Running stages in parallel with Jenkins workflow / pipeline

Question

Please note: the question is based on the old, now called \"scripted\" pipeline format. When using \"declarative pipelines\", parallel blocks

Answer 1

I have just tested the following pipeline and it works

parallel firstBranch: {
    stage ('Starting Test') 
    {
        build job: 'test1', parameters: [string(name: 'Environment', value: "$env.Environment")]
    }
}, secondBranch: {
    stage ('Starting Test2') 
    {
        build job: 'test2', parameters: [string(name: 'Environment', value: "$env.Environment")]
    }
}

This Job named 'trigger-test' accepts one parameter named 'Environment'

Job 'test1' and 'test2' are simple jobs:

Example for 'test1'

• One parameter named 'Environment'
• Pipeline : echo "$env.Environment-TEST1"

On execution, I am able to see both stages running in the same time

Answer 2

As @Quartz mentioned, you can do something like

stage('Tests') {
    parallel(
        'Unit Tests': {
            container('node') {
                sh("npm test --cat=unit")
            }
        },
        'API Tests': {
            container('node') {
                sh("npm test --cat=acceptance")
            }
        }
    )
}

Answer 3

You may not place the deprecated non-block-scoped stage (as in the original question) inside parallel.

As of JENKINS-26107, stage takes a block argument. You may put parallel inside stage or stage inside parallel or stage inside stage etc. However visualizations of the build are not guaranteed to support all nestings; in particular

• The built-in Pipeline Steps (a “tree table” listing every step run by the build) shows arbitrary stage nesting.
• The Pipeline Stage View plugin will currently only display a linear list of stages, in the order they started, regardless of nesting structure.
• Blue Ocean will display top-level stages, plus parallel branches inside a top-level stage, but currently no more.

JENKINS-27394, if implemented, would display arbitrarily nested stages.

Answer 4

I think this has been officially implemented now: https://jenkins.io/blog/2017/09/25/declarative-1/

Answer 5

that syntax is now deprecated, you will get this error:

org.codehaus.groovy.control.MultipleCompilationErrorsException: startup failed:
WorkflowScript: 14: Expected a stage @ line 14, column 9.
       parallel firstTask: {
       ^

WorkflowScript: 14: Stage does not have a name @ line 14, column 9.
       parallel secondTask: {
       ^

2 errors

You should do something like:

stage("Parallel") {
    steps {
        parallel (
            "firstTask" : {
                //do some stuff
            },
            "secondTask" : {
                // Do some other stuff in parallel
            }
        )
    }
}

Just to add the use of node here, to distribute jobs across multiple build servers/ VMs:

pipeline {
  stages {
    stage("Work 1"){
     steps{
      parallel ( "Build common Library":   
            {
              node('<Label>'){
                  /// your stuff
                  }
            },

        "Build Utilities" : {
            node('<Label>'){
               /// your stuff
              }
           }
         )
    }
}

All VMs should be labelled as to use as a pool.