[JENKINS-66649] Clarify ant-plugin docs on how to install and upgrade Ant

[jenkins-infra-bot]

The ant-plugin has an "Install automatically" feature, which appears to automatically download ant from apache.org and install it on the machine running Jenkins.

The plugin readme should provide instructions on how the ant version can be determined, and how ant can be upgraded from the Jenkins console.

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Originally reported by adambkaplan, imported from: Clarify ant-plugin docs on how to install and upgrade Ant

• assignee: adambkaplan
• status: In Review
• priority: Minor
• component(s): ant-plugin
• label(s): documentation
• resolution: Unresolved
• votes: 0
• watchers: 4
• imported: 20251216-182730

Raw content of original issue

The ant-plugin has an "Install automatically" feature, which appears to automatically download ant from apache.org and install it on the machine running Jenkins.

The plugin readme should provide instructions on how the ant version can be determined, and how ant can be upgraded from the Jenkins console.

1 attachment

• Screenshot 2021-09-15 at 22.18.51.png

  

[jenkins-infra-bot]

danielbeck:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Attached a screenshot of what admins see. It seems you haven't tried using the plugin?
  

Attached a screenshot of what admins see. It seems you haven't tried using the plugin?

[jenkins-infra-bot]

danielbeck:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Private issue references are not generally useful on the public issue tracker, since only few people have access.
  

Private issue references are not generally useful on the public issue tracker, since only few people have access.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

adambkaplan:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  danielbeck I must admit that I was doing initial triage of reports from our security team, and thus didn't deploy Jenkins in my environment to verify the fuller set of options presented in the management console. I'd like to submit a PR with improved screen shots/docs, however the other installer options presented seem to require more advanced knowledge.
  
  Upgrading ant - and more importantly, removing older versions of ant - isn't entirely clear to me. Does removing an instance of the Apache Ant installer remove associated binaries from the system?
  
  For the other installers (extract archive, batch script, shell script), I can see "uninstall" instructions to be difficult or impossible to implement.
  

danielbeck I must admit that I was doing initial triage of reports from our security team, and thus didn't deploy Jenkins in my environment to verify the fuller set of options presented in the management console. I'd like to submit a PR with improved screen shots/docs, however the other installer options presented seem to require more advanced knowledge.

Upgrading ant - and more importantly, removing older versions of ant - isn't entirely clear to me. Does removing an instance of the Apache Ant installer remove associated binaries from the system?

For the other installers (extract archive, batch script, shell script), I can see "uninstall" instructions to be difficult or impossible to implement.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

danielbeck:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Upgrading ant - and more importantly, removing older versions of ant - isn't entirely clear to me. Does removing an instance of the Apache Ant installer remove associated binaries from the system?
  
  For the other installers (extract archive, batch script, shell script), I can see "uninstall" instructions to be difficult or impossible to implement.
  I think they're cached in a Jenkins specific directory and overwritten when replaced when the same "tool name" is changed to point to a different URL, and used in a build. (It's a lot less work for a Jenkins admin to figure out in their existing setup than me to replicate now and see just to be able to answer you).
  
  If you're fine with them not being used anymore, reconfigure (to safe versions) or delete tool installations. This may break builds that are configured to use them and the version is incompatible (former) or tool name not found (the latter).
  
  If you want them to be gone from filesystems, a Groovy script may work to delete on all connected agents. https://www.jenkins.io/doc/book/managing/script-console/ for docs and numerous caveats.
  

Upgrading ant - and more importantly, removing older versions of ant - isn't entirely clear to me. Does removing an instance of the Apache Ant installer remove associated binaries from the system?

For the other installers (extract archive, batch script, shell script), I can see "uninstall" instructions to be difficult or impossible to implement.

I think they're cached in a Jenkins specific directory and overwritten when replaced when the same "tool name" is changed to point to a different URL, and used in a build. (It's a lot less work for a Jenkins admin to figure out in their existing setup than me to replicate now and see just to be able to answer you).

If you're fine with them not being used anymore, reconfigure (to safe versions) or delete tool installations. This may break builds that are configured to use them and the version is incompatible (former) or tool name not found (the latter).

If you want them to be gone from filesystems, a Groovy script may work to delete on all connected agents. https://www.jenkins.io/doc/book/managing/script-console/ for docs and numerous caveats.