Get Started: Install Jenkins on an Azure Linux VM

Article
05/30/2023

This article shows how to install Jenkins on an Ubuntu Linux VM with the tools and plug-ins configured to work with Azure.

In this article, you'll learn how to:

Create a setup file that downloads and installs Jenkins

Create a resource group

Create a virtual machine with the setup file

Open port 8080 in order to access Jenkins on the virtual machine

Connect to the virtual machine via SSH

Configure a sample Jenkins job based on a sample Java app in GitHub

Build the sample Jenkins job

1. Configure your environment

Azure subscription: If you don't have an Azure subscription, create a free account before you begin.

2. Open Cloud Shell

If you already have a Cloud Shell session open, you can skip to the next section.
Browse to the Azure portal
If necessary, log in to your Azure subscription and change the Azure directory.
Open Cloud Shell.
If you haven't previously used Cloud Shell, configure the environment and storage settings.
Select the command-line environment.

3. Create a virtual machine

Create a test directory called jenkins-get-started.
Switch to the test directory.
Create a file named cloud-init-jenkins.txt.

Paste the following code into the new file:

#cloud-config
package_upgrade: true
runcmd:
  - sudo apt install openjdk-11-jre -y
  - curl -fsSL https://pkg.jenkins.io/debian-stable/jenkins.io-2023.key | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/jenkins-keyring.asc > /dev/null
  -  echo 'deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/jenkins-keyring.asc] https://pkg.jenkins.io/debian-stable binary/' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jenkins.list > /dev/null
  - sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install jenkins -y
  - sudo service jenkins restart

Run az group create to create a resource group.

az group create --name jenkins-get-started-rg --location eastus

Run az vm create to create a virtual machine.

az vm create \
--resource-group jenkins-get-started-rg \
--name jenkins-get-started-vm \
--image UbuntuLTS \
--admin-username "azureuser" \
--generate-ssh-keys \
--public-ip-sku Standard \
--custom-data cloud-init-jenkins.txt

Run az vm list to verify the creation (and state) of the new virtual machine.
```
az vm list -d -o table --query "[?name=='jenkins-get-started-vm']"
```

As Jenkins runs on port 8080, run az vm open to open port 8080 on the new virtual machine.

az vm open-port \
--resource-group jenkins-get-started-rg \
--name jenkins-get-started-vm  \
--port 8080 --priority 1010

4. Configure Jenkins

Run az vm show to get the public IP address for the sample virtual machine.
```
az vm show \
--resource-group jenkins-get-started-rg \
--name jenkins-get-started-vm -d \
--query [publicIps] \
--output tsv
```
Key points:
- The --query parameter limits the output to the public IP addresses for the virtual machine.
Using the IP address retrieved in the previous step, SSH into the virtual machine. You'll need to confirm the connection request.
```
ssh azureuser@<ip_address>
```
Key points:
- Upon successful connection, the Cloud Shell prompt includes the user name and virtual machine name: azureuser@jenkins-get-started-vm.
Verify that Jenkins is running by getting the status of the Jenkins service.
```
service jenkins status
```
Key points:
- If you receive an error regarding the service not existing, you may have to wait a couple of minutes for everything to install and initialize.

Get the autogenerated Jenkins password.

sudo cat /var/lib/jenkins/secrets/initialAdminPassword

Using the IP address, open the following URL in a browser: http://<ip_address>:8080
Enter the password you retrieved earlier and select Continue.
Select Select plug-in to install.
In the filter box at the top of the page, enter github. Select the GitHub plug-in and select Install.
Enter the information for the first admin user and select Save and Continue.
On the Instance Configuration page, select Save and Finish.
Select Start using Jenkins.

5. Create your first job

On the Jenkins home page, select Create a job.
Enter a job name of mySampleApp, select Freestyle project, and select OK.
Select the Source Code Management tab. Enable Git and enter the following URL for the Repository URL value: https://github.com/spring-guides/gs-spring-boot.git. Then change the Branch Specifier to */main.
Select the Build tab, then select Add build step
From the drop-down menu, select Invoke Gradle script.
Select Use Gradle Wrapper, then enter complete in Wrapper location and build for Tasks.
Select Advanced and enter complete in the Root Build script field.
Scroll to the bottom of the page, and select Save.

6. Build the sample Java app

When the home page for your project displays, select Build Now to compile the code and package the sample app.
A graphic below the Build History heading indicates that the job is being built.
When the build completes, select the Workspace link.
Navigate to complete/build/libs to see that the .jar file was successfully built.
Your Jenkins server is now ready to build your own projects in Azure!