Building Scalable, Cloud-Native CI/CD Pipelines with Jenkins and KubernetesIn modern , running on static or long-lived build agents often leads to scalability issues, inefficient resource usage, and maintenance overhead. As applications grow and deployment frequency increases, must be dynamic, resilient, and solves these challenges by providing on-demand, isolated, and auto-scalable environments for Jenkins workloads. By integrating Jenkins with Kubernetes, teams can dynamically provision build agents as pods, optimize resource utilization, and build highly scalableIn this blog, you’ll learn how Jenkins integrates with Kubernetes for CI/CD, understand the pipeline architecture, set up Jenkins on Kubernetes, and build a production-ready using containerized workloads and Kubernetes deployments.1. Why Integrate Jenkins with Kubernetes for CI/CD? provides a robust and scalable platform for running containerized applications, and Jenkins is a powerful tool for automating the. When integrated, these two tools can provide significant benefits:Dynamic Agent Provisioning: dynamically creates as build agents for each . Agents are provisioned only when needed and automatically destroyed after job completion, eliminating idle infrastructure.: scales agents based on workload demand. Multiplecan run in parallel, allowing for faster builds and testing cycles.: Each Jenkins job runs inside its own Kubernetes ensuring clean, reproducible, and conflict-free build environments across pipelines.: Applications can be built, containerized, and deployed directly to Kubernetesenabling seamless end-to-end CI/CD workflows in cloud-native environments.: Because agents are short-lived and container-based, system resources are consumed only during active pipeline execution, significantly reducing infrastructure costs.2. Prerequisites for Jenkins and Kubernetes CI/CD IntegrationBefore integrating Jenkins with Kubernetes, ensure you have the following prerequisites in place. These prerequisites form the foundation for a stable and production-ready CI/CD setup.: A running Kubernetes cluster is required to host Jenkins agents and deploy applications. This can be a managed Kubernetes service such as Amazon EKS, Google GKE, Azure AKS, or a self-managed on-premise: Jenkins must be installed and accessible. It can run: — inside a Kubernetes cluster (recommended for cloud-native setups) or on a standalone virtual machine or server.Kubernetes Plugin for Jenkins: The Kubernetes enables Jenkins to dynamically provision Kubernetes pods as build agents. This plugin is essential for running CI/CD pipelines using Kubernetes-based agents.Cluster Access and Permissions: Jenkins must have permission to communicate with the server. This is typically achieved using a Kubernetes Service Account with the required RBAC roles.: The kubectl CLI tool is useful for: — managing Kubernetes resources — debugging deployments — running deployment steps inside 3. Jenkins Kubernetes Integration ArchitectureJenkins integrates with Kubernetes using the , which allows Jenkins to run CI/CD jobs inside Kubernetes pods instead of on static build agents.In this setup, Jenkins focuses on orchestrating the pipeline, while Kubernetes handles executing jobs and managing resources. Whenever a pipeline starts, Jenkins asks Kubernetes to spin up a temporary pod to run the job. Once the job finishes, the pod is automatically removed.This makes the entire CI/CD system dynamic, scalable, and cloud-native.How Jenkins and Kubernetes Work Together:: Jenkins controller manages pipelines, jobs, and credentials. It does not run builds directly. Instead, it coordinates with Kubernetes to run jobs on demand.: plugin connects Jenkins to the Kubernetes cluster and handles the creation and cleanup of agent pods whenever a pipeline is triggered: Each CI/CD job runs inside its own Kubernetes pod. These pods are: — created only when needed — isolated from each other — automatically destroyed after the job completes: A Jenkinsfile defining the CI/CD steps, including build, test, and deployment stages.: Kubernetes cluster provides the infrastructure where agent pods run and where applications are ultimately deployed.4. CI/CD Pipeline Architecture with Jenkins and KubernetesThis CI/CD architecture uses Jenkins as the pipeline orchestrator and Kubernetes as the execution and deployment platform. Instead of relying on static Jenkins agents, Kubernetes dynamically provisions build agents as pods, making the pipeline scalable and resource-efficient.The pipeline begins with a code change pushed to a Git repository (GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket).A webhook triggers Jenkins automatically on every commit or pull request, ensuring that no manual intervention is required.Stores application source code and DockerfileTriggers Jenkinsfilepipelines via webhooksActs as the single source of truth for buildsThe Jenkins controller manages the CI/CD pipeline logic defined in the Jenkinsfile.When a build is triggered, Jenkins does execute jobs on itself. Instead, it requests Kubernetes to create an ephemeral agent pod.Orchestrates pipeline stages (build, test, deploy)Requests Kubernetes to provision agent podsTracks pipeline execution and logs4.3. Kubernetes Agent Pods (Dynamic Build Agents)Using the Jenkins Kubernetes Plugin, Jenkins dynamically spins up inside the Kubernetes cluster. Each pipeline run gets its own isolated pod, which is destroyed after completion.No long-running or idle agentsClean environment for every buildParallel pipelines without conflictsAutomatic scaling based on workloadEach agent pod can include multiple containers (for example: Maven, Docker CLI, kubectl ), allowing different stages to run in the right environment.4.4. Docker Image Build & PushInside the Kubernetes agent pod, Jenkins builds the application and creates a Docker image using the project’s Dockerfile.The image is then pushed to a container registry such as Docker Hub, Amazon ECR, or GCR.Application is compiled and testedDocker image is built inside the agent podImage is tagged with version or commit hashImage is pushed to a container registryThis ensures the same image is used across all environments.4.5. Kubernetes DeploymentOnce the Docker image is available in the registry, Jenkins deploys the application to Kubernetes using kubectl or Helm.Jenkins applies Kubernetes manifests or Helm chartsKubernetes pulls the image from the registryPods are created or updated using rolling deploymentsApplication becomes available via Service or IngressThis completes the from code commit to a running application in Kubernetes.5. How to Install and Run Jenkins on KubernetesGetting Jenkinsfileup and running on Kubernetes is easier than you might think, especially with , the package manager for Kubernetes. Helm simplifies complex deployments and ensures you can get a production-ready Jenkins instance quickly.5.1 Installing Jenkins with HelmThe easiest way to install Jenkins on Kubernetes is using Helm.Step 1: Create a Namespace for JenkinsIt’s a good practice to isolate Jenkins in its own namespace:kubectl create namespace jenkinsHelm is a package manager for Kubernetes that simplifies the installation of complex applications like Jenkins. To install Jenkins using Helm:helm repo add jenkins https://charts.jenkins.iohelm repo updatehelm install jenkins jenkins/jenkins –namespace jenkinsOnce installed, you can access Jenkins via the Kubernetes service. To get the admin password:kubectl get svc –namespace jenkinskubectl exec –namespace jenkins -it $(kubectl get pods –namespace jenkins -l “app.kubernetes.io/component=jenkins-master” -o jsonpath=“{.items[0].metadata.name}”) – cat /run/secrets/chart-admin-passwordOpen Jenkins in your browser using the service IP and port, then log in using the retrieved admin password.5.2 Configuring the CloudOnce Jenkins is installed, configure it to use Kubernetes for dynamic agent provisioning:Install the Kubernetes Plugin: Go to > and install the . This plugin allows Jenkins to communicate with your cluster and provision agents on-demand.Configure Kubernetes Cloud:Navigate to > .Scroll down to and click > .Provide the , , and configure the Kubernetes Service Account so Jenkins can manage pods.: Pod templates define what containers are included in each Jenkins agent pod. You can create different templates for different types of jobs, for example:6. Jenkinsfile-Based CI/CD Pipeline ImplementationWith Jenkins configured to use Kubernetes, the next step is to set up CI/CD pipelines that build and deploy applications to Kubernetes.A e allows you to describe your entire pipeline — build, test, and deployment as code, making it version-controlled, repeatable, and easy to maintain.6.1 Configuring Jenkins Pipeline for KubernetesA defines what steps your pipeline runs and .When using Kubernetes integration, Jenkins dynamically creates a for each pipeline execution.Here’s an example of a that uses Kubernetes agents and deploys an application to a Kubernetes cluster:pipeline { agent { label ‘my-k8s-agent’ yaml ‘’’ kind: Pod containers: image: maven:3.9.6-eclipse-temurin-17 - cat - name: kubectl image: bitnami/kubectl:latest command: tty: true } stages { steps { sh ‘mvn clean install’ } stage(‘Test’) { container(‘maven’) { } } stage(‘Deploy to Kubernetes’) { steps { sh ‘kubectl apply -f deployment.yaml’ } }Jenkins creates a for this pipeline runThe pod includes multiple containers (Maven for build/test, for deployment)Each stage runs in the most appropriate containerAfter the pipeline finishes, the pod is automatically destroyedThis approach keeps builds clean, isolated, and scalable.6.2 Automating Deployments to KubernetesIn the pipeline above, the stage uses kubectl to apply Kubernetes manifests.These YAML files typically define resources such as:Because deployment happens only after successful build and test stages, Jenkins ensures that reach your Kubernetes cluster.This automation removes manual deployment steps and enables fast, consistent releases.6.3 Deploying Applications with HelmWhile kubectl apply works well, managing multiple YAML files can become difficult as applications grow.This is where becomes extremely useful.Package Kubernetes resources into reusable chartsEasily upgrade or roll back releasesHere’s a simpleexample that deploys an application using Helm:pipeline { agent any stage(‘Build’) { sh ‘mvn clean install’ } stage(‘Deploy to Kubernetes with Helm’) { steps { sh ‘helm upgrade –install myapp ./helm-chart/’ } }Application configuration becomes cleanerEnvironment-specific values are easier to manageProduction deployments are more predictable7. Best Practices for Jenkins Kubernetes CI/CD PipelinesTo get the most out of Jenkins and Kubernetes, it’s important to follow a few proven best practices. These help keep your pipelines scalable, secure, and easy to maintain as workloads grow.: Define reusable pod templates for different job types to avoid duplication.Run Each Job in an Isolated Pod: Each Jenkins job should run in an isolated pod to ensure that builds are clean and independent.: Enable auto-scaling in Kubernetes to dynamically adjust the number of nodes based on Jenkins job demand.: Use Kubernetes secrets to securely manage credentials and sensitive information.: Package your application as a Helm chart to simplify deployment and versioning.8. Monitoring and Scaling Jenkins CI/CD Pipelines on KubernetesAs CI/CD pipelines grow in complexity and usage, monitoring and scaling become critical to maintaining performance and reliability. Kubernetes makes this much easier by providing built-in scalability and strong observability integrations.: The Jenkins dashboard gives a quick, high-level view of pipeline executions, build history, and agent activity. It’s useful for tracking failed jobs, build durations, and overall pipeline health.For deeper visibility, Jenkins can be integrated with Prometheus and Grafana. This allows teams to monitor: — Resource usage of Jenkins controllers and agents — Build and job execution metrics — Pod and node performance inside the Kubernetes cluster — Grafana dashboards make it easy to visualize trends, detect bottlenecks, and proactively address performance issues before they impact deployments.Scaling Jenkins with KubernetesKubernetes enables Jenkins to scale automatically based on workload demand. Jenkins agents can be created or destroyed as pods, allowing the CI/CD system to handle sudden spikes in build traffic without manual intervention.By combining Kubernetes auto-scaling with proper monitoring, teams can ensure that:Builds remain fast during peak usageInfrastructure costs stay optimized remain reliable and resilientIntegratingcreates a modern, cloud-native CI/CD platform that is scalable, efficient, and production-ready. By running Jenkins agents as Kubernetes pods, teams can dynamically provision build environments, optimize resource usage, and eliminate the limitations of static build agents.Kubernetes features such as pod isolation, auto-scaling, and Helm-based deployments allow Jenkins pipelines to remain clean, reliable, and easy to manage as applications grow. This integration enables seamless automation — from code commits and builds to testing and deployment directly into Kubernetes clusters.By combining , you can build CI/CD pipelines that are faster, more resilient, and ready for real-world production workloads — making continuous delivery a natural part of your