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Ansible vs. Jenkins: Difference Between Ansible and Jenkins

Ansible vs. Jenkins: Difference Between Ansible and Jenkins

Q: 1. What is the use of Ansible in Linux?

Ansible is a popular open-source software solution for automating the IT infrastructure of a company. Ansible is also often used to automate the configuration of Linux servers, manage service provisioning, deploy cloud applications, and also set up devices connected to a network. There are various modules in Ansible that are of great use on the Linux platform. Ansible modules are one of its greatest advantages and can be used to carry out a wide range of tasks depending on the exact requirements. Some of the most useful modules for Linux server configuration are – copy, package, user, template, service, firewalld, file, lineinfile, unarchive and command.

Q: 2. Can you use Jenkins on the Linux platform?

Jenkins is an open-source automation software written using Java programming language. It is used in projects to orchestrate Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD). Jenkins functions above servlet containers and makes it convenient for system administrators and developers to modify codes and integrate changes through the continuous building, testing, and deployment of projects without extensive changes in the existing setup. To use Jenkins on a Linux system, you need to install Java first and configure the system. You can install any version of Java, although OpenJDK offers the best compatibility with Jenkins. If several Java versions are present, you need to specify the default version.

Q: 3. Are Jenkins and Chef similar tools?

Chef allows us to scale and manage cloud infrastructure without any service disruptions or need for any downtime for machines. With the help of Chef, you can freely port configuration settings and applications from one cloud environment to another. Jenkins is an open-source Java-based tool that facilitates continuous integration and delivery. Jenkins is today’s most popular choice among DevOps professionals for implementing CI/CD. It comes with more than 300 plugins that make it compatible with various other technologies and frameworks. So essentially, Chef is a tool designed to automate server configuration, whereas Jenkins is meant to facilitate continuous integration.

By Rohan Vats

Updated on Nov 22, 2022 | 7 min read | 12.2k views

Table of Contents

If you’re familiar with DevOps tools, you must’ve participated in the Ansible vs. Jenkins debate. It’s a tricky question, but you should know the answer to it as a DevOps professional. Don’t worry, because, in this article, we’ve discussed the difference between Ansible and Jenkins so you can find the answer to this question. Let’s get started.

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What is Ansible?

A product of RedHat, Ansible is a management tool for service deployment. It is an open-source solution for software provisioning, application deployment, and configuration management; Ansible has become increasingly popular because it offers its users numerous facilities. You can automate multiple IT processes by using Ansible. Moreover, its design is for multi-tier deployment so it can handle your different systems together.

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Ansible is easy to deploy because it doesn’t use any additional security infrastructure or agents. You can use it through YAML, a relatively easy to use language as much of its syntax is in English, so performing tasks become simple.

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Advantages of Ansible

Allows you to model complicated IT workflows easily
It is open-source
No requirements for downloading additional software on the client platform
No requirements for setting up separate management structures
Easy to use language with simple English-focused syntax

Site Reliability Engineers find Ansible-like tools as a must-have. That’s because such tools ensure that their environment has all the services they require. Ansible makes troubleshooting deployment easy by providing that all the necessary preparations are done. Due to this reason, deployment (and the related processes) become much faster and easier.

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Ansible will ensure that the port which needs to be open remains open. If the port is not open, Ansible will ensure that the deployment doesn’t resume until you fix the issue. However, it is only a deployment system and not a holistic tool.

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Read: Ansible vs Chef

What is Jenkins?

Jenkins is an open-source tool in Java for automation and Continuous Integration tasks. Jenkins allows users to create and test their projects continuously while integrating changes quickly. One of the biggest highlights of Jenkins is its large number of plugins. Plugins allow Jenkins to integrate with other software solutions and enhance its capabilities in multitudes.

Jenkins can integrate the entire development life-cycle process of an application. This means it can handle creation, testing, packaging, deployment, analysis, and other operations.

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Advantages of Jenkins

It is open-source, so you can use it for free
It has an active and thriving community
It has various plugins that enable it to work well with other CI and CD tools
Jenkins supports distributed builds
Easy installation, configuration, and upgrade
Easy to monitor external jobs

The nearly infinite configuration ability of Jenkins makes it the preferred choice of many DevOps teams. If you want to perform a specific task, you’d indeed find a Jenkins script for completing it. It has been in the industry for quite some time, and its highly active community has helped it become more versatile over time. Still, DevOps teams with large and complicated projects don’t use Jenkins due to its simple applicability. They look for a robust solution to handle the more detailed sections of their projects.

Jenkins is linear. This means you perform tasks in steps here, and every script should know what the environment is like and how they should fail if they encounter something unprecedented.

Also Read: Jenkins Project Ideas

Important to Note: Ansible Tower

As we pointed out earlier, Ansible’s main shortcoming is that it’s only a deployment solution. So DevOps teams with more sophisticated needs would avoid using it. Jenkins faces the same problem. It is not suitable for highly complicated and challenging DevOps projects. DevOps teams are forced to look for more robust alternatives that can handle multiple aspects of their projects at once in these situations.

That’s when Ansible Tower comes in. It is a solution to automate repetitive tasks. It is a product of Red Hat and integrates perfectly with Ansible and its related tools. Ansible Tower was important to mention because it is also a prominent DevOps tool with relevant applicability. In the Ansible Vs. Jenkins discussion, Ansible Tower tips the scale in favor of Ansible.

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Difference Between Ansible and Jenkins

While Ansible and Jenkins might seem similar tools with different applications, they have considerable differences. Here’s a table to summarize the difference between Ansible and Jenkins:

Ansible	Jenkins
Installation is a little difficult	Installation is straightforward
Supports several plugins but fewer than Jenkins	Supports numerous plugins
Supports multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, etc. However, it is a little challenging to use on Windows.	Supports multiple platforms and works consistently on all of them
Easy to set up and configure	A little challenging to set up and configure
Ansible is a cloud-based tool	Jenkins is a server-based tool
Uses YAML, an easy language with simple syntax	Completely written in Java
Substantially light-weight	Not a light-weight solution

Ansible VS Jenkins: Which One Should You Choose?

Your choice of software depends entirely on your project requirements, resources, and expertise. Both of these tools have their advantages. Ansible is excellent for automating IT tasks, while Jenkins has various plugins to make it highly versatile. We can’t forget Ansible Tower, another popular choice among DevOps teams to automate repetitive tasks in their projects.

If your project has multiple scrips that work great together, you should use Jenkins; on the other hand, if your project is more complicated, you’d need Ansible with Ansible Tower. In the end, the choice depends on your project requirements and resources.

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We hope you found this article on the difference between Ansible and Jenkins. You can share your thoughts or suggestions in the comment section below. Both of these tools are popular in the DevOps industry due to their specific benefits and applicability.

If you want to learn more about DevOps, we recommend heading to our blog. You’ll find many exciting and valuable resources on our blog, covering a range of topics.

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