Master-agent architecture in Jenkins - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the role of the Jenkins master in the master-agent architecture?

The Jenkins master controls the system, manages jobs, schedules builds, and distributes tasks to agents. It also provides the user interface and stores build results.

beginner

What is a Jenkins agent and why is it used?

A Jenkins agent is a machine that runs build jobs delegated by the master. It helps distribute workload and allows builds to run on different environments or platforms.

intermediate

How do Jenkins master and agents communicate?

They communicate over a network using protocols like JNLP or SSH. The master sends build tasks to agents, and agents report back the results.

beginner

Why is using agents beneficial in Jenkins?

Agents allow parallel execution of builds, reduce load on the master, and enable running jobs on different operating systems or hardware setups.

intermediate

What happens if the Jenkins master goes down in a master-agent setup?

If the master goes down, agents cannot receive new tasks or report results. The whole system becomes inactive until the master is restored.

What component schedules and manages build jobs in Jenkins master-agent architecture?

A Jenkins master

B Jenkins agent

C Build executor

D Source code repository

The Jenkins master is responsible for scheduling and managing build jobs.

Which protocol is commonly used for communication between Jenkins master and agents?

A JNLP

B FTP

C HTTP

D SMTP

JNLP (Java Network Launch Protocol) is commonly used for Jenkins master-agent communication.

What is a key advantage of using Jenkins agents?

A They replace the master

B They allow parallel builds

C They store build results

D They manage user access

Agents allow parallel execution of builds, improving efficiency.

If the Jenkins master is down, what happens to the agents?

A They become new masters

B They continue running builds independently

C They cannot receive new tasks

D They shut down automatically

Agents depend on the master to receive tasks and report results.

Which of these is NOT a function of the Jenkins master?

A Scheduling builds

B Providing the user interface

C Distributing tasks to agents

D Running build jobs directly

While the master can run builds, it mainly delegates build jobs to agents.

Explain the roles of Jenkins master and agents in the master-agent architecture.

Think about who controls and who executes.

Describe the benefits of using agents in Jenkins.

Why not run all builds on the master?