Jenkins is the most widely used open source automation server, endlessly extensible with thousands of plugins, self hosted and free. An open source CI/CD tool with roots in Hudson from 2005, Jenkins runs build, test and deployment pipelines on your own infrastructure, configured through its UI or as code with Jenkinsfiles (declarative or scripted pipelines), and extended by an ecosystem of more than 1,800 plugins that integrate with virtually any tool, language or platform. The long standing standard for CI/CD, used from small teams to the largest enterprises, Jenkins offers unmatched flexibility and control at no licence cost, in exchange for running and maintaining it yourself. For flexible, self hosted CI/CD, Jenkins is a leading choice.
Jenkins' distinction is being the free, open source, infinitely extensible automation server you control. Its vast plugin ecosystem and scriptable pipelines mean it can automate almost anything, integrate with any tool, and run anywhere you host it, which is why it has been the default CI/CD tool for over a decade. That flexibility, extensibility and control, with no licence cost, set it apart, for teams willing to operate it.
Jenkins is best for teams and enterprises that want maximum flexibility and control over CI/CD, self hosted and free, with the capacity to run and maintain it, and complex or custom automation needs met by plugins. It suits teams valuing control and extensibility. It is a weaker fit for teams wanting managed, zero maintenance CI, where GitHub Actions, GitLab CI or CircleCI fit, or those wanting the simplest built in option tied to their code host.
The core strengths are build, test and deployment pipelines, pipeline as code with Jenkinsfiles, and an enormous ecosystem of more than 1,800 plugins. Jenkins offers distributed builds across agents, integration with virtually any tool and language, and full self hosted control. Its flexibility, extensibility through plugins, and control, at no licence cost, are its defining advantages for CI/CD.
Jenkins is free and open source, with no licence cost, so the expense is the infrastructure you run it on and the effort to operate, maintain, secure and upgrade it, including plugins and agents. Managed Jenkins offerings exist from third parties. Pricing is effectively your compute and operational cost. For teams with the capacity, this makes Jenkins very cost effective. Details and downloads are on the Jenkins site.
Jenkins has one of the largest plugin ecosystems in software, with more than 1,800 plugins integrating with source control, build tools, test frameworks, clouds, containers, registries, notification and deployment tools across every language and platform. Its unmatched plugin ecosystem, which lets Jenkins automate and integrate with almost anything, is a signature strength and the core of its flexibility.
Extensibility is the signature strength: through more than 1,800 plugins and scriptable pipelines, Jenkins can be shaped to automate virtually any build, test and deployment workflow and integrate with any tool, which no managed tool matches for breadth. For teams with complex or custom automation needs and the capacity to run it, this extensibility and control are the main reason to choose Jenkins.
Jenkins is powerful and flexible but reviewers note it requires effort to set up, maintain and secure, with an older interface and plugin management overhead, so it rewards teams with DevOps capacity. Its G2 reviews praise flexibility, plugins and control, with maintenance burden and interface the main considerations, and community support is extensive.
For teams and enterprises that want maximum flexibility and control over self hosted CI/CD at no licence cost, and can run and maintain it, Jenkins is a powerful, proven choice. The main caution is the maintenance and operational burden, so teams wanting managed, zero maintenance CI may prefer GitHub Actions, GitLab CI or CircleCI, but for flexible self hosted automation Jenkins remains a leader.
These ci/cd tools come up most often against Jenkins.
CI/CD and automation native to GitHub
Integrated CI/CD within the GitLab platform
Cloud CI/CD platform for fast pipelines