Jenkins remains a widely-used, highly extensible open-source automation server — this guide covers installing Jenkins on a VPS and building a basic CI/CD pipeline.
Why Jenkins Might Fit Your Needs
Compared to hosted CI/CD (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI), Jenkins offers extensive plugin-based customization and full self-hosted control — a reasonable choice for complex, specific pipeline requirements or organizations preferring a fully self-managed CI/CD platform.
Prerequisites
- Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 VPS: 2 vCPU, 4 GB+ RAM minimum
- Java (Jenkins requires a JRE)
Step 1 — Install Java
sudo apt install openjdk-17-jre -yStep 2 — Add the Jenkins Repository
curl -fsSL https://pkg.jenkins.io/debian-stable/jenkins.io-2023.key | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/jenkins-keyring.asc
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.listStep 3 — Install Jenkins
sudo apt update
sudo apt install jenkins -y
sudo systemctl enable --now jenkinsStep 4 — Access the Web Interface and Unlock
sudo cat /var/lib/jenkins/secrets/initialAdminPasswordhttp://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8080Step 5 — Complete Initial Setup
Install suggested plugins, create your admin user, and configure the instance URL — standard first-run wizard steps.
Step 6 — Put Jenkins Behind a Reverse Proxy with SSL
Never expose Jenkins directly on port 8080 to the public internet without SSL — see How to Set Up Nginx as a Reverse Proxy for Node.js Apps for the general reverse proxy pattern, applied here to route through Nginx with HTTPS via Let's Encrypt.
Step 7 — Create a Pipeline Job
pipeline {
agent any
stages {
stage('Build') {
steps {
sh 'npm install'
}
}
stage('Test') {
steps {
sh 'npm test'
}
}
stage('Deploy') {
steps {
sh './deploy.sh'
}
}
}
}A "Jenkinsfile" defines your pipeline as code, committed alongside your application — the recommended approach over configuring pipelines purely through the web UI.
Securing Jenkins
- Enable authentication and disable anonymous access (should already be configured during initial setup)
- Keep Jenkins and all plugins updated regularly — a historically frequent target for vulnerabilities
- Restrict who can create/modify pipeline jobs, since a malicious pipeline job effectively has significant server access
Managing Build Agents for Isolation
For genuinely isolated builds, configure Jenkins agents (separate from the controller) rather than running all builds directly on the Jenkins controller itself — limits the impact of a compromised or misbehaving build.
Common Errors
Jenkins consuming excessive memory — Jenkins itself plus concurrent build processes can be memory-intensive; verify your VPS has adequate RAM, and consider dedicated build agents on separate infrastructure if your build volume grows significantly.
Continue Reading
- How to Build a Simple CI/CD Pipeline with GitHub Actions
- CI/CD Pipeline Security Best Practices
- How to Set Up Nginx as a Reverse Proxy for Node.js Apps
Browse more articles in DevOps & CI/CD.
