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To install a Jenkins plugin, sign in as a Jenkins administrator, open Manage Jenkins > Plugins, find the plugin under Available, select it, and choose Install without restart if offered. Jenkins can deploy many plugins while running; uploading or copying a plugin archive requires a controller restart.

Install a plugin from the Jenkins web interface

  1. Sign in to Jenkins with an account that has administrator permissions for the controller.
  2. Open Manage Jenkins > Plugins. Some older Jenkins interfaces call this page Manage Plugins.
  3. Select the Available tab and search by the plugin’s name.
  4. Check the plugin and choose Install without restart when Jenkins offers that option. Jenkins describes the Plugins view as the simplest and most common installation method for administrators: Jenkins plugin documentation.
  5. Follow the progress on the installation page, then open the plugin’s configuration or the Jenkins feature it provides to confirm it is available.

The Jenkins Update Center, operated by the Jenkins project, lists open-source plugins maintained by community members. The default update-site URL is https://updates.jenkins.io/update-center.json; administrators may instead configure a custom update site. Jenkins documents compatibility metadata for current weekly and LTS releases and older releases within its support window: Jenkins Update Center.

If the plugin is missing from Available

Choose Check now on the Plugins page to contact the configured Update Center and download current plugin metadata. If the plugin still does not appear, check whether the controller can reach its configured update-site URL and has outbound network access. The default URL is documented by Jenkins, but an administrator may have configured a different site.

  • Confirm you are searching the Available tab and using the plugin’s correct name.
  • Check the controller’s update-site configuration and network connectivity.
  • Consider whether the plugin is compatible with the Jenkins core version running on the controller.

Does a Jenkins plugin installation require a restart?

Not always. The web interface may offer Install without restart, which can make the plugin available without restarting Jenkins. If installation completes but the feature is absent, inspect the installation result and follow any restart prompt. Manually uploading a plugin archive through the Advanced page, or copying it into JENKINS_HOME/plugins, requires restarting the controller before Jenkins loads the plugin.

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Install plugins with the Jenkins CLI

For scripts or bulk administration, Jenkins documents the CLI command:

java -jar jenkins-cli.jar -s http://localhost:8080/ install-plugin SOURCE ... [-deploy] [-name VAL] [-restart]

Replace SOURCE with a plugin short name from the configured Update Center, a local plugin file, or a URL. The -deploy flag requests immediate deployment; -restart requests a restart after installation. Jenkins documents the CLI for routine scripting, bulk updates, and troubleshooting. Its CLI documentation covers SSH and the distributed JAR client, with security guidance and assumptions that vary by Jenkins version: Jenkins CLI documentation.

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Install a plugin archive or work offline

Use an archive when the controller cannot reach an Update Center or you need a particular release rather than the latest compatible version offered there. Jenkins documents this advanced method; the archive must match the controller’s Jenkins core version and satisfy its dependencies: Advanced plugin installation.

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  1. Obtain the appropriate .hpi plugin archive from a trusted source. Plugin short names do not always match their display names, so use the plugin site or short name when locating the file.
  2. Either open Manage Jenkins > Plugins > Advanced and use Deploy Plugin to upload the archive or provide its URL, or copy it into JENKINS_HOME/plugins. Jenkins conventionally uses a .jpi suffix for files copied into that directory.
  3. Restart the Jenkins controller. Jenkins does not load the manually installed plugin until the restart completes.

Choose the right installation method

Method Access and connectivity Version choice Activation Best fit
Plugins page Administrator web session; normally uses the configured Update Center Latest compatible version offered by the Update Center May offer installation without restart One-off installation on an online controller
Jenkins CLI Scripted CLI access; source can be an Update Center short name, local file, or URL Depends on the selected source -deploy requests immediate deployment; -restart requests a restart Repeatable scripting or bulk administration
Advanced archive Administrator access to upload, or filesystem access to JENKINS_HOME; can be used offline Administrator selects the archive release Controller restart required Offline installation or a specific compatible release

Common installation problems

  • The Available list is empty: select Check now, then verify the configured update-site URL and outbound network access.
  • The install action is unavailable: confirm your account has administrator permissions and check compatibility with the controller’s Jenkins version.
  • The plugin appears installed but its feature is missing: inspect the installation result and restart if deployment did not complete while Jenkins was running.
  • The controller is offline: acquire a compatible archive through a trusted channel, use the Advanced page or JENKINS_HOME/plugins, and restart the controller.
  • You need repeatable automation: use the CLI’s install-plugin command and select a short name, file, or URL; choose deployment and restart flags intentionally.

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