A continuous delivery pipeline is an automated framework that visualizes the process of obtaining software from version control. Consequently, any modification to your software undergoes a series of intricate steps before it is ready for release. This also encompasses the consistent and reproducible development of the software, as well as the advancement of the built software through various testing and deployment stages.

In this article you will learn more about how to write a jenkinsfile, its structure and thus how to setup pipelines.

Jenkinsfile

Jenkins pipelines are configured through a textual document known as a JenkinsFile. You can express your pipeline as code by using this JenkinsFile, which can be created using a domain-specific language (DSL). Through the JenkinsFile, you can outline the necessary actions to execute a Jenkins pipeline.

Some important concepts to know before we proceed are:

Pipeline – The pipeline is a set of instructions given in the form of code for continuous delivery and consists of instructions needed for the entire build process. With pipeline, you can build, test, and deliver the application.

Node – The machine on which Jenkins runs is called a node. A node block is mainly used in scripted pipeline syntax.

Stage – A stage block contains a series of steps in a pipeline. That is, the build, test, and deploy processes all come together in a stage. Generally, a stage block is used to visualize the Jenkins pipeline process.

Step – A step is nothing but a single task that executes a specific process at a defined time. A pipeline involves a series of steps.

Pipeline

To create a new jenkins pipeline job you click on New Item and select Pipeline as project type.

Configure the pipeline job by choosing the source code management system (e.g., Git) and specify the repository URL. In the Pipeline section, select the pipeline script from the JenkinsFile (either from the source control or entered directly in the job configuration).

Configure when the pipeline should run. You can set it to run on code commits, manual triggers, or other events based on your requirements.

Configure the build environment if needed. This can include specifying build agents, setting environment variables, and defining build parameters.

Besides that you can then use Prometheus and Grafana to monitor and debug your pipeline progress. As your pipeline becomes more complex, consider optimizing and scaling your Jenkins setup with distributed build agents, parallelism, and other strategies.

Conclusion

Jenkins pipelines are highly customizable and can be adapted to your specific needs, including building, testing, and deploying applications. The exact steps may vary depending on the complexity of your project and the tools and technologies you’re using in your pipeline.

For now you can already set a pipeline in which you can run tasks such as build, test and deploy through Jenkins.