Jenkins is NOT Continuous Integration

Many teams believe: we have Jenkins, therefore, we are practicing continuous integration (CI).

This is wrong.

If a team has Jenkins, but they are not merging code to the main branch daily, and if they do not have adequate test automation, then they are not practicing continuous integration.

To summarize: Jenkins does not equal CI.

REFERENCES:

FOLLOW:

#jenkins #cicd #continuousintegration

[AdarlanTeixeira]

Insightful! I think the same for any “CI/CD” tool. For me, they are just pipeline tools. You can use them to do whatever you want, including CI/CD.

[thatvlad]

Thanks for voicing this. We need more of such messages. "Automation Server = CI" is one of those widespread misconceptions that together build a "common ultimate wisdom" among developers. It's so deep that if on the interview to the question "Did you work with CI" you answer "Yes, I'm merging hourly" or "Yes, I don't branch" it's usually interpreted as "this guy doesn't know what he's talking about". Some time ago I've also mentioned this in my post.

[onenashev]

FWIW Jenkins is not even a CI tool. It is an automation server, and just one of the tools for building a proper CI process

[boballen]

Well stated. What people using Jenkins or any other pipeline automation minus the qualifiers listed (merging to trunk/main daily and failing to have adequate test automation) what they ARE doing is ...
1. avoiding basic safe practices,
2. making extra work for themselves, and
3. likely making a mess.
Shoot self in foot, repeat. -or- learn how to achieve continuous flow and make everyone's life simpler.