Setting Up Jenkins CI on FreeBSD Was WAY Simpler Than I Thought!

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the process of setting up Jenkins Continuous Integration (CI) on FreeBSD. Jenkins is a powerful tool for automating software development processes, and running it on FreeBSD can streamline your builds, especially if you're working with Poudriere. Follow these steps to get Jenkins up and running in no time.

Step 1: Install Jenkins

1. Open your terminal on FreeBSD.
2. Update your package repository by running:

   pkg update
   

3. Install Jenkins using the following command:

   pkg install jenkins
   

Step 2: Configure Jenkins to Start Automatically

1. Edit the rc.conf file to enable Jenkins to start at boot. Use your preferred text editor:

   ee /etc/rc.conf
   

2. Add the following line to the file:

   jenkins_enable="YES"
   

3. Save and exit the editor.

Step 3: Start Jenkins

1. Start the Jenkins service immediately with the command:

   service jenkins start
   

Step 4: Access Jenkins for the First Time

1. Open a web browser and go to:

   http://localhost:8080
   

2. Retrieve the initial admin password by running:

   cat /var/db/jenkins/secrets/initialAdminPassword
   

3. Copy the password and paste it into the Jenkins web interface to log in.

Step 5: Explore Jenkins Interface

Familiarize yourself with the Jenkins dashboard. Take note of key features like

• New Item
• Manage Jenkins
• Build History

Step 6: Install Plugins

1. Navigate to Manage Jenkins from the dashboard.
2. Select Manage Plugins.

Go to the Available tab, search for plugins you want, and install them. Recommended plugins include

• GitHub
• SSH
• Pipeline

Step 7: Setup SSH Plugin

1. In the Manage Plugins section, ensure the SSH plugin is installed.
2. Navigate to Manage Jenkins > Configure System.
3. Locate the SSH section and configure your SSH settings.

Step 8: Create a New Job

1. From the dashboard, click on New Item.
2. Enter a name for your job and choose the project type (e.g., Freestyle project).

Configure the job settings, such as

• Source Code Management
• Build Triggers
• Build Steps

Step 9: Trigger a Job Manually

1. Go back to the job dashboard.
2. Click on Build Now to start the job immediately.
3. Monitor the build progress and check the console output for details.

Conclusion

You have successfully set up Jenkins CI on FreeBSD! By following these steps, you can automate your build processes and enhance your development workflow. Next, consider exploring additional plugins or integrating Jenkins with other tools to further streamline your CI/CD pipeline. For further assistance or community support, join the discussion on the Discord server linked in the video description. Happy coding!