> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://notes.kodekloud.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Demo Jenkins Plugin Installation

> This guide explains how to automate the installation of multiple Jenkins plugins using the Jenkins Remote API.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to install multiple Jenkins plugins automatically by leveraging the Jenkins Remote API. This approach avoids manual UI steps under **Manage Jenkins → Manage Plugins**, speeding up your CI/CD setup.

## 1. Verify Jenkins Is Running

First, confirm that the Jenkins service is active:

```bash theme={null}
sudo systemctl status jenkins
```

Example output:

```text theme={null}
● jenkins.service - LSB: Start Jenkins at boot time
   Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/jenkins; generated)
   Active: active (exited) since Tue 2021-06-15 05:07:43 UTC; 1h 39min ago
     Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8)
```

Next, retrieve the initial admin password for API authentication:

```bash theme={null}
sudo cat /var/lib/jenkins/secrets/initialAdminPassword
# e.g. 14f8cea6ad4b0a883997e96d4a6a7
```

<Callout icon="lightbulb" color="#1CB2FE">
  Save this initial password—you’ll use it to generate an API token in the installer script.
</Callout>

## 2. Explore the Plugin Installer Script

Assuming you cloned the `devsecops-k8s-demo` repository, navigate to the Jenkins plugins directory:

```bash theme={null}
cd devsecops-k8s-demo/setup/jenkins-plugins/
ls -l
```

| File                  | Purpose                                                        |
| --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `plugins.txt`         | Lists each plugin and its version                              |
| `plugin-installer.sh` | Bash script to call the Jenkins Remote API for plugin installs |

### 2.1 plugins.txt

Here’s how the file lists desired plugins:

| Plugin                          | Version |
| ------------------------------- | ------- |
| performance                     | 3.18    |
| docker-workflow                 | 1.26    |
| dependency-check-jenkins-plugin | 5.1.1   |
| blueocean                       | 2.24.7  |
| jacoco                          | 2.0.7   |
| slack                           | 2.4.8   |
| sonar                           | 2.13.1  |
| pitmutation                     | 1.0.2   |
| kubernetes-cli                  | 1.10.2  |

### 2.2 plugin-installer.sh

This Bash script automates plugin installation using the Jenkins Remote API and `jq` for JSON parsing:

```bash theme={null}
#!/bin/bash
set -e

JENKINS_URL="http://localhost:8080"
ADMIN_USER="admin"
ADMIN_PASSWORD=$(sudo cat /var/lib/jenkins/secrets/initialAdminPassword)

# Fetch CRSF protection crumb
JENKINS_CRUMB=$(
  curl -s --cookie-jar /tmp/cookies \
       -u ${ADMIN_USER}:${ADMIN_PASSWORD} \
       "${JENKINS_URL}/crumbIssuer/api/json" \
  | jq -r .crumb
)

# Generate a new API token for 'admin'
JENKINS_TOKEN=$(
  curl -s -X POST \
       -H "Jenkins-Crumb:${JENKINS_CRUMB}" \
       --cookie /tmp/cookies \
       -u ${ADMIN_USER}:${ADMIN_PASSWORD} \
       "${JENKINS_URL}/me/descriptorByName/jenkins.security.ApiTokenProperty/generateNewToken?newTokenName=plugin-installer" \
  | jq -r .data.tokenValue
)

echo "Jenkins URL: ${JENKINS_URL}"
echo "API Token: ${JENKINS_TOKEN}"

# Install each plugin from plugins.txt
while read -r plugin; do
  echo "Installing ${plugin}..."
  curl -s --user "${ADMIN_USER}:${JENKINS_TOKEN}" \
       -H "Content-Type: text/xml" \
       --data "<jenkins><install plugin='${plugin}' /></jenkins>" \
       "${JENKINS_URL}/pluginManager/installNecessaryPlugins"
done < plugins.txt

echo "Plugin installation requests sent."
echo "Some plugins may require a safe restart:"
echo "  ${JENKINS_URL}/safeRestart"
```

<Callout icon="triangle-alert" color="#FF6B6B">
  Ensure `jq` is installed (`sudo apt-get install -y jq`) and Jenkins is accessible at `localhost:8080` before running the script.
</Callout>

## 3. Run the Installer

Execute the installer script:

```bash theme={null}
bash plugin-installer.sh
```

Sample output:

```text theme={null}
Jenkins URL: http://localhost:8080
API Token: 8f2a...
Installing performance@3.18...
Installing docker-workflow@1.26...
…
Installing kubernetes-cli@1.10.2...
Plugin installation requests sent.
Some plugins may require a safe restart:
  http://localhost:8080/safeRestart
```

## 4. Verify Plugin Installation

1. Open **Manage Jenkins → Manage Plugins → Installed** in the Jenkins UI.
2. If any plugin is missing, switch to **Available**, search for it (e.g., “Kubernetes CLI”), select the version, and click **Install without restart**.

## 5. Next Steps

With your plugins in place, create a Jenkins pipeline that integrates Maven, Docker, and Kubernetes to validate the new capabilities.

***

## Links and References

* [Jenkins Remote API](https://www.jenkins.io/doc/book/using/remote-access-api/)
* [jq Manual](https://stedolan.github.io/jq/manual/)
* [Manage Jenkins Plugins](https://www.jenkins.io/doc/book/managing/plugins/)

<CardGroup>
  <Card title="Watch Video" icon="video" cta="Learn more" href="https://learn.kodekloud.com/user/courses/devsecops-kubernetes-devops-security/module/6942848d-9481-472e-a8ec-47357cf8ceaa/lesson/a0b190ab-bc14-456a-a160-8c04e292849d" />
</CardGroup>