/ez-templates-plugin

A easy and seamless way to create and use templates in Jenkins.

Primary LanguageJavaApache License 2.0Apache-2.0

Build Status

Allows you to use any job as a template for other jobs.

Using EZ-Templates

Creating a template

Any Jenkins job can be used as a template

  • Select Allow this job to be used as a template

A template can be a runnable job in its own right or be disabled and used only as a parent for "real" jobs. Image of template configuration

Using a template

Existing jobs

Any Jenkins job can inherit from a template of the same job type.

  • Select Use another job as a template and enter the template's name
  • Click Apply. When you open the job after this, you will see the configuration copied in from the template.

Image of implmentation configuration

❗ The same job type (e.g. Maven/Freestyle) is important.

New jobs

Choose New Item > Copy existing item and enter the template's name. The new job will be automatically created as an implementation.

Customising the implementation

Synchronisation happens whenever an implementation job or its template is saved. The implementation overwrites its config with that of the template, discarding any local changes.

Only configured items (see Advanced section) are retained.

Job Parameters

One of those is the Parameters section.

  • New parameters added to the template are added to the implementation
  • Old parameters not in the template are removed from the implementation
    • ❗ Renaming a template parameter counts as a removal and addition - it is not synched as a "rename" and you will lose any customisation.
  • Existing parameters are synchronised
    • The parameters' Default Values are retained by the implmentation.

Usecases

Not everything can be parameterised in a Jenkins job config. Here's a few sample uses

  • SCM Repository URL can be a param, allowing completely different projects to be built with the same template
    • Alternatively the param could simply the Git branch (e.g. master, feature)
  • Combined with NodeLabel plugin, implementations can specify build node requirements
    • e.g. Only build on Linux or boxes with IPv6
  • Parameterized Trigger and Conditional BuildStep plugins are the basis of many flexible configurations based on job parameters