Setup Jenkins with gitlab hooks

• 18 May 2025

Setting up Jenkins with GitLab webhooks allows Jenkins to automatically trigger jobs when changes occur in your GitLab repository (e.g., on push, merge requests, etc.). Below are the step-by-step instructions to configure this integration:

1. Prerequisites#

• Jenkins installed and running
• GitLab project/repo
• GitLab personal access token (optional but useful)
• Jenkins user with admin permissions
• GitLab plugin installed in Jenkins

2. Install Required Plugins in Jenkins#

Go to Jenkins Dashboard > Manage Jenkins > Plugins:

• Install:

  • GitLab Plugin
  • Git plugin
  • GitLab Hook Plugin
  • (Optional: Pipeline plugins for scripted pipelines)

3. Configure Jenkins Credentials#

Go to Jenkins > Manage Jenkins > Credentials:

• Add a credential:

  • Kind: Username and Password (for GitLab HTTP access) or SSH Key (if using SSH)
  • Username: GitLab username
  • Password: GitLab personal access token or password
  • Or use SSH Username with Private Key if using SSH access

4. Configure GitLab Connection in Jenkins#

• Go to Manage Jenkins > Configure System

• Scroll to GitLab section

• Click Add GitLab Server

  • Provide a name
  • GitLab host URL: e.g., https://gitlab.com
  • Add credentials you created earlier
  • Test connection

5. Create Jenkins Job or Pipeline#

• Freestyle Project:

  • Go to Jenkins Dashboard > New Item > Freestyle Project

  • Under Source Code Management, select Git

    • Add your GitLab repo URL
    • Choose the right credentials

  • Under Build Triggers:

    • Check Build when a change is pushed to GitLab (requires GitLab Hook Plugin)

• Pipeline Project (Optional):

  • Use a Jenkinsfile in the repo or define pipeline script inline
  • Use git block in the pipeline to check out the repo

6. Set Up GitLab Webhook#

• Go to your GitLab repo > Settings > Webhooks

  • URL: http://<jenkins-server>:<port>/project/<job-name>

    • e.g., http://jenkins.example.com/project/my-job

  • Select Trigger:

    • Usually Push events, or Merge Request events, depending on your need

  • Secret Token: Optional, but can be added for security (Jenkins can verify it)

  • Click Add Webhook

7. Test the Setup#

• Make a change in your GitLab repo (e.g., push a commit)
• The webhook should trigger and Jenkins should start the job automatically

Optional: Troubleshooting Tips#

• Check Jenkins logs if the job is not triggered
• Use GitLab > Webhook Logs to see the response from Jenkins
• Ensure Jenkins is publicly accessible if GitLab is hosted externally
• Check firewall settings and ports

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