How to Download and Install Blue Ocean Plugin for Jenkins
If you are using Jenkins for continuous integration and delivery, you might have heard of the Blue Ocean plugin. This plugin is a suite of plugins that rethinks the Jenkins user experience and makes it more intuitive, visual, and user-friendly. In this article, we will show you how to download and install the Blue Ocean plugin for Jenkins, and how to use it to create and visualize pipelines.
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What is Blue Ocean Plugin and Why You Need It
The Blue Ocean plugin is a set of plugins that enhances the Jenkins interface and functionality. It is designed from the ground up for Jenkins Pipeline and compatible with Freestyle jobs. It offers the following key features:
Sophisticated visualizations of CD pipelines for fast and intuitive comprehension of software pipeline status.
Pipeline editor that makes automating CD pipelines approachable by guiding the user through an intuitive and visual process to create a pipeline.
Personalization of the Jenkins UI to suit the role-based needs of each member of the DevOps team.
Pinpoint precision when intervention is needed and/or issues arise. The Blue Ocean UI shows where in the pipeline attention is needed, facilitating exception handling and increasing productivity.
Native integration for branch and pull requests enables maximum developer productivity when collaborating on code with others in GitHub and Bitbucket.
The Blue Ocean plugin can help you improve your workflow, collaboration, and efficiency when working with Jenkins pipelines. It can also make your pipelines more readable, maintainable, and scalable.
Blue Ocean Plugin Status
Before you decide to install the Blue Ocean plugin, you should be aware of its current status. According to the official documentation, Blue Ocean will not receive further functionality updates. It will only receive selective updates for significant security issues or functional defects. This means that it will not be enhanced further or supported by new features. However, it will still provide easy-to-use pipeline visualization as long as it is compatible with your Jenkins version.
If you are looking for alternative options for pipeline visualization, you can check out other plugins such as Pipeline Stage View or Pipeline Graph View. These plugins offer some of the same functionality as Blue Ocean, but they are not complete replacements. You can also contribute to their development if you are interested.
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How to Install Blue Ocean Plugin on an Existing Jenkins Instance
If you already have a Jenkins instance running, you can install the Blue Ocean plugin as a suite of plugins on your existing instance. This is a simple process that requires only a few steps. Here is how to do it:
Step 1: Log in to Jenkins as an Admin User
To install any plugin on Jenkins, you need to have the Administer permission. This is set by the Jenkins security system. If you are not logged in as an admin user, you will not be able to install the plugin.
Step 2: Go to Manage Jenkins > Plugins
Once you are logged in as an admin user, go to the Manage Jenkins section from the Jenkins dashboard. Then, click on the Plugins link. This will take you to the Plugin Manager page, where you can see the list of available plugins and manage them.
Step 3: Search for Blue Ocean Plugin and Select It
On the Plugin Manager page, go to the Available tab. This tab shows you the plugins that are not installed on your Jenkins instance, but are available for installation. You can use the search box to find the plugin you want. Type "Blue Ocean" in the search box and hit Enter. You should see the Blue Ocean plugin and its related plugins in the search results. Select the checkbox next to the Blue Ocean plugin. This will automatically select all the required dependencies for the plugin.
Step 4: Choose the Installation Option and Confirm
After selecting the Blue Ocean plugin, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on one of the installation options. You can choose to install without restart or download now and install after restart. The first option will install the plugin immediately without restarting Jenkins, but it may not work for some plugins that require a restart. The second option will download the plugin and install it after you restart Jenkins manually. Choose the option that suits your preference and confirm.
Step 5: Restart Jenkins if Needed
If you chose to install without restart, you should see a message that says "Success" after the installation is complete. You can now start using the Blue Ocean plugin from your Jenkins dashboard. If you chose to download now and install after restart, you should see a message that says "Downloaded successfully" after the download is complete. You need to restart Jenkins manually to complete the installation. You can do this by going to Manage Jenkins > Restart Jenkins or by using a command line tool such as curl or wget.
How to Install Blue Ocean Plugin as Part of Jenkins in Docker
If you do not have a Jenkins instance running, or if you want to run Jenkins in a containerized environment, you can install the Blue Ocean plugin as part of Jenkins in Docker. This is a convenient way to run Jenkins with all its dependencies and plugins in a single Docker image. Here is how to do it:
Step 1: Pull the Official Jenkins Docker Image
The first step is to pull the official Jenkins Docker image from Docker Hub. This image contains Jenkins and all its core features and plugins. You can use the docker pull command to pull the image:
docker pull jenkins/jenkins:lts
This command will pull the latest LTS (Long Term Support) version of Jenkins. You can also specify a different tag if you want a different version.
Step 2: Run the Jenkins Container with Blue Ocean Plugin
The next step is to run the Jenkins container with the Blue Ocean plugin. You can use the docker run command to run the container and pass the Blue Ocean plugin as an environment variable. For example:
docker run -d -p 8080:8080 -p 50000:50000 -e JENKINS_OPTS="--install-plugin=blueocean" jenkins/jenkins:lts
This command will run the Jenkins container in detached mode (-d) and map the ports 8080 and 50000 to the host machine (-p). It will also pass the JENKINS_OPTS environment variable with the value "--install-plugin=blueocean" to tell Jenkins to install the Blue Ocean plugin when it starts. You can also pass other plugins or options as needed.
Step 3: Access Jenkins and Blue Ocean UI
After running the Jenkins container, you should be able to access Jenkins and Blue Ocean UI from your browser. You can use the following URL to access Jenkins:
You will need to enter the initial admin password that is generated by Jenkins when it starts. You can find this password by running the following command:
docker exec cat /var/jenkins_home/secrets/initialAdminPassword
Replace with the ID of your Jenkins container. You can find this ID by running docker ps and looking for the jenkins/jenkins:lts image.
After entering the initial admin password, you will be prompted to customize Jenkins. You can choose to install suggested plugins or select plugins to install. Make sure that the Blue Ocean plugin is selected or installed.
Once Jenkins is ready, you can access the Blue Ocean UI from the Jenkins dashboard. You will see a link that says "Open Blue Ocean" on the left sidebar. Click on it and you will be taken to the Blue Ocean UI, where you can create and visualize pipelines.
How to Use Blue Ocean Plugin to Create and Visualize Pipelines
The main purpose of the Blue Ocean plugin is to provide a better way to create and visualize pipelines in Jenkins. A pipeline is a set of steps that define how your software is built, tested, and deployed. With Blue Ocean, you can create pipelines using a graphical editor or a text editor, and view them in a dynamic and interactive UI. Here is how to do it:
Step 1: Go to Blue Ocean UI from Jenkins Dashboard
To start using Blue Ocean, you need to go to the Blue Ocean UI from the Jenkins dashboard. As mentioned before, you can do this by clicking on the "Open Blue Ocean" link on the left sidebar. This will open a new tab or window with the Blue Ocean UI.
Step 2: Create a New Pipeline or Open an Existing One
On the Blue Ocean UI, you will see a list of pipelines that are already created on your Jenkins instance. You can click on any pipeline to view its status and details. You can also create a new pipeline by clicking on the "Create Pipeline" button on the top right corner. This will launch a wizard that will guide you through the process of creating a pipeline.
You can create a pipeline from different sources, such as GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab, or a local repository. You will need to provide some information about your source, such as the URL, credentials, branch, etc. You will also need to choose how you want to define your pipeline: using the Pipeline Editor or the Jenkinsfile. The Pipeline Editor is a graphical tool that lets you drag and drop stages and steps to create your pipeline. The Jenkinsfile is a text file that contains the code for your pipeline. You can write your own Jenkinsfile or use a template provided by Blue Ocean.
Step 3: Edit the Pipeline Using the Pipeline Editor or the Jenkinsfile
After choosing how to define your pipeline, you can edit it using the Pipeline Editor or the Jenkinsfile. The Pipeline Editor is a user-friendly tool that allows you to add, remove, and modify stages and steps in your pipeline. You can also configure parameters, triggers, agents, and other options for your pipeline. The Pipeline Editor will generate a Jenkinsfile for you based on your graphical design.
The Jenkinsfile is a text file that contains the code for your pipeline. You can write your own Jenkinsfile using the Groovy syntax or use a template provided by Blue Ocean. You can also edit the Jenkinsfile generated by the Pipeline Editor if you want to make changes that are not supported by the graphical tool. You can use any text editor to edit the Jenkinsfile, or use the built-in editor in Blue Ocean.
Step 4: View the Pipeline Status and Details in the Blue Ocean UI
Once you have created and edited your pipeline, you can view its status and details in the Blue Ocean UI. You can see the progress of each stage and step in your pipeline, as well as the logs, artifacts, tests, and code changes associated with each run. You can also see the overall health and performance of your pipeline, as well as any issues or failures that occur.
The Blue Ocean UI provides a clear and comprehensive view of your pipeline, making it easy to understand and troubleshoot. You can also interact with your pipeline, such as starting, stopping, or replaying a run, or adding comments or feedback.
Conclusion
The Blue Ocean plugin is a suite of plugins that improves the Jenkins user experience and makes it more intuitive, visual, and user-friendly. It is designed for Jenkins Pipeline and compatible with Freestyle jobs. It offers sophisticated visualizations of CD pipelines, a pipeline editor that makes automating CD pipelines approachable, personalization of the Jenkins UI, pinpoint precision when intervention is needed, and native integration for branch and pull requests.
You can install the Blue Ocean plugin on an existing Jenkins instance or as part of Jenkins in Docker. You can also use it to create and visualize pipelines using a graphical editor or a text editor. The Blue Ocean plugin can help you improve your workflow, collaboration, and efficiency when working with Jenkins pipelines.
FAQs
Q: Is Blue Ocean Plugin free?
A: Yes, Blue Ocean Plugin is free and open source. You can download it from the Jenkins Plugin Manager or from GitHub.
Q: What are the requirements for Blue Ocean Plugin?
A: Blue Ocean Plugin requires Jenkins 2.7 or later and Java 8 or later. It also requires some other plugins as dependencies, such as Pipeline, Git, GitHub Branch Source, etc.
Q: How do I update Blue Ocean Plugin?
A: You can update Blue Ocean Plugin from the Jenkins Plugin Manager. Go to Manage Jenkins > Plugins > Updates and look for Blue Ocean Plugin in the list of available updates. Select it and click on Download now and install after restart.
Q: How do I uninstall Blue Ocean Plugin?
A: You can uninstall Blue Ocean Plugin from the Jenkins Plugin Manager. Go to Manage Jenkins > Plugins > Installed and look for Blue Ocean Plugin in the list of installed plugins. Select it and click on Uninstall.
Q: How do I get support for Blue Ocean Plugin?
A: You can get support for Blue Ocean Plugin from the official documentation, the GitHub repository, or the Jenkins community. You can also report bugs or request features on the GitHub issue tracker.
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