Certified Jenkins Engineer
Extending Jenkins and Administration
Demo Reload Configuration from Disk
Reloading configuration from disk allows Jenkins to pick up changes made directly to its filesystem without requiring a full restart. This is useful when you’ve edited config.xml
, moved or renamed jobs via CLI, or updated your Jenkins home directory externally.
When to Use “Reload Configuration from Disk”
Use this feature to apply external changes immediately:
Scenario | Description | Command / UI Path |
---|---|---|
Update config.xml | Edit system settings or messages | vi $JENKINS_HOME/config.xml |
Rename or move jobs | Relocate job folders in the filesystem | mv $JENKINS_HOME/jobs/old-job $JENKINS_HOME/jobs/new-job |
Adjust security or plugin configs | Change security realm, authorization strategy, or plugin files | N/A |
Note
Reloading configuration does not apply plugin installations or upgrades. For plugin changes, use Manage Plugins and restart if required.
1. Update Configuration via the Jenkins UI
- Navigate to Dashboard → Manage Jenkins → Configure System.
- Find the System Message field.
- Enter a new message (e.g., “Welcome to KodeKloud”) and click Save.
- Verify the dashboard shows your updated system message.
2. Edit Configuration on the Filesystem
- SSH into your Jenkins server and switch to the Jenkins home directory:
cd $JENKINS_HOME
- Open the main configuration file in your preferred editor:
vi config.xml
- Locate the
<systemMessage>
tag. Example before change:<systemMessage>Welcome to coded.ku</systemMessage>
- Update it to your desired text:
<systemMessage>Welcome to Dasher Technologies</systemMessage>
- Save and exit the editor.
- Confirm the change:
Output should be:grep -i systemMessage config.xml
<systemMessage>Welcome to Dasher Technologies</systemMessage>
At this point, the Jenkins UI still displays the old message, since the configuration hasn’t been reloaded.
3. Reload Configuration from Disk
- In Jenkins, go to Dashboard → Manage Jenkins.
- Scroll to Tools and Actions and click Reload Configuration from Disk.
- Confirm the prompt to proceed. Jenkins will re-import all configuration files.
After a few seconds, your dashboard’s System Message updates to “Welcome to Dasher Technologies.”
Warning
Performing a reload can briefly impact running jobs. Avoid frequent reloads during peak build activity.
Benefits of Reloading from Disk
- Instant application of file-based edits
- No need for a full Jenkins restart
- Applies to jobs, system settings, security, and folder configurations
References
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