtual infrastructure running Jenkins.
• Comparison with Similar Assets: Jenkins is frequently compared with other CI/CD tools like GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, and AWS CodePipeline. Its strengths often lie in its extensive customization options, vast plugin ecosystem, and flexibility, which allow it to adapt to diverse development workflows.

Analysis of the Overall Performance Status

Jenkins' performance is highly adaptable and depends critically on its deployment environment and workload. While it can be resource-intensive for large-scale operations, its architecture supports distribution and scaling through agents, allowing organizations to optimize performance by allocating resources appropriately. Achieving optimal performance requires careful planning of hardware, efficient pipeline design, and continuous monitoring and tuning.

User Reviews & Feedback

User reviews and feedback generally highlight Jenkins' strengths as a powerful and flexible CI/CD tool, while also pointing out areas for improvement related to complexity and maintenance.

• Strengths: Users frequently praise Jenkins for being open-source and free, its vast and mature plugin ecosystem (over 1,800 plugins), and its high degree of flexibility and scalability. It is highly valued for its ability to automate continuous integration, continuous delivery, automated builds, and testing across diverse projects and environments. The strong community support is also a significant advantage.
• Weaknesses: Common feedback includes the perceived complexity of initial setup and ongoing management, especially for larger or highly customized instances. Some users note that managing a large number of plugins can be challenging, and there's a concern about the potential for abandoned plugins. The learning curve can be steep for new users.
• Recommended Use Cases: Jenkins is widely recommended for continuous integration (CI), continuous delivery (CD), automated build processes, automated testing, deployment automation to various environments, scheduling routine tasks, and implementing Infrastructure as Code (IaC). It is particularly suited for organizations needing a highly customizable and extensible automation platform.

Summary

Jenkins is a highly versatile and widely adopted open-source automation server, serving as a cornerstone for Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) in modern software development. Its primary strength lies in its exceptional flexibility, powered by an extensive ecosystem of over 1,800 plugins that enable integration with virtually any development tool, version control system, or deployment target. This adaptability allows Jenkins to automate a broad spectrum of tasks, from compiling code and running tests to deploying applications across diverse environments.

Technically, Jenkins is cross-platform and scalable, capable of running on minimal hardware for small projects or distributing workloads across numerous agent nodes for large-scale enterprise operations. Its resource requirements are highly variable, necessitating careful planning and allocation of RAM, CPU, and storage based on the complexity and concurrency of pipelines.

Security is a critical aspect, and Jenkins provides robust features such as granular access control, secure plugin management, and support for various authentication methods, including LDAP, GitHub, and 2FA. However, the effectiveness of these features relies heavily on diligent configuration and adherence to security best practices by administrators. Regular updates are essential to mitigate known vulnerabilities.

User feedback consistently praises its open-source nature, powerful automation capabilities, and strong community support. Conversely, some users highlight the complexity of initial setup and ongoing maintenance, particularly for extensive deployments, and the challenge of managing a large plugin landscape.

In conclusion, Jenkins remains a leading choice for organizations seeking a highly customizable and powerful automation engine for their CI/CD workflows. Its strengths in extensibility, community support, and automation capabilities make it invaluable for accelerating software delivery. However, successful implementation requires a commitment to proper configuration, resource management, and continuous security vigilance.

Information provided is based on publicly available data and may vary depending on specific device configurations. For up-to-date information, please consult official manufacturer resources.