Jenkins Blue Ocean: Key Features

For years, Jenkins has been the go-to tool for many DevOps teams. But let’s face it, its user interface can feel a bit clunky in today’s world. If you’ve found yourself craving a more modern experience, you’re likely already familiar with Jenkins Blue Ocean. It’s a project that aimed to completely revamp the Jenkins UI. But what does it offer, and is it the right choice for your team? We’ll explore the main features of this intriguing update, giving you a clear view of what it brings to the table.

Table of Contents

What is Jenkins Blue Ocean?

Jenkins Blue Ocean was born from the need for a more user-friendly interface for Jenkins. It’s not an entirely different product but rather a re-imagining of how you interact with your Jenkins pipelines. Think of it as a sleek, modern skin on top of the powerful Jenkins engine. It’s designed to make complex CI/CD processes more accessible and understandable, especially for teams used to more contemporary tools.

The core idea behind Blue Ocean is to visualize the pipeline as a series of connected stages, offering a clear view of the entire process at a glance. This visual approach makes it simpler to understand how your code moves through the pipeline, from commit to deployment. Instead of getting lost in a sea of jobs and builds, Blue Ocean gives you a straightforward map. You can see where your code is, what stage it’s in, and if any issues arise.

This project aimed to make Jenkins more approachable to a broader audience, including developers who may not have deep experience with Jenkins. Blue Ocean also provides a more refined experience, where you spend less time digging through menus, and more time focused on your actual workflows. The Blue Ocean project was eventually deprecated, but its key features and concepts have been carried over and are being used in the latest versions of Jenkins.

Key Features of Jenkins Blue Ocean

Let’s explore some of the features that made Blue Ocean a compelling choice:

Pipeline Visualization

One of Blue Ocean’s most striking features is its visual representation of pipelines. Instead of the traditional Jenkins view, which can be a bit of a jumble, Blue Ocean displays pipelines as a clear, flowing diagram. Each stage is represented as a box or bubble, making it easy to see the different steps in the build, test, and deployment process. The lines that connect these stages show the flow of your code, and you can quickly get an idea of the path it takes.

This visual approach is a big help when you want to understand complex pipelines. You can quickly spot bottlenecks or issues, and you don’t have to be a Jenkins expert to know what’s going on. It’s also a great way to communicate with your team about the pipeline and share its status. You can simply point to a stage on the diagram and everyone knows what you’re talking about.

The pipeline visualization feature is not just about making things look pretty. It’s about making your workflow more understandable. By seeing the big picture, you can make better choices about how to optimize your pipelines. You can identify areas where things are slow, and you can improve how your code moves through the system.

Branch Management

Blue Ocean makes it much simpler to see the status of your pipelines across different branches. It automatically detects branches in your Git repository and displays their pipelines. You don’t need to manually set up separate jobs for each branch. This allows you to easily switch between branches, see their build status, and manage their pipelines.

This feature helps keep your work organized. You can quickly see how the main branch is doing, and you can also see how other branches are performing. For instance, if you’re working on a feature branch, you can look at its pipeline in Blue Ocean and see if you need to fix any issues before merging it. It’s like having all your branches under one roof, so you can manage them without feeling overwhelmed.

Branch management in Blue Ocean also offers ways to filter and search through your branches. This comes in handy when you have a large team working on many different features and fixes. You can easily find the branches you care about and check their pipeline status. This can cut down on time and boost efficiency.

Run Details

The run details in Blue Ocean provide a deep dive into the specifics of each pipeline run. You can see the logs, tests, and artifacts for each stage, which helps you figure out what went wrong if a run fails. The logs are easy to read, and you can see the output of each step without needing to go through multiple screens. This can make it simpler to spot an error or problem in your code or setup.

With Blue Ocean, you also have access to detailed test results. You can see which tests passed and which failed, and you can view the error messages and stack traces. This can be especially helpful when you’re working to debug an issue. Blue Ocean also gives you a way to see any files or artifacts that were created in each stage. This can be helpful when you need to see the results of a build or find the files needed for deployment.

The run details feature in Blue Ocean isn’t just about figuring out what went wrong. It’s also about learning from your pipelines. You can see how long each stage takes, and you can find bottlenecks in your process. This insight can help you optimize your workflow and make your pipelines run better over time.

Pipeline Editor

Blue Ocean offers a streamlined pipeline editor. It lets you modify your Jenkinsfile directly through the UI, without the need to access the text editor. This is not only easier for developers to modify the Jenkinsfile, but also less error-prone. The editor has auto-complete, syntax highlighting, and error detection. These can be extremely helpful to make sure that your pipeline definition is correct, and also make sure your pipelines run as intended.

This editor can be a lifesaver when you need to make quick changes to your pipelines. You don’t have to switch to a different tool. Instead, you can make the edits right in Blue Ocean. It also means that you can share pipeline definitions across your team, and each member can make changes with less effort.

The pipeline editor in Blue Ocean is designed to be simple and accessible to users of all skill levels. It helps anyone on the team, not just the Jenkins experts, feel empowered to modify and adapt the pipelines. This leads to a more flexible and efficient way of managing your CI/CD processes.

Personalized Dashboard

Blue Ocean’s personalized dashboard displays pipelines that are relevant to you. The dashboard shows you the most recent builds, along with their status. This helps you keep track of what’s going on in your projects without getting lost in a sea of data. You can quickly see what needs your attention, and you can jump straight to the details you care about most.

The dashboard also allows you to filter pipelines based on different criteria. For example, you can filter by branch, project, or build status. This can make it easier to see what’s happening across all your pipelines. It’s like having your own custom view of your Jenkins setup, so you can manage your work better.

The personalized dashboard in Blue Ocean is all about making Jenkins more tailored to your specific needs. Instead of seeing everything, you see what matters to you, and you can stay focused on the tasks at hand. This approach not only saves time, but also reduces the cognitive load of dealing with complicated workflows.

How to Use Jenkins Blue Ocean

If you are new to Jenkins Blue Ocean and wish to give it a try, here are a few tips to help you get started:

Install the Blue Ocean plugin: You’ll need to make sure the Blue Ocean plugin is installed in your Jenkins setup. To do this, go to your Jenkins dashboard, click on “Manage Jenkins,” and then select “Manage Plugins.” In the “Available” tab, search for “Blue Ocean” and install it. Once installed, restart Jenkins. This step is crucial because Blue Ocean isn’t part of the core Jenkins installation.
Access Blue Ocean: Once the plugin is installed, you can access Blue Ocean by simply adding /blue to the end of your Jenkins URL, like this: http://your-jenkins-url/blue. This will take you to Blue Ocean’s dashboard, which will act as your home base. You’ll notice the change in appearance instantly, and you’ll be ready to explore its features.
Connect to your Git repository: In the Blue Ocean dashboard, you’ll need to connect to your Git repository to get access to your pipelines. This process typically involves providing the repository URL and any required credentials. Blue Ocean will then detect the branches and their corresponding pipelines. This step is vital because it enables Blue Ocean to fetch the required Jenkinsfile to build a visual representation of your workflows.
Explore the pipelines: After connecting to your Git repository, your pipelines will show up on the Blue Ocean dashboard. You can click on a pipeline to view its details, such as the different stages and their status. If there are any failed stages, you can click on them to view the logs and diagnose any issues. It’s designed to make it simpler to explore your builds, and understand the flow of your code.
Use the pipeline editor: If you need to modify your pipelines, you can use Blue Ocean’s built-in editor. Just open the pipeline view and click “Edit” to make changes directly in the interface. The editor gives you code completion, syntax highlighting, and real-time error checking. This can make it less difficult to modify your pipelines, and reduce common errors.
Personalize your view: The Blue Ocean dashboard is customizable, so you can set it to display the pipelines that are important to you. You can filter pipelines by project, branch, or build status to see exactly what you need. The dashboard is meant to act as a central hub for all your most relevant workflows.
Take advantage of the run details: Whenever a pipeline is run, you can look at the run details to see the results of each stage. This includes detailed logs, test results, and artifacts. These details provide insights into what happened during each run. You will find this extremely helpful when you are diagnosing an issue.

By following these steps, you’ll have a good foundation for using Jenkins Blue Ocean. It can help you navigate complex CI/CD processes with ease, and help you better understand your overall workflows. It’s designed to be more simple to understand, so more people on your team can quickly use it effectively.

Pros of Using Jenkins Blue Ocean

Now, let’s weigh the positive aspects of incorporating Jenkins Blue Ocean into your workflow:

Enhanced User Experience: Blue Ocean replaces the old, sometimes confusing Jenkins interface with a modern design. It uses visual diagrams that can make it easier to see how your code moves through the pipeline. This makes it more simple to use, even if you’re new to Jenkins. The enhanced experience also gives teams better tools to optimize their workflows.
Improved Visualization: The visual representation of pipelines helps in seeing complex CI/CD processes at a glance. This not only makes it less difficult to understand what’s happening, but it also helps you spot bottlenecks and areas that need to be optimized. Improved visualization also lets you communicate about the pipeline status across the whole team.
Better Branch Management: Managing pipelines across multiple branches is more simple with Blue Ocean. It automatically detects branches in your repository, making it less difficult to manage various workflows from a central place. It helps teams keep their work organized, and focus on the right things.
Simplified Pipeline Editing: The visual pipeline editor gives you an easier way to modify your Jenkinsfile directly through the UI. The built-in features, like code completion and error detection, reduces syntax errors and makes coding the pipelines more accessible to all skill levels. This promotes faster development, and better use of the CI/CD pipeline.
Detailed Run Information: Blue Ocean provides detailed info about each pipeline run. With logs, test results, and artifacts, you can dig deep into each stage of the process and quickly find out any issues. This deep insight also helps teams learn from their builds and improve their pipelines over time.
Personalized Dashboards: The personalized dashboard can display the pipelines that matter most to you. This helps you focus on what’s important, without getting lost in the noise. The customized view helps you stay on top of your projects, and cuts down on the time spent managing Jenkins.
Increased Accessibility: Blue Ocean is designed to make Jenkins more approachable. The UI focuses on ease of use, and is geared towards people of all skill levels. It helps the whole team work together without relying solely on Jenkins experts. This promotes a collaborative approach to managing the CI/CD process.

These pros can help teams that want to adopt a more modern Jenkins experience. They give tangible value to day-to-day workflows, improve efficiencies, and provide easier ways of troubleshooting any issues that arise.

Cons of Using Jenkins Blue Ocean

Even with all of its benefits, there are also certain drawbacks to consider before you commit to using Jenkins Blue Ocean:

Plugin Dependency: Blue Ocean is an optional plugin, which means you need to install and maintain it on your Jenkins server. This introduces an extra level of complexity to your setup, and it also means you are reliant on the plugin’s updates and compatibility. This dependency can be a barrier, especially if you want to maintain a simple Jenkins environment.
Stability Issues: Blue Ocean has had its share of stability issues. The plugin has seen bugs and glitches that can impact its performance. While many of these issues have been resolved, it is important to keep in mind that there may be some unforeseen errors. As with all software, updates might also introduce new bugs.
Limited Feature Parity: Although Blue Ocean provides a modern way of managing the pipelines, it doesn’t always have feature parity with the classic Jenkins UI. There may be features or plugins that don’t work or don’t have the same level of functionality. This is something to consider if you use any of the less common options of Jenkins.
Steep Learning Curve: Blue Ocean is easy to understand, but it also introduces new ideas and workflows that may need a learning curve for the teams that have been using the classical view. The team might need time to adjust to the new look, and get used to the ways that the user interface handles the pipelines.
Performance Impact: In some cases, Blue Ocean can have a greater impact on the performance of your Jenkins server, especially if you have many complex pipelines. This impact on performance is something to consider if your setup is already resource-constrained. If this is the case, careful planning and testing should be carried out.
Resource Intensive: Blue Ocean may consume more server resources, like CPU and memory, than the original Jenkins UI. This is because it is running a whole different layer of software. This can lead to performance issues in environments with few resources, requiring additional resources.
Not Fully Integrated: While Blue Ocean gives a fresh way to interact with Jenkins, it’s not completely integrated with all parts of Jenkins. You may need to switch between the Blue Ocean and classic views, which can lead to confusion and slow down the whole process.

These downsides should be carefully considered before adopting Blue Ocean. It’s important to know its limitations, and make sure that they won’t cause problems with your current workflow. This allows you to be sure of making the correct choice.

Jenkins Blue Ocean vs Classic Jenkins UI

When making the decision to use Jenkins Blue Ocean, it’s useful to compare it directly with the classic Jenkins UI. Each has its own strengths and drawbacks, and understanding these can help you make a well-informed decision:

| Feature | Jenkins Blue Ocean | Classic Jenkins UI |
| ———————— | ————————————————————————————– | —————————————————————————— |
| User Interface | Modern, visual, and intuitive, with a focus on ease of use. | Traditional, functional, and can be perceived as cluttered or hard to use. |
| Pipeline Visualization | Uses diagrams to present the stages and progress of each pipeline run. | List-based approach to presenting jobs and builds, with no visual pipeline. |
| Branch Management | Automatically detects branches, and displays pipeline status for each. | Needs manual configuration of jobs for each branch, and is less organized. |
| Pipeline Editing | Uses a visual editor that is simpler to modify, with code completion and error checking. | Requires direct editing of the Jenkinsfile, or uses the web interface for simple steps. |
| Run Details | Provides detailed run information, including logs, tests, and artifacts in a structured format. | Offers logs and build details through links, but often needs multiple page navigation. |
| Dashboard | Personalized, displaying recent and relevant pipelines for the user. | Centralized dashboard showing all jobs, and not filtered to user preferences. |
| Plugin Integration | Has limited plugin compatibility and may have stability issues. | Works with a vast library of plugins, which offer a large array of extensions. |
| Learning Curve | Simpler to understand for new users, but there might be a learning curve for those used to the classic view. | Has a steep learning curve for new users, and requires expertise to get the most out of it. |
| Resource Usage | Can be more resource-intensive, which can impact performance in resource-constrained environments. | Has lower resource usage, and it can perform well in smaller resource environments. |
| Customizability | Has limited customization options compared to the classical interface. | More flexible with a number of customization options for all skill levels. |

This comparison can help you understand the differences between Blue Ocean and the classic UI. Blue Ocean’s main focus is on a user-friendly experience. The classic interface might be better suited for situations where plugin compatibility is a higher priority.

The Deprecation of Jenkins Blue Ocean

It’s crucial to note that while Jenkins Blue Ocean was a very popular and well received project, it has been officially deprecated as of July 2023. This decision was made because the core Jenkins project integrated many of the ideas and functionalities introduced by Blue Ocean into the main Jenkins UI and plugins. The team behind Jenkins also realized that maintaining Blue Ocean as a separate plugin was not the most efficient way to continue the evolution of Jenkins.

Although Blue Ocean is no longer actively developed, its legacy will be very important in the future. The visual style, simplicity, and more approachable design of Blue Ocean helped shape the development of modern Jenkins. Its features can still be found, in many of the core plugins and user interfaces. This includes the pipeline visualization, which has been adapted and improved to be part of the core Jenkins experience.

If you are currently using Blue Ocean, it’s recommended that you start to plan your migration to the latest Jenkins releases. While Blue Ocean will continue to function for the foreseeable future, it will not receive any new features, or security updates. It’s a good idea to keep up-to-date with the latest releases from Jenkins and take advantage of new functionalities.

The move to deprecate Blue Ocean isn’t a step back for Jenkins. Rather it’s a step forward. By integrating these ideas into the core product, the Jenkins team has made sure that every user can experience the benefits that Blue Ocean introduced, without the need for extra plugins.

The Future of Jenkins UI

Jenkins is continuously evolving. The changes and lessons taken from the Blue Ocean project are leading to a better experience. The project is focused on making Jenkins more user-friendly. The goal is to integrate new technologies and ideas. There is now a focus on making the interface more accessible and intuitive for a large range of users, not just experienced Jenkins professionals.

The team behind Jenkins is working on refining the pipeline visualization, and improving the user experience. They are also addressing many of the plugin compatibility issues. They are ensuring Jenkins is a modern, robust, and easy-to-use CI/CD platform. The recent development aims at making Jenkins a platform that’s ready to meet the challenges of current day software development.

This ongoing evolution means that Jenkins is not only keeping up with the modern development tools, but it is also making sure that it remains a key part of the CI/CD space. Users can expect a much smoother, more intuitive, and more powerful experience in the future. This approach will keep Jenkins relevant and useful, making it the go-to tool for DevOps teams in the long term.

Is Jenkins Blue Ocean Right For You?

While Jenkins Blue Ocean is no longer being actively developed, it has played a vital role in the evolution of Jenkins. It changed the way people thought about Jenkins UI, and many of its most loved features are now integrated into the main product. If you want to decide whether or not to move from the classic Jenkins view, consider these points:

If You Value Visual Clarity: Blue Ocean’s visual pipeline view is a huge step forward for those who find the classic Jenkins interface difficult to read. If your team is finding it tough to comprehend complex pipelines, the visual representation given by Blue Ocean, (and now the latest Jenkins UI) is very helpful.
If You Seek Easier Branch Management: If managing pipelines across multiple branches has been a hard task, Blue Ocean’s automatic branch detection will make your life easier. It allows you to see and handle all your branch pipelines from a single place. This also cuts down on the manual steps, and also any potential errors.
If You Want Simple Pipeline Editing: The visual pipeline editor given by Blue Ocean can be a game-changer if you’ve ever felt intimidated by editing the Jenkinsfile directly. The editor makes pipeline definitions more accessible to anyone on the team. This promotes collaboration and shared ownership of the workflow.
If You Need a Smoother CI/CD Experience: Blue Ocean provides detailed information for each pipeline run, and makes it less difficult to diagnose any potential errors and fix them. This deep insight helps you fine tune your pipelines. It also makes sure your CI/CD experience is efficient and effective.

However, you also need to consider:

The Deprecation Factor: Since Blue Ocean is no longer being actively developed, it might be worth your time to move to the modern Jenkins UI, which already has a lot of the most loved Blue Ocean features built in.
The Need for Stability: If you need an ultra-stable Jenkins, you might want to rely solely on the core Jenkins functions. Blue Ocean has seen bugs and glitches over its life. While these are mostly fixed, you should choose a path that reduces errors if they are a major concern.
Resource Constraints: If you are working on a low-resource environment, you should consider the impact on performance. You might want to do testing first to see if Blue Ocean is the right choice for your hardware.

In the end, the decision to use Jenkins Blue Ocean, or its underlying concepts in the main Jenkins product, comes down to what your specific needs and concerns are. If you value clarity, simplicity, and a more accessible approach, it can be a great tool to adopt in your CI/CD strategy. Just make sure to weigh the advantages and downsides carefully before you commit to its use.

Embracing the Evolution of Jenkins UI

Jenkins Blue Ocean was a great step forward in the journey of Jenkins. While the plugin itself is no longer being developed, its most important concepts and features have become part of the core Jenkins experience. By choosing a visual and user-friendly approach, Blue Ocean showed how a modern UI can make a complex CI/CD process accessible to all. It also shaped the design principles of the current Jenkins UI. You are now able to take advantage of the modern Jenkins UI without needing to deal with any extra plugins.