Call For Testing Jenkins Snap Version 2.520 On Latest Candidate Channel

Hey everyone!

We've just pushed a new version of the jenkins snap (version 2.520) to the latest/candidate channel in the snap store, and we need your help to test it out! This is a crucial step to ensure a smooth and stable experience for all Jenkins users. So, if you're up for it, let's dive in and make this release the best one yet!

Why Your Help Matters

Testing in the candidate channel helps us catch any potential issues before they reach the stable channel, ensuring a smoother experience for all users. Your feedback is invaluable in making the Jenkins snap robust and reliable. We really appreciate you taking the time to contribute!

Available Revisions

Here are the revisions currently available for testing:

Automated Testing

If configured, the snap will be automatically installed in a virtual machine (VM). Any test results or screenshots will be posted as comments in this very discussion. Keep an eye out for those!

Manual Testing: Let's Get Our Hands Dirty!

For those of you who want to get hands-on, here's how you can manually test the new Jenkins snap:

1. Stop the Jenkins Application: If Jenkins is currently running on your system, make sure to stop it before proceeding. This ensures a clean upgrade.

2. Upgrade to the Candidate Channel: Open your terminal and run the following command. This command tells snap to refresh the Jenkins snap to the latest version available in the latest/candidate channel.

   snap refresh jenkins --channel latest/candidate
   

3. Start Jenkins and Test: Once the upgrade is complete, start Jenkins and begin testing. Focus on your typical workflows and any areas where you might have encountered issues in the past. Look for anything that seems off or doesn't work as expected. This is where your expertise comes in!

4. Share Your Feedback: After testing, please add a comment below explaining whether the snap is working for you. To help us diagnose any issues, please include the output of the following commands in your comment:

   snap version
   lscpu | grep Architecture
   snap info jenkins | grep installed
   

   This information provides valuable context about your system and the installed snap version. The output of snap version command provides information about the snapd version, the operating system, and the kernel. This can be crucial in identifying compatibility issues or snapd-related problems. Knowing the architecture from lscpu | grep Architecture helps us understand if the issue is specific to a particular architecture (like amd64, arm64, etc.). Including the output of snap info jenkins | grep installed gives us the exact version of the Jenkins snap you're testing, which is vital for tracking down specific bugs.

Diving Deeper into Testing Jenkins

When testing Jenkins, it’s essential to cover a range of functionalities to ensure stability and reliability. Focus on core functionalities like job creation, execution, and management. Verify that you can create new jobs, configure them with different parameters, and run them successfully. Pay special attention to different job types, such as freestyle projects, pipeline jobs, and multi-configuration projects. Ensure that each type behaves as expected. Testing job execution involves triggering jobs manually and automatically (e.g., via cron or webhooks). Monitor the job execution process, check the logs, and ensure that the jobs complete without errors. Effective job management includes the ability to clone, rename, delete, and disable jobs. These operations are crucial for maintaining a clean and organized Jenkins environment.

Plugin compatibility is another critical aspect of testing Jenkins. Jenkins' extensive plugin ecosystem allows users to extend its functionality in countless ways. However, not all plugins are created equal, and compatibility issues can arise, especially after upgrading Jenkins. Test commonly used plugins to ensure they function correctly with the new version. Pay attention to plugins that handle integrations with other systems, such as source code management tools (e.g., Git, Subversion), build tools (e.g., Maven, Gradle), and deployment platforms (e.g., Kubernetes, AWS). When testing plugins, try to simulate real-world scenarios. This might involve creating jobs that use the plugins in various configurations or integrating the plugins with other tools in your workflow. Document any issues or incompatibilities you encounter, as this information is invaluable for the Jenkins maintainers and plugin developers.

User interface (UI) testing is also an important part of ensuring a smooth user experience. The Jenkins UI can become complex, especially with numerous jobs, plugins, and configurations. Verify that the UI elements are displayed correctly, that navigation is intuitive, and that all interactive components function as expected. Look for visual glitches, broken links, and any inconsistencies in the UI. Pay attention to the performance of the UI, especially when dealing with large datasets or complex configurations. Slow loading times or unresponsive elements can significantly impact the user experience. Test different browsers and screen sizes to ensure that the UI is responsive and accessible across various devices. Accessibility testing is also crucial, ensuring that users with disabilities can effectively use Jenkins. This involves checking for proper use of ARIA attributes, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility. UI testing might also involve creating and managing users, setting permissions, and configuring security settings. Ensure that the authentication and authorization mechanisms function correctly and that users have the appropriate access levels. Testing different user roles and permissions can help identify potential security vulnerabilities.

Security is paramount in any software system, and Jenkins is no exception. As a central component in the software delivery pipeline, Jenkins handles sensitive information and credentials. Security testing should be a core part of the overall testing process. Start by reviewing the security configurations in Jenkins. Ensure that authentication and authorization are properly set up, that users have strong passwords, and that access to sensitive resources is restricted. Test different authentication methods, such as username/password, LDAP, and OAuth. Verify that the authorization matrix is correctly configured and that users have the appropriate permissions for their roles. Vulnerability scanning is an important technique for identifying potential security flaws. Use automated tools to scan the Jenkins instance for known vulnerabilities, such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and remote code execution. Regular security audits can help identify potential weaknesses in the Jenkins configuration and infrastructure. Keep Jenkins and its plugins up to date with the latest security patches. Security vulnerabilities are often discovered and patched in new releases, so staying current is essential. Test the upgrade process to ensure that it can be performed smoothly and without introducing new vulnerabilities.

Performance and scalability are critical considerations, especially for large Jenkins deployments. As the number of jobs, users, and plugins grows, Jenkins needs to be able to handle the load without performance degradation. Performance testing involves measuring the response times, throughput, and resource utilization of Jenkins under various conditions. Simulate different load scenarios, such as running multiple jobs concurrently or accessing Jenkins with a large number of users. Monitor the CPU, memory, and disk usage of the Jenkins server to identify potential bottlenecks. Scalability testing focuses on the ability of Jenkins to handle increasing workloads. This might involve adding more build agents, distributing the load across multiple Jenkins instances, or optimizing the Jenkins configuration for performance. Use monitoring tools to track the performance of Jenkins over time and identify trends. Pay attention to the build queue, which can indicate whether Jenkins is struggling to keep up with the workload. If the queue is consistently long, it might be necessary to add more build agents or optimize the job execution process. Performance testing should also include testing the impact of plugins on Jenkins performance. Some plugins can be resource-intensive, so it’s important to identify and address any performance issues they might introduce. Regular performance testing is essential for maintaining a healthy and responsive Jenkins environment.

How to Release (For Maintainers)

Maintainers, once we've gathered enough positive feedback, you can promote these revisions to the stable channel. Here's how:

To promote a single revision, run /promote <rev> latest/stable To promote multiple revisions, run /promote <rev>,<rev> latest/stable To promote a revision and close the issue, run /promote <rev>,<rev> latest/stable done

You can promote all revisions that were just built with:

/promote 4911,4910,4909,4912 latest/stable done

Thanks so much for your help in testing this release, guys! Let's make this Jenkins snap rock solid!