Jenkins
Definition
An open-source automation server that facilitates continuous integration and deployment, streamlining software development workflows and improving
Use Cases
- Netflix: Continuous integration and automated delivery of microservices — Netflix has publicly discussed using Jenkins as part of its CI/CD tooling to run automated builds and tests and to support deployment workflows alongside its broader delivery ecosystem. (Faster feedback on code changes and more reliable, repeatable release processes for frequent software updates.)
- LinkedIn: CI automation for large-scale engineering teams — LinkedIn has publicly referenced Jenkins usage for continuous integration to automate builds and tests across many projects, integrating Jenkins with source control and internal tooling. (Improved build/test automation and reduced manual effort, helping teams ship changes more consistently.)
- Wikimedia Foundation: Automated testing and deployment support for MediaWiki and related services — Wikimedia has publicly documented CI infrastructure that includes Jenkins to run automated tests and support deployment workflows for its software projects. (More consistent test execution and safer releases through automated validation before changes reach production.)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between Jenkins and GitHub Actions?
- Jenkins is a self-managed automation server you install and operate (you handle upgrades, plugins, scaling, and security). GitHub Actions is a managed CI/CD service built into GitHub that runs workflows from your repository. Jenkins is highly customizable via plugins and can run anywhere; GitHub Actions is simpler to start with if your code is already on GitHub and you prefer a managed experience.
- When should I use Jenkins?
- Use Jenkins when you need a flexible, self-hosted CI/CD system that can run in your environment (on-prem, private cloud, or specific networks), when you rely on Jenkins plugins/integrations, or when you want full control over build agents, security boundaries, and custom pipelines. If you want minimal operations overhead, consider a managed CI/CD service instead.
- How much does Jenkins cost?
- Jenkins software is free and open source. Your costs come from the infrastructure and operations: compute for the controller and build agents (VMs/containers), storage for artifacts and logs, networking, backups, monitoring, and the engineering time to maintain plugins, upgrades, and security patches. Some organizations also pay for commercial support from vendors in the Jenkins ecosystem.
Category: software
Difficulty: intermediate
Related Terms
See Also