Self-hosting Jenkins the easy way

Jenkins is the most widely used open-source automation server. It powers CI/CD pipelines for thousands of teams, from small startups to large enterprises. While Jenkins is free to use, running it yourself usually means dealing with server provisioning, Java updates, reverse proxies, and security hardening.

Sliplane is a managed container platform that takes the pain out of self-hosting. With one-click deployment, you can get Jenkins up and running in minutes - no server setup, no reverse proxy config, no infrastructure to maintain.

Prerequisites

Before deploying, ensure you have a Sliplane account (free trial available).

Quick start

Sliplane provides one-click deployment with presets.

Deploy Jenkins >

1. Click the deploy button above
2. Select a project
3. Select a server. If you just signed up you get a 48-hour free trial server
4. Click Deploy!

About the preset

The one-click deploy above uses Sliplane's Jenkins preset. The preset is built for a stable, production-ready setup:

• LTS image (jenkins/jenkins:2.541.3-lts-jdk17) for long-term stability
• JDK 17 bundled in the image
• Persistent storage mounted to /var/jenkins_home so your jobs, plugins, and configuration survive restarts
• Health check configured against /login to monitor availability
• Runs on port 8080 over HTTP

The version 2.541.3-lts-jdk17 was current as of April 2026. Check Docker Hub for the most recent stable LTS version.

Next steps

Once Jenkins is deployed on Sliplane, open the domain Sliplane provides (e.g. jenkins-xxxx.sliplane.app) in your browser.

Unlocking Jenkins

On the first launch, Jenkins generates a one-time admin password. You need this to complete the setup wizard. To find it:

1. Open the Logs tab in your Sliplane service dashboard
2. Look for a line like:

Jenkins initial setup is required. An admin user has been created and a password generated.
Please use the following password to proceed to installation:

abc123def456...

3. Copy the password and paste it into the "Unlock Jenkins" screen in your browser

After that, you can install suggested plugins and create your first admin user.

Environment variables

The preset includes the basics, but you might want to customize further. Here are some common Jenkins environment variables:

Set these in the Environment Variables section of your Sliplane service settings.

Installing plugins

After completing the setup wizard, you can install plugins from Manage Jenkins > Plugins. Some popular choices:

• Pipeline (usually pre-installed) for defining builds as code
• Git for source code management
• Docker Pipeline for building Docker images in your pipelines
• Blue Ocean for a modern UI

Logging

Jenkins writes logs to STDOUT by default, which works well with Sliplane's built-in log viewer. You can view logs directly from the Sliplane dashboard without SSH access. For general Docker log tips, check out our post on how to use Docker logs.

Troubleshooting

If Jenkins seems slow or unresponsive, try increasing the JVM heap size via the JAVA_OPTS environment variable:

JAVA_OPTS=-Xmx1g -Xms512m

For a 2 GB RAM server, allocating 1 GB to Jenkins is a good starting point. If you need more headroom, consider upgrading your Sliplane server plan.

Cost comparison

Of course you can also self-host Jenkins with other cloud providers. Here is a pricing comparison for the most common ones:

FAQ

What can I automate with Jenkins?

Almost anything. Jenkins is commonly used for building code, running tests, deploying applications, and orchestrating complex workflows. With over 1,800 plugins, it can integrate with virtually any tool in your development stack.

How do I configure Jenkins pipelines?

The recommended approach is using a Jenkinsfile in your project repository. This defines your build pipeline as code, making it version-controlled and reproducible. You can create one from New Item > Pipeline in the Jenkins dashboard.

How do I update Jenkins?

Change the image tag in your Sliplane service settings to the newer LTS version and redeploy. Check Docker Hub for the latest stable version. Your data persists in the mounted volume, so updates are safe.

Can Jenkins run Docker builds inside pipelines?

Not out of the box with this preset. Running Docker-in-Docker requires mounting the Docker socket or using a sidecar approach, which adds complexity. For building Docker images, consider using a tool like Kaniko that can build images without Docker daemon access.

How much RAM does Jenkins need?

For small to medium workloads (a handful of jobs, a few concurrent builds), 2 GB works fine. If you're running many parallel builds or using heavy plugins, consider upgrading to a 4 GB or 8 GB server. You can always scale up later in Sliplane without losing data.