Setup a simple CI/CD Pipeline with Jenkins

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have:
✅ Jenkins installed (Locally or on a server)
✅ Git installed and a repository to use
✅ A basic project (e.g., a simple Node.js or Python app)
✅ Java installed (Jenkins runs on Java)

Step 1: Install Required Jenkins Plugins

1. Open Jenkins Dashboard → Manage Jenkins → Manage Plugins
2. Under Available Plugins, install the following plugins:

• Pipeline (For writing Jenkinsfile-based pipelines)
• Git (For Git repository integration)
• SSH Pipeline Steps (For SSH-based deployment)

3. Restart Jenkins after installing the plugins.

Step 2: Create a New Jenkins Job

1. Go to the Jenkins Dashboard → Click New Item
2. Select Pipeline and give it a meaningful name (e.g., "My CI/CD Pipeline")
3. Click OK

Step 3: Connect Jenkins to Your Git Repository

1. Inside your new job, go to Configure
2. Under Pipeline → Definition, select Pipeline script from SCM
3. Under SCM, choose Git, and enter your repository URL
4. If the repo is private, add credentials
5. Set the branch (e.g., main or develop)

Step 4: Create a Jenkinsfile for Your Pipeline

In your project root, create a file named Jenkinsfile and add:

pipeline {
    agent any
    stages {
        stage('Clone Repository') {
            steps {
                git 'https://github.com/your-repo.git'
            }
        }
        stage('Build') {
            steps {
                sh 'echo "Building the project..."'
            }
        }
        stage('Test') {
            steps {
                sh 'echo "Running tests..."'
            }
        }
        stage('Deploy') {
            steps {
                sh 'echo "Deploying application..."'
            }
        }
    }
}

Step 5: Run Your Pipeline

1. Go back to Jenkins Dashboard → Select your pipeline
2. Click Build Now
3. Watch your pipeline execute in Build History
4. Check the console output for any errors.
5. If successful, you'll see a green checkmark.

Bonus: Automate with Webhooks

To trigger the pipeline automatically on every commit:

• In GitHub/GitLab, go to Repository Settings → Webhooks
• Add your Jenkins URL:

http://your-jenkins-url/github-webhook/

• Select Push Events to trigger on new commits.

Now, Jenkins will run the pipeline whenever you push code!