Replay Pipeline

Replay Jenkins Pipeline option is very useful for quickly making minor changes in the Jenkinsfile and running the Pipeline without committing the changes in the Jenkinsfile to the GitHub Repository

Create Jenkins Pipeline¶

Create a Jenkinsfile named 09-Jenkinsfile-replay inside the cicd folder

pipeline {
  agent any
  tools {
    maven 'maven-3.6.3' 
  }
  stages {
    stage ('Build') {
      steps {
        sh 'mvn clean package'
      }
    }
  }
}

In this Jenkinsfile, you use the maven-3.6.3 configured tool to build the Java Project. This pipeline will successfully pass.

Reference: How to configure maven 3.6.3 in Jenkins Tools

If you do not have a sample Java code, follow these steps to create one

How to create a GitHub repository and push a sample Java 21 Maven Project

Push the 09-Jenkinsfile-replay file to the GitHub repository

Create a Jenkins Pipeline named 09-hello-world-replay referring to your GitHub repository and enter Script Path as cicd/09-Jenkinsfile-replay

Build the Pipeline

Create Failure in Jenkins Pipeline¶

Let's assume, you made a typo in the mvn clean package command, you mistakenly typed packagee instead of a package

Let's push the typo changes to the GitHub repository

Run the git diff command to see the changes

git diff

OUTPUT:

vignesh ~/code/devopspilot1/hello-world-java/cicd [main] $ git diff         
diff --git a/cicd/09-Jenkinsfile-replay b/cicd/09-Jenkinsfile-replay
index 0e3fd6f..687d486 100644
--- a/cicd/09-Jenkinsfile-replay
+++ b/cicd/09-Jenkinsfile-replay
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ pipeline {
   stages {
     stage ('Build') {
       steps {
- sh 'mvn clean package'
+        sh 'mvn clean packagee'
       }
     }
   }

Push the 09-Jenkinsfile-replay file to the GitHub repository

Build the Pipeline, it should fail

Fix the failure using the Replay option¶

Go inside the Failed pipeline and click on the Replay option

You can see the Jenkinsfile in Jenkins GUI

Correct the spelling mvn clean package and click on Build

The build is a success now, but the fix is done temporarily.

You need to again correct the spelling in Jenkinsfile and push it to the GitHub Repository to make the fix permanent

git diff

OUTPUT:

vignesh ~/code/devopspilot1/hello-world-java/cicd [main] $ git diff
diff --git a/cicd/09-Jenkinsfile-replay b/cicd/09-Jenkinsfile-replay
index 687d486..0e3fd6f 100644
--- a/cicd/09-Jenkinsfile-replay
+++ b/cicd/09-Jenkinsfile-replay
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ pipeline {
   stages {
     stage ('Build') {
       steps {
- sh 'mvn clean packagee'
+        sh 'mvn clean package'
       }
     }
   }

Push the 09-Jenkinsfile-replay file to the GitHub repository

Like this, you can debug and fix many issues in real-time.

Reference:¶

GitHub Repository

Important Tips¶

Tip

Availability: Replay is only available for pipelines that have already run at least once (even if they failed). You cannot "Replay" a pipeline that has never run.

Note

Audit Trail: Replayed builds are marked in the build history. However, the changes you make in Replay are ephemeral and NOT saved to your Git repository. Always commit your fixes to Git after verifying them.

🧠 Quick Quiz — Replay¶

#

What is the primary advantage of the Replay feature in Jenkins Pipelines?