7 Jenkins Books That Separate Experts from Amateurs

Discover Jenkins Books authored by leading practitioners like Mohamed Labouardy, Nikhil Pathania, and Brent Laster to deepen your DevOps knowledge.

Updated on June 28, 2025
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What if I told you that mastering Jenkins could redefine how smoothly your software gets delivered? Jenkins remains the backbone for continuous integration and delivery pipelines in countless organizations — yet many still wrestle with its complexity and evolving ecosystem.

The books selected here are authored by professionals deeply embedded in the Jenkins and DevOps communities. From Mohamed Labouardy’s experience as a Jenkins contributor and CTO to Nikhil Pathania’s practical insights in cloud-native CI/CD, these works offer authoritative guidance forged from real-world challenges and solutions.

While these expert-curated books provide proven frameworks for Jenkins mastery, you might consider creating a personalized Jenkins book tailored to your specific experience level, project needs, and goals to complement these foundational insights.

Best for DevOps pipeline automation
Mohamed Labouardy is the CTO and co-founder of Crew.work, recognized as a Jenkins contributor and DevSecOps evangelist. His deep involvement with Jenkins and cloud-native tooling drives this book, which guides you through building and managing automated pipelines using Jenkins alongside Kubernetes and Terraform. His expertise ensures practical insights into creating reliable, scalable CI/CD workflows tailored for modern development environments.
2021·528 pages·Devops, Continuous Delivery, Continuous Integration, Jenkins, Infrastructure Automation

While working as the CTO of Crew.work and a Jenkins contributor, Mohamed Labouardy noticed a gap in how developers manage CI/CD pipelines beyond the UI. This book teaches you to treat your development pipeline as a mission-critical application by writing pipeline code that integrates Jenkins with Kubernetes, Terraform, and cloud services. You learn to build scalable Jenkins clusters, containerize applications using Docker and Kubernetes, and deploy serverless functions with automation across AWS, GCP, and Azure. If you're familiar with Jenkins and Docker, this guide equips you to streamline deployments, improve reliability, and adopt a DevOps culture focused on automation and efficiency.

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Nikhil Pathania is a solutions architect at Arla Foods with extensive expertise in Agile, DevOps, and cloud technologies. His deep experience in implementing CI/CD frameworks at multinational firms informs this guide, which aims to equip you with practical skills in creating operational, secure, and resilient Jenkins pipelines. With his background in optimizing software delivery processes and data analytics, Pathania brings valuable insights to mastering Jenkins in cloud-native environments.
2024·396 pages·CI/CD, Continuous Delivery, Jenkins, DevOps, Jenkins Pipelines

The methods Nikhil Pathania developed while navigating complex CI/CD environments come through clearly in this book, which guides you from the basics of continuous integration to deploying secure, scalable Jenkins pipelines. You'll find detailed walkthroughs on integrating Jenkins with Kubernetes, GitOps, and AI-powered tools like ChatGPT to streamline your pipeline code. Chapters on Jenkins Configuration as Code and cloud deployment give you hands-on skills for building resilient, cost-effective software delivery systems. This book suits developers and DevOps practitioners eager to deepen their practical understanding of Jenkins in modern cloud-native contexts, though newcomers might need some prior exposure to Agile and container concepts to fully benefit.

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Best for custom automation plans
This AI-created book on Jenkins mastery is tailored to your specific skills and goals. By sharing your background and which Jenkins automation topics you want to focus on, you receive a tailored guide that matches your learning needs. This approach ensures you explore the aspects of Jenkins pipelines and workflows most relevant to your projects, helping you build mastery efficiently.
2025·50-300 pages·Jenkins, Jenkins Automation, Pipeline Design, Workflow Integration, Delivery Processes

This personalized Jenkins book explores tailored techniques for automating Jenkins pipelines and delivery processes, focusing on your unique background and objectives. It examines core concepts such as pipeline creation, workflow automation, and integration, while adapting content to your specific interests in Jenkins environments and toolchains. By emphasizing practical pipeline automation and delivery mastery, this book reveals how to streamline your CI/CD setup efficiently. It offers a carefully crafted learning path that matches your experience level, enabling you to deepen your understanding of Jenkins workflows and optimize automation practices aligned with your goals.

Tailored Guide
Pipeline Optimization
1,000+ Happy Readers
Best for modernizing Jenkins pipelines
Brent Laster is a global trainer, author, and senior R&D manager with over 25 years in software development. His passion for sharing knowledge led him to write this extensive guide on Jenkins 2, aiming to help professionals evolve their deployment pipelines with cutting-edge automation techniques. His multifaceted experience in both technical and leadership roles uniquely qualifies him to demystify the complexities of continuous delivery and offer practical strategies for modern DevOps environments.

Brent Laster challenges the conventional wisdom that Jenkins pipelines must be complex and fragmented by introducing a streamlined approach centered on code-defined continuous delivery. You gain detailed guidance on creating maintainable, automated pipelines using Jenkins domain-specific language, migrating legacy jobs, and integrating tools like artifact management and containers. With over 600 pages, this book is particularly suited for build administrators and developers ready to modernize their DevOps workflows by leveraging Jenkins 2’s new features such as declarative syntax and the Blue Ocean interface. If you aim to simplify pipeline management while enhancing flexibility and control, this book offers a thorough yet practical roadmap.

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Best for foundational Jenkins mastery
John Ferguson Smart, director of Wakaleo Consulting, brings deep expertise in Java development and agile testing practices to this guide. His experience mentoring teams in continuous integration and deployment shaped the practical insights found throughout the book, making it a valuable resource for mastering Jenkins in real-world environments.
2011·401 pages·Continuous Integration, CI/CD, Jenkins, Build Automation, Test Automation

While working as director of Wakaleo Consulting, John Ferguson Smart realized how much teams struggled with continuous integration in Java environments, which inspired this detailed guide. You learn to automate builds, set up efficient CI pipelines, integrate automated testing, and manage distributed Jenkins servers effectively. For example, chapters cover securing Jenkins servers and configuring parameterized and matrix jobs, giving you practical skills to streamline development cycles. This book suits developers, architects, and project managers who want to implement or improve Jenkins-based CI systems without wading through scattered resources.

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Best for Jenkins system administrators
Calvin Sangbin Park is a CI/CD DevOps engineer at NVIDIA who has applied Jenkins extensively across diverse projects, from Arduino Maker boards to industrial laser firmware. His hands-on experience with complex build and release systems inspired the detailed guidance in this book, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to master Jenkins administration and scaling.
2021·438 pages·Jenkins, CI/CD, Pipeline Management, Aws Integration, Configuration As Code

The methods Calvin Sangbin Park developed while managing complex build systems at NVIDIA illuminate the challenges of scaling Jenkins in demanding environments. This book teaches you how to set up production-grade Jenkins instances on both AWS and on-premises infrastructure, while guiding you through creating CI/CD pipelines triggered by GitHub pull requests. It dives into Jenkins Configuration as Code, disaster recovery, upgrade strategies, and performance bottleneck removal, providing detailed chapters on AWS integration and security policies. Whether you’re new or experienced with Jenkins administration, you’ll gain practical knowledge to build, manage, and scale Jenkins systems effectively within your organization.

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Best for rapid skill acceleration
This AI-created book on Jenkins proficiency is tailored to your skill level and specific learning goals. You share your background and the Jenkins topics you want to focus on, and the book is crafted to provide a clear, personalized roadmap. It guides you through pipeline implementation and CI/CD success steps that directly relate to your projects and challenges. This focused approach ensures you gain relevant skills quickly without sifting through unrelated information.
2025·50-300 pages·Jenkins, Jenkins Basics, Pipeline Creation, CI/CD Concepts, Automation Techniques

This tailored book explores Jenkins with a clear focus on accelerating your skills and pipeline implementation within 90 days. It covers core Jenkins concepts, pipeline creation, and CI/CD practices that match your background and address your specific goals. By concentrating on your interests, it reveals the practical steps to master Jenkins pipelines, automation techniques, and integration challenges. The personalized content guides you through common obstacles and advanced configurations while emphasizing hands-on learning and rapid proficiency. This approach helps bridge the gap between expert knowledge and your unique projects, enabling you to confidently build and optimize Jenkins workflows aligned to your development needs.

Tailored Guide
Pipeline Mastery
1,000+ Happy Readers
Best for advanced Jenkins automation
Jonathan Mcallister is a recognized expert in Continuous Integration and Delivery, with extensive experience in software development and automation. His authorial insight stems from hands-on work in architecting Jenkins solutions that drive efficient software delivery. This book channels his deep understanding of Jenkins architecture and implementation, offering readers practical guidance to optimize their CI/CD pipelines and automation strategies.
Mastering Jenkins book cover

by Jonathan Mcallister··You?

2015·334 pages·Jenkins, Automation, Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery, Build Management

Jonathan Mcallister's extensive background in Continuous Integration and Delivery informs this book's practical approach to Jenkins, focusing on configuration and scalable automation. You’ll learn how to architect Jenkins installations that support diverse development teams, manage build jobs, and implement automated testing and deployment pipelines. For example, chapters on Jenkins master-slave architecture and integrating third-party tools like Jira and Amazon EC2 provide actionable insights for enhancing your workflow. This book suits Jenkins users familiar with its basics who want to elevate their automation skills and streamline software delivery at scale.

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Best for iOS DevOps integration
Abdullahi Olaoye, a Cloud Architect at Amazon Web Services with a master's degree in computer networking and multiple AWS certifications, brings specialized expertise to this book. His professional experience in cloud innovations drives a focused exploration of DevOps principles applied to iOS development, making this work a unique resource for developers seeking to harness AWS and Jenkins for scalable, automated app delivery.
2022·392 pages·Amazon Web Services, Jenkins, DevOps, Cloud Computing, Continuous Integration

Abdullahi Olaoye leverages his role as a Cloud Architect at AWS and his deep expertise in cloud innovations to guide you through applying DevOps principles specifically for iOS development. You’ll learn how to build an iOS app from scratch and then dive into integrating AWS developer tools with Jenkins and Fastlane, mastering automated builds, tests, and deployments on the cloud. Notably, the book details using Amazon EC2 Mac instances to run Xcode remotely, expanding your development capabilities beyond local machines. This book suits iOS developers eager to streamline their workflows with cloud-based continuous integration and deployment techniques, though those outside iOS development might find its focus too narrow.

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Conclusion

Examining these seven Jenkins books reveals a few clear themes: the critical importance of pipeline-as-code for scalability, the need to integrate security and cloud tools seamlessly, and the value of mastering Jenkins administration for robust CI/CD environments.

If you’re new to Jenkins, starting with John Smart’s foundational guide alongside Nikhil Pathania’s practical pipeline techniques can build a solid base. For those aiming to modernize or scale Jenkins deployments, Brent Laster’s and Calvin Sangbin Park’s books offer actionable strategies.

Alternatively, you can create a personalized Jenkins book to bridge the gap between general principles and your specific situation. These books can help you accelerate your learning journey and sharpen your DevOps edge.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm overwhelmed by choice – which Jenkins book should I start with?

Start with "Jenkins: The Definitive Guide" for solid foundational knowledge, then explore "Learning Continuous Integration with Jenkins" to deepen practical CI/CD skills.

Are these books too advanced for someone new to Jenkins?

Some books like "Beginning DevOps on AWS for iOS Development" are more specialized, but "Jenkins" by John Smart offers accessible entry points for beginners.

What’s the best order to read these Jenkins books?

Begin with foundational guides, then move to pipeline automation and administration books to build layered expertise progressively.

Do these books assume prior experience with Jenkins?

While some assume basic Jenkins familiarity, many clearly explain core concepts, making them suitable for learners with varying backgrounds.

Which Jenkins book gives the most actionable advice I can use right away?

"Pipeline as Code" by Mohamed Labouardy offers hands-on guidance for automating pipelines with modern tools and cloud integrations.

Can I get Jenkins guidance tailored to my specific goals and experience?

Yes! While these books provide expert knowledge, you can also create a personalized Jenkins book that aligns perfectly with your needs and learning pace.

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