⇑ Pipeline Index

Using Docker with Pipeline

Many organizations use Docker to unify their build and test environments across machines, and to provide an efficient mechanism for deploying applications. Starting with Pipeline versions 2.5 and higher, Pipeline has built-in support for interacting with Docker from within a Jenkinsfile.

While this page covers the basics of utilizing Docker from within a Jenkinsfile, it will not cover the fundamentals of Docker, which you can refer to in the Docker Getting Started Guide.

Customizing the execution environment

Pipeline is designed to easily use Docker images as the execution environment for a single Stage or the entire Pipeline. Meaning that a user can define the tools required for their Pipeline, without having to manually configure agents. Any tool that can be packaged in a Docker container can be used with ease, by making only minor edits to a Jenkinsfile.

Jenkinsfile (Declarative Pipeline)
pipeline {
    agent {
        docker { image 'node:22.11.0-alpine3.20' }
    }
    stages {
        stage('Test') {
            steps {
                sh 'node --version'
            }
        }
    }
}
Toggle Scripted Pipeline (Advanced)

When the Pipeline executes, Jenkins will automatically start the specified container and execute the defined steps within:

[Pipeline] stage
[Pipeline] { (Test)
[Pipeline] sh
[guided-tour] Running shell script
+ node --version
v16.13.1
[Pipeline] }
[Pipeline] // stage
[Pipeline] }

Workspace synchronization

If it is important to keep the workspace synchronized with other stages, use reuseNode true. Otherwise, a dockerized stage can be run on the same agent or any other agent, but in a temporary workspace.

By default, for a containerized stage, Jenkins:

  • Picks an agent.

  • Creates a new empty workspace.

  • Clones pipeline code into it.

  • Mounts this new workspace into the container.

If you have multiple Jenkins agents, your containerized stage can be started on any of them.

When reuseNode is set to true, no new workspace will be created, and the current workspace from the current agent will be mounted into the container. After this, the container will be started on the same node, so all of the data will be synchronized.

Jenkinsfile (Declarative Pipeline)
pipeline {
    agent any
    stages {
        stage('Build') {
            agent {
                docker {
                    image 'gradle:8.2.0-jdk17-alpine'
                    // Run the container on the node specified at the
                    // top-level of the Pipeline, in the same workspace,
                    // rather than on a new node entirely:
                    reuseNode true
                }
            }
            steps {
                sh 'gradle --version'
            }
        }
    }
}
Toggle Scripted Pipeline (Advanced)

Caching data for containers

Many build tools will download external dependencies and cache them locally for future re-use. Since containers are initially created with "clean" file systems, this can result in slower Pipelines, as they may not take advantage of on-disk caches between subsequent Pipeline runs.

Pipeline supports adding custom arguments that are passed to Docker, allowing users to specify custom Docker Volumes to mount, which can be used for caching data on the agent between Pipeline runs. The following example will cache ~/.m2 between Pipeline runs utilizing the maven container, avoiding the need to re-download dependencies for subsequent Pipeline runs.

Jenkinsfile (Declarative Pipeline)
pipeline {
    agent {
        docker {
            image 'maven:3.9.3-eclipse-temurin-17'
            args '-v $HOME/.m2:/root/.m2'
        }
    }
    stages {
        stage('Build') {
            steps {
                sh 'mvn -B'
            }
        }
    }
}
Toggle Scripted Pipeline (Advanced)

Using multiple containers

It has become increasingly common for code bases to rely on multiple different technologies. For example, a repository might have both a Java-based back-end API implementation and a JavaScript-based front-end implementation. Combining Docker and Pipeline allows a Jenkinsfile to use multiple types of technologies, by combining the agent {} directive with different stages.

Jenkinsfile (Declarative Pipeline)
pipeline {
    agent none
    stages {
        stage('Back-end') {
            agent {
                docker { image 'maven:3.9.9-eclipse-temurin-21-alpine' }
            }
            steps {
                sh 'mvn --version'
            }
        }
        stage('Front-end') {
            agent {
                docker { image 'node:22.11.0-alpine3.20' }
            }
            steps {
                sh 'node --version'
            }
        }
    }
}
Toggle Scripted Pipeline (Advanced)

Using a Dockerfile

For projects requiring a more customized execution environment, Pipeline also supports building and running a container from a Dockerfile in the source repository. In contrast to the previous approach of using an "off-the-shelf" container, using the agent { dockerfile true } syntax builds a new image from a Dockerfile, rather than pulling one from Docker Hub.

Reusing an example from above, with a more custom Dockerfile:

Dockerfile
FROM node:22.11.0-alpine3.20

RUN apk add -U subversion

By committing this to the root of the source repository, the Jenkinsfile can be changed to build a container based on this Dockerfile, and then run the defined steps using that container:

Jenkinsfile (Declarative Pipeline)
pipeline {
    agent { dockerfile true }
    stages {
        stage('Test') {
            steps {
                sh 'node --version'
                sh 'svn --version'
            }
        }
    }
}

The agent { dockerfile true } syntax supports a number of other options, which are described in more detail in the Pipeline Syntax section.

Using a Dockerfile with Jenkins Pipeline

Specifying a Docker Label

By default, Pipeline assumes that any configured agent is capable of running Docker-based Pipelines. For Jenkins environments that have macOS, Windows, or other agents that are unable to run the Docker daemon, this default setting may be problematic. Pipeline provides a global option on the Manage Jenkins page and on the Folder level, for specifying which agents (by Label) to use for running Docker-based Pipelines. To enable this option for Docker labels, the Docker Pipeline plugin must be installed.

Navigate from Dashboard to Manage Jenkins then to System. In the 'Declarative Pipeline (Docker)' section set the Docker label, Docker Registry URL and Registry Credentials.

Path setup for mac OS users

The /usr/local/bin directory is not included in the macOS PATH for Docker images by default. If executables from /usr/local/bin need to be called from within Jenkins, the PATH needs to be extended to include /usr/local/bin. Add a path node in the file "/usr/local/Cellar/jenkins-lts/XXX/homebrew.mxcl.jenkins-lts.plist" like this:

Contents of homebrew.mxcl.jenkins-lts.plist
<key>EnvironmentVariables</key>
<dict>
<key>PATH</key>
<string><!-- insert revised path here --></string>
</dict>

The revised PATH string should be a colon separated list of directories in the same format as the PATH environment variable and should include:

  • /usr/local/bin

  • /usr/bin

  • /bin

  • /usr/sbin

  • /sbin

  • /Applications/Docker.app/Contents/Resources/bin/

  • /Users/XXX/Library/Group\ Containers/group.com.docker/Applications/Docker.app/Contents/Resources/bin (where XXX is replaced by your user name)

Now, restart jenkins using brew services restart jenkins-lts.

Advanced Usage with Scripted Pipeline

Running "sidecar" containers

Using Docker in Pipeline is an effective way to run a service on which the build, or a set of tests, may rely. Similar to the sidecar pattern, Docker Pipeline can run one container "in the background", while performing work in another. Utilizing this sidecar approach, a Pipeline can have a "clean" container provisioned for each Pipeline run.

Consider a hypothetical integration test suite that relies on a local MySQL database to be running. Using the withRun method, implemented in the Docker Pipeline plugin’s support for Scripted Pipeline, a Jenkinsfile can run MySQL as a sidecar:

node {
    checkout scm
    /*
     * In order to communicate with the MySQL server, this Pipeline explicitly
     * maps the port (`3306`) to a known port on the host machine.
     */
    docker.image('mysql:8-oracle').withRun('-e "MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=my-secret-pw"' +
                                           ' -p 3306:3306') { c ->
        /* Wait until mysql service is up */
        sh 'while ! mysqladmin ping -h0.0.0.0 --silent; do sleep 1; done'
        /* Run some tests which require MySQL */
        sh 'make check'
    }
}

This example can be taken further, utilizing two containers simultaneously. One "sidecar" running MySQL, and another providing the execution environment by using the Docker container links.

node {
    checkout scm
    docker.image('mysql:8-oracle').withRun('-e "MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=my-secret-pw"') { c ->
        docker.image('mysql:8-oracle').inside("--link ${c.id}:db") {
            /* Wait until mysql service is up */
            sh 'while ! mysqladmin ping -hdb --silent; do sleep 1; done'
        }
        docker.image('oraclelinux:9').inside("--link ${c.id}:db") {
            /*
             * Run some tests that require MySQL, and assume that it is
             * available on the host name `db`
             */
            sh 'make check'
        }
    }
}

The above example uses the object exposed by withRun, which has the running container’s ID available via the id property. Using the container’s ID, the Pipeline can create a link by passing custom Docker arguments to the inside() method.

The id property can also be useful for inspecting logs from a running Docker container before the Pipeline exits:

sh "docker logs ${c.id}"

Building containers

In order to create a Docker image, the Docker Pipeline plugin also provides a build() method for creating a new image from a Dockerfile in the repository during a Pipeline run.

One major benefit of using the syntax docker.build("my-image-name") is that a Scripted Pipeline can use the return value for subsequent Docker Pipeline calls, for example:

node {
    checkout scm

    def customImage = docker.build("my-image:${env.BUILD_ID}")

    customImage.inside {
        sh 'make test'
    }
}

The return value can also be used to publish the Docker image to Docker Hub or a custom Registry, via the push() method, for example:

node {
    checkout scm
    def customImage = docker.build("my-image:${env.BUILD_ID}")
    customImage.push()
}

One common usage of image "tags" is to specify a latest tag for the most recently validated version of a Docker image. The push() method accepts an optional tag parameter, allowing the Pipeline to push the customImage with different tags, for example:

node {
    checkout scm
    def customImage = docker.build("my-image:${env.BUILD_ID}")
    customImage.push()

    customImage.push('latest')
}

The build() method builds the Dockerfile in the current directory by default. This can be overridden by providing a directory path containing a Dockerfile as the second argument of the build() method, for example:

node {
    checkout scm
    def testImage = docker.build("test-image", "./dockerfiles/test") (1)

    testImage.inside {
        sh 'make test'
    }
}
1 Builds test-image from the Dockerfile found at ./dockerfiles/test/Dockerfile.

It is possible to pass other arguments to docker build by adding them to the second argument of the build() method. When passing arguments this way, the last value in the string must be the path to the docker file, and should end with the folder to use as the build context.

This example overrides the default Dockerfile by passing the -f flag:

node {
    checkout scm
    def dockerfile = 'Dockerfile.test'
    def customImage = docker.build("my-image:${env.BUILD_ID}",
                                   "-f ${dockerfile} ./dockerfiles") (1)
}
1 Builds my-image:${env.BUILD_ID} from the Dockerfile found at ./dockerfiles/Dockerfile.test.

Using a remote Docker server

By default, the Docker Pipeline plugin will communicate with a local Docker daemon, typically accessed through /var/run/docker.sock.

To select a non-default Docker server, such as with Docker Swarm, use the withServer() method.

You can pass a URI, and optionally the Credentials ID of a Docker Server Certificate Authentication pre-configured in Jenkins, to the method with:

node {
    checkout scm

    docker.withServer('tcp://swarm.example.com:2376', 'swarm-certs') {
        docker.image('mysql:8-oracle').withRun('-p 3306:3306') {
            /* do things */
        }
    }
}

inside() and build() will not work properly with a Docker Swarm server out of the box.

For inside() to work, the Docker server and the Jenkins agent must use the same filesystem, so that the workspace can be mounted.

Currently, neither the Jenkins plugin nor the Docker CLI will automatically detect the case that the server is running remotely. A typical symptom of this would be errors from nested sh commands such as:

cannot create /…@tmp/durable-…/pid: Directory nonexistent

When Jenkins detects that the agent is itself running inside a Docker container, it will automatically pass the --volumes-from argument to the inside container, ensuring that it can share a workspace with the agent.

Additionally, some versions of Docker Swarm do not support custom Registries.

Using a custom registry

By default, the Docker Pipeline plugin assumes the default Docker Registry of Docker Hub.

In order to use a custom Docker Registry, users of Scripted Pipeline can wrap steps with the withRegistry() method, passing in the custom Registry URL, for example:

node {
    checkout scm

    docker.withRegistry('https://registry.example.com') {

        docker.image('my-custom-image').inside {
            sh 'make test'
        }
    }
}

For a Docker Registry requiring authentication, add a "Username/Password" Credentials item from the Jenkins home page and use the Credentials ID as a second argument to withRegistry():

node {
    checkout scm

    docker.withRegistry('https://registry.example.com', 'credentials-id') {

        def customImage = docker.build("my-image:${env.BUILD_ID}")

        /* Push the container to the custom Registry */
        customImage.push()
    }
}
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