What Is Rundeck?

Rundeck is an open-source tool that helps to define build, deploy and manage automation. It provides web console, CLI tools, and a Web API. It is written in Java and allows you to run tasks across a set of nodes. Role based access control policy gives more flexibility to manage different user access permissions. Process automations are defined as jobs. You can define each step of the workflow that can be a job itself or any task. User can give input options in the job definition. These options can be used in the job workflow like a variable. Option values can be default or multiple choice or secured. Rundeck is more like an orchestration tool that can be used to manage servers or cloud environments. It supports and integrates well with modern DevOps tools and practices.

How does Rundeck differ from Jenkins?

In simple words, Jenkins is employed for development and Rundeck, for operations. Both tools share certain common features as the job interface provided is for self-service.

Key differences between Rundeck and Jenkins

Let us discuss some key differences between Rundeck vs Jenkins in the following points:

• Rundeck is used for executing operation tasks as an operation tool, whereas Jenkins is used for automating the software builds. Both work together and do complementary tasks. We can say that Rundeck is an operations tool, and Jenkins is a development tool. Rundeck knows about the environments that we work in and suit accordingly. Jenkins, being a DevOps tool, knows only about the software in the vicinity.
• Any remote nodes or servers can be used to execute workflows. Filters are set so that Rundeck knows the nodes to work with. The workflow is defined prior, and the steps of the workflow are also described before. These tasks are not present in Jenkins as Jenkins does not work with nodes, and remote servers cannot be used to work with Jenkins.
• Rundeck helps to understand the job’s output after the operations, while Jenkins does not help in understanding the output. The output is organized and presented in front of the viewer. Rundeck is used to pass the information well as well as to do the workflow tasks. Jenkins cannot be used to transfer information, or the workflow tasks are not done using Jenkins.
• When an emergency situation asks you to execute some commands rather than routine tasks, Rundeck helps execute those with ad-hoc commands. This facility is not present in Jenkins. A network shell tool is needed in Jenkins to do the tasks that are not routine.
• It is easy to determine whether the workflow is based on steps or nodes in Rundeck. Also, the steps can be run in parallel or thread count limits can be set. If the workflow is step oriented, all the tasks in the steps are completed without considering the nodes. The same happens with nodes. Jenkins does not help in doing multiple workflows. There is a predetermined process to do the Jenkins task.
• Built-in error handling helps Rundeck to determine the operations and sort out the errors when they come in. Previous tasks are re-run to check for the failures. This option is not available in Jenkins. The errors are sort out in the end, and a log can be created using this.

How are Rundeck and Jenkins often used together?

later……