Jenkins is an automation server used for continuous integration in software development development. You can use it to build, run, and manage automated tests workflows, including Ranorex Studio test execution.
This article introduces the basic structure of a Jenkins integration with Ranorex Studio and outlines the software required to set it up. The other articles in this section explain the setup steps in more detail. For general information about installing and configuring Jenkins, refer to the official documentation.
How the integration works
Integrating Ranorex Studio with Jenkins allows you to run automated tests as part of a build process.
- The Ranorex Studio solution is under version control with Git and stored and managed in a repository on GitHub
- The Jenkins server connects to the GitHub repository through a plugin and in this way has access to the Ranorex Studio solution
- In Jenkins, the build process is set up as a project. It contains all the required build and post-build steps and their configurations. Some of the steps are implemented through Jenkins plugins
- Once the build process is started, Jenkins carries out the build steps, which means it builds and executes the Ranorex Studio solution, thereby running the test
Software requirements
To set up the process illustrated above, you need the following software.
Ranorex Studio
You need a full installation of Ranorex Studio to create and maintain automated tests.
- Use a Professional license to create and maintain tests.
- Use a Runtime license on machines that only run tests, such as Jenkins execution machines.
Jenkins
You need a Jenkins server that is installed and running.
For information about downloading and setting up Jenkins, refer to the official Jenkins documentation.
To disable the Jenkins service:
- Open the Services tool in Windows.
- Right-click the Jenkins service.
- Click Properties.
- Set Startup type to Disabled.
To start Jenkins manually from the installation folder, use:
java -jar jenkins.war
After Jenkins starts, you can open the web interface at:
http://localhost:8080/
Git (version control)
The Ranorex Studio solution that you want to use in Jenkins should be stored in version control. In the example workflow described in this section, Git is used as the version control system. Git is available for free and works well with Jenkins. You can also use other version control systems that are compatible with Jenkins. For more information about using Git with Ranorex Studio.
GitHub (repository provider)
A repository provider is typically used to host the files that are under version control. In this workflow, GitHub is used as the repository provider. This is optional, but it is a common and convenient choice for Jenkins-based workflows. You can also use another repository provider that is compatible with Jenkins.
Microsoft Visual Studio
Jenkins builds Ranorex Studio solutions by using a Microsoft Visual Studio compiler. Because of this, Microsoft Visual Studio must be installed on the machine that performs the build.
Go to https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/ for more information about different versions.