# Where to Find Jenkins Documentation: User Guides, Developer Resources, and Maintainer Policies

> Find Jenkins documentation easily. Access user guides at jenkinsci.io/doc/ and developer resources at jenkinsci.io/doc/developer/. Maintainer policies are in the jenkinsci/jenkins repository docs directory.

- Repository: [Jenkins/jenkins](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins)
- Tags: api-reference
- Published: 2026-07-29

---

**Jenkins documentation is hosted on the official website at jenkins.io/doc/ for end users and jenkins.io/doc/developer/ for developers, with governance policies and maintainer guides stored directly in the jenkinsci/jenkins repository under the `docs/` directory.**

Jenkins documentation is distributed across multiple authoritative sources designed to serve different audiences. Whether you are configuring pipelines, developing plugins, or maintaining the core platform, the jenkinsci/jenkins repository and its associated website provide comprehensive resources. This guide maps out exactly where to find user manuals, API references, and internal project policies.

## Official Jenkins Documentation Locations

Jenkins stores its documentation in a distributed architecture that separates user-facing content from internal project governance.

### User Documentation on jenkins.io

The primary Jenkins documentation for end users lives on the official Jenkins website at `https://www.jenkins.io/doc/`. This includes the main user manual, plugin indexes, tutorials, and release notes. As referenced in the repository's [`README.md`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/README.md), this is the starting point for installation instructions and configuration guides.

### Developer Documentation

For those extending Jenkins or building from source, the developer documentation resides at `https://www.jenkins.io/doc/developer/`. According to the [`README.md`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/README.md) in the jenkinsci/jenkins repository, this section contains architecture overviews, API descriptions, extension-point guidelines, and instructions for compiling Jenkins from source. Core classes like [`core/src/main/java/hudson/model/UpdateCenter.java`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/core/src/main/java/hudson/model/UpdateCenter.java) contain extensive Javadoc comments that feed into the generated API reference documentation.

### Maintainer and Project Documentation

Internal governance, coding standards, and maintainer responsibilities are stored within the repository itself under the `docs/` directory. The `docs/MAINTAINERS.adoc` file specifically details policies for core maintainers, the release process, and project governance according to the source code repository structure.

## Key Documentation Files in the Repository

Several critical files in the repository root provide immediate guidance for contributors and maintainers:

- **[`README.md`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/README.md)** — The entry point that links to official user and developer documentation on jenkins.io.
- **[`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md)** — Step-by-step instructions for setting up a development environment, running tests, and submitting pull requests.
- **`docs/MAINTAINERS.adoc`** — Governance policies and responsibilities for core maintainers.
- **[`LICENSE.txt`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/LICENSE.txt)** — The MIT license under which Jenkins is released.

## How to Access Documentation Locally

You can interact with Jenkins documentation directly from the command line or within your development workflow.

Using the Jenkins CLI to view command help:

```bash

# Download the Jenkins CLI jar (replace <JENKINS_URL> with your server URL)

curl -O https://<JENKINS_URL>/jnlpJars/jenkins-cli.jar

# Show help for the `build` command, which includes a short usage reference

java -jar jenkins-cli.jar help build

```

Accessing documentation references in Pipeline:

```groovy
pipeline {
    agent any
    stages {
        stage('Show Docs Link') {
            steps {
                echo "Read the Jenkins User Manual at: https://www.jenkins.io/doc/"
            }
        }
    }
}

```

Viewing the contribution guide locally:

```bash

# Assuming you are in the cloned repository root

less CONTRIBUTING.md   # view the contribution instructions

```

Searching for specific topics in the source tree:

```bash

# Find all Asciidoc files that mention “pipeline”

git grep -i "pipeline" -- "*.adoc"

```

## Understanding the Documentation Architecture

The Jenkins documentation architecture mirrors the project's modular design across three layers:

1. **Core repository** — Holds the main source code and minimal documentation files including [`README.md`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/README.md), [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md), and the `docs/` directory.
2. **Website generator** — The Jenkins website pulls Markdown and Asciidoc files from this repository and other plugin repositories, then renders them into static HTML.
3. **Plugin documentation** — Each plugin ships its own help files (located in `src/main/resources/*.jelly` within individual plugin repositories) that are displayed in the Jenkins UI at runtime.

## Summary

- The official **Jenkins user documentation** is hosted at `https://www.jenkins.io/doc/` and linked from the repository [`README.md`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/README.md).
- **Developer resources** including API docs and architecture guides are available at `https://www.jenkins.io/doc/developer/`.
- Internal **maintainer policies** and governance documents are stored in the `docs/` directory, specifically in `docs/MAINTAINERS.adoc`.
- Contribution workflows are documented in the root-level [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) file as implemented in jenkinsci/jenkins.
- The documentation system spans the core repository, the Jenkins website generator, and individual plugin repositories.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Where is the official Jenkins user manual hosted?

The official Jenkins user manual is hosted on the Jenkins website at `https://www.jenkins.io/doc/`. This resource contains installation guides, pipeline tutorials, plugin indexes, and release notes. The repository's [`README.md`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/README.md) file points to this location as the primary source for end-user documentation.

### How do I contribute to Jenkins documentation?

You can contribute to Jenkins documentation by following the guidelines in the [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) file located in the root of the jenkinsci/jenkins repository. This file provides step-by-step instructions for setting up a development environment, running tests, and submitting patches via pull requests.

### Where can I find maintainer-specific policies and governance documents?

Maintainer-specific policies, release procedures, and governance guidelines are stored in the `docs/` directory of the jenkinsci/jenkins repository, specifically in `docs/MAINTAINERS.adoc`. This file defines the responsibilities of core maintainers and the project's operational workflows according to the source code repository.

### How do I view help documentation for Jenkins CLI commands?

You can view CLI command documentation by downloading the Jenkins CLI jar from your server and using the `help` command. Run `java -jar jenkins-cli.jar help <command>` to display usage information and available options for any specific command, such as `build` or `who-am-i`.