Efficiently Extracting Git Branch Names in Jenkins Pipeline- A Comprehensive Guide

by liuqiyue

How to Get Git Branch Name in Jenkins Pipeline

In the modern software development landscape, Jenkins has emerged as a powerful tool for automating various stages of the software delivery process. One of the essential aspects of Jenkins pipelines is to be able to identify the specific branch of the Git repository that is being built. This information is crucial for implementing conditional logic, triggering specific actions, or even customizing the build environment. In this article, we will explore different methods to get the Git branch name in a Jenkins pipeline.

Using the `env` Keyword

One of the simplest ways to retrieve the Git branch name in a Jenkins pipeline is by using the `env` keyword. The `env` keyword allows you to store environment variables that can be accessed throughout the pipeline. To get the Git branch name, you can use the `env.BRANCH_NAME` variable, which is automatically set by Jenkins when a build is triggered.

Here’s an example of how to use the `env` keyword to get the Git branch name:

“`groovy
pipeline {
agent any

stages {
stage(‘Get Branch Name’) {
steps {
script {
def branchName = env.BRANCH_NAME
echo “The branch name is: $branchName”
}
}
}
}
}
“`

Using the `currentBuild` Keyword

Another method to retrieve the Git branch name is by using the `currentBuild` keyword. The `currentBuild` keyword provides access to the current build context, including the branch name. You can use the `currentBuild.getEnvironment().getBranch()` method to get the branch name.

Here’s an example of how to use the `currentBuild` keyword:

“`groovy
pipeline {
agent any

stages {
stage(‘Get Branch Name’) {
steps {
script {
def branchName = currentBuild.getEnvironment().getBranch()
echo “The branch name is: $branchName”
}
}
}
}
}
“`

Using the `git` Plugin

The Git plugin for Jenkins provides a set of steps that can be used to interact with Git repositories. One of these steps is `git branch`, which can be used to get the current branch name. To use this method, you need to ensure that the Git plugin is installed and configured in your Jenkins instance.

Here’s an example of how to use the `git` plugin to get the Git branch name:

“`groovy
pipeline {
agent any

stages {
stage(‘Get Branch Name’) {
steps {
script {
def branchName = sh(‘git rev-parse –abbrev-ref HEAD’).trim()
echo “The branch name is: $branchName”
}
}
}
}
}
“`

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed three different methods to get the Git branch name in a Jenkins pipeline. By using the `env` keyword, `currentBuild` keyword, or the `git` plugin, you can easily retrieve the branch name and implement conditional logic or perform custom actions based on the branch being built. These methods provide flexibility and help streamline your Jenkins pipeline for efficient software delivery.

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