Why Jenkins Still Exists in 2026
Jenkins hasn’t disappeared. It’s still running at companies with complex build chains, regulated environments, and years of accumulated pipeline logic that nobody wants to rewrite.
The tool is less fashionable than newer CI/CD platforms. GitHub Actions and GitLab CI/CD handle most greenfield projects now. But Jenkins persists where migration risk outweighs the benefits of modern tooling—financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, anywhere compliance and audit trails matter more than developer experience.
Consulting demand comes from two places: teams inheriting Jenkins estates they need to understand better, and teams trying to modernize Jenkins without replacing it. Both need operational depth, not enthusiasm for the next CI/CD platform.
If Jenkins is part of a broader internal developer platform push, our platform engineering market guide provides useful context on what tends to work (and fail) in these modernization efforts.
This isn’t a ranking. These are firms that do Jenkins work at scale. Some focus on migration. Others stabilize existing implementations. Each brings different strengths to different situations.
How We Looked at the Jenkins Consulting Market
Most DevOps consultancies claim Jenkins expertise. Fewer demonstrate operational depth.
Real Jenkins consulting requires understanding plugin ecosystems, managing shared libraries across teams, debugging Groovy pipeline scripts, and designing job topologies that scale under load.
It also requires knowing when Jenkins fits well and when alternatives might serve better. Strong consultants help you make that determination based on your specific context.
We looked for firms with documented Jenkins delivery, evidence of operational work beyond basic pipeline setup, and the ability to work alongside internal platform teams. We focused on vendors that treat Jenkins as production infrastructure, not a simple automation tool.
No one paid for inclusion. Order means nothing.
When Jenkins Consulting Makes Sense (and When It Doesn’t)
Jenkins consulting makes sense when you have a production Jenkins environment that needs improvement—pipelines that take longer than desired to run, jobs that fail unpredictably, or plugin conflicts that affect multiple teams.
It also makes sense during migration planning. Replacing Jenkins sounds straightforward until you inventory what actually runs on it. Consultants help with dependency mapping, phased migration strategies, and keeping CI/CD functional during transitions.
Jenkins consulting works best when your team has some CI/CD ownership and documented build requirements. The most successful engagements involve knowledge transfer and capability building.
If you’re deciding how to staff that capability building—internally, nearshore, offshore, or blended—see our playbook on evaluating nearshore vs offshore engineering teams.
Good engagements end with your team owning Jenkins operations. Clear ownership handoff is a key success indicator.
Jenkins Consulting Firms to Consider
These firms handle Jenkins at scale. They work on production systems with real operational constraints.
InfraCloud (now Improving Company)
What they’re generally known for
Cloud-native infrastructure work, particularly Kubernetes and CI/CD pipelines for containerized applications. InfraCloud was acquired by Improving in 2024 but continues operating with the same technical team.
They work with companies modernizing Jenkins alongside Kubernetes adoption—moving Jenkins workloads into containers, integrating Jenkins with cloud-native tooling, or evaluating alternatives like Tekton and Argo Workflows.
How they typically approach Jenkins work
InfraCloud treats Jenkins as part of a broader platform modernization effort. Engagements often involve migrating Jenkins to Kubernetes using Helm charts, rewriting pipeline scripts to work with dynamic agents, and integrating Jenkins with monitoring tools like Prometheus.
They handle Jenkins X implementations and work with Jenkins plugin architecture. Their engineers can debug conflicts and develop custom plugins when requirements call for it.
Where they tend to be a good fit
Teams already running Kubernetes who want Jenkins pipelines containerized. Works well when you’re comfortable with cloud-native tooling and need consultants who can work alongside your platform engineers.
Good match if you’re evaluating whether to modernize Jenkins or move to different tooling, and want technical depth on multiple paths forward.
Xebia
What they’re generally known for
DevOps transformation programs in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands, UK, and Nordics. Xebia has worked with Jenkins for over a decade, often in financial services and telecom.
They handle Jenkins migrations from on-premises to cloud, pipeline standardization across enterprise teams, and operational training for platform groups inheriting Jenkins estates.
How they typically approach Jenkins work
Xebia audits existing Jenkins setups and identifies improvement opportunities—plugin management, job templates, pipeline-as-code standards. They help consolidate Jenkins masters, migrate to Jenkins Configuration as Code (JCasC), and establish shared pipeline libraries.
Their engagements include training internal teams on Jenkins best practices, setting up backup and disaster recovery, and integrating Jenkins with enterprise ITSM tools like ServiceNow.
Where they tend to be a good fit
European enterprises with substantial Jenkins estates. Works well when you have multiple teams using Jenkins with varying approaches and need centralized governance while preserving team autonomy.
Good fit if you’re migrating Jenkins to cloud providers while maintaining coexistence with on-premises infrastructure during transition.
Valtech
What they’re generally known for
Digital transformation and application modernization, primarily for retail, media, and consumer-facing brands. Valtech handles Jenkins in the context of modernizing legacy application delivery pipelines.
They work with companies updating monolithic build systems with containerized pipelines, often as part of broader moves to microservices and cloud platforms.
How they typically approach Jenkins work
Valtech treats Jenkins as part of application lifecycle tooling. Engagements focus on integrating Jenkins with source control, artifact repositories, and deployment automation tools.
They rebuild Jenkins pipelines to support trunk-based development, implement automated testing gates, and design deployment workflows that work across environments. They also handle Jenkins plugin management and version control for pipeline scripts.
Where they tend to be a good fit
Companies modernizing customer-facing applications where Jenkins is one component of a larger delivery toolchain. Works well when you need Jenkins integrated with Kubernetes, cloud platforms, and modern artifact management.
Good match if you’re refactoring monolithic applications and need CI/CD pipelines that support incremental migration.
Endava
What they’re generally known for
Software engineering services and platform modernization for financial services, payments, and healthcare. Endava works with heavily regulated industries where Jenkins stability and audit compliance are priorities.
They handle Jenkins in environments with strict change control, air-gapped networks, and complex approval workflows.
How they typically approach Jenkins work
Endava designs Jenkins topologies that meet compliance requirements—role-based access control, job approval workflows, and build artifact signing. They integrate Jenkins with enterprise identity providers and help ensure pipeline logs meet regulatory standards.
Their work includes stabilizing Jenkins masters under high load, tuning garbage collection for JVM-based Jenkins controllers, and designing disaster recovery procedures that satisfy audit requirements.
Where they tend to be a good fit
Regulated industries where Jenkins must meet compliance standards. Works well when you need Jenkins pipelines documented for auditors, with clear separation of duties and approval gates.
Good fit if you’re running Jenkins in hybrid or air-gapped environments where connectivity to cloud services is limited or restricted.
Globant
What they’re generally known for
Software development and DevOps services at scale, often for SaaS companies and digital-first enterprises. Globant handles Jenkins in environments where multiple distributed teams need standardized CI/CD tooling.
They work on Jenkins pipeline templates, shared libraries, and operational patterns that scale across geographies.
How they typically approach Jenkins work
Globant builds Jenkins systems designed for team autonomy—standard pipeline templates that teams customize, metric instrumentation for build performance, and operational runbooks that work across time zones.
Their engagements include migrating Jenkins jobs from freestyle to declarative pipelines, implementing secrets management using tools like HashiCorp Vault, and setting up Jenkins agents that autoscale based on build demand.
Where they tend to be a good fit
Companies with engineering teams spread across regions. Works well when you need Jenkins standardized while avoiding bottlenecks in central platform teams.
Good match if you’re scaling engineering headcount and need Jenkins operational patterns that support growth.
Cognizant
What they’re generally known for
Enterprise IT services and application management, primarily for Fortune 500 companies. Cognizant maintains Jenkins estates as part of managed DevOps services, often in industries like insurance, banking, and manufacturing.
They handle Jenkins in environments where the tool is treated as critical infrastructure.
How they typically approach Jenkins work
Cognizant focuses on operational stability—monitoring Jenkins uptime, managing plugin updates, handling security patches, and providing support for pipeline issues. They also migrate Jenkins workloads between data centers and cloud providers.
Their work includes standardizing Jenkins configurations across subsidiaries after mergers, documenting institutional knowledge, and training internal teams to take over Jenkins operations.
Where they tend to be a good fit
Large enterprises that need managed Jenkins services with SLAs. Works well when Jenkins runs business-critical builds and you want vendor accountability for uptime.
Good fit if you’re consolidating Jenkins instances after acquisitions and need operational continuity during transitions.
Publicis Sapient
What they’re generally known for
Digital business transformation for retail, automotive, and financial services. Publicis Sapient handles Jenkins as part of broader moves to agile delivery models and cloud platforms.
They work with companies where Jenkins supports customer-facing applications and delivery speed directly impacts business outcomes.
How they typically approach Jenkins work
Publicis Sapient redesigns Jenkins pipelines to reduce lead time—parallelizing builds, implementing caching strategies, and optimizing test stages. They integrate Jenkins with feature management tools and deployment automation platforms.
Their engagements include training product teams on CI/CD concepts, establishing metrics for build performance, and designing Jenkins workflows that support continuous deployment to production.
Where they tend to be a good fit
Companies where Jenkins directly supports product velocity. Works well when you need Jenkins pipelines optimized for speed and integrated with product delivery workflows.
Good match if you’re moving toward continuous deployment and need Jenkins to support frequent production releases.
Thoughtworks
What they’re generally known for
Technology strategy and software delivery, particularly around developer experience and engineering effectiveness. Thoughtworks addresses Jenkins in the context of improving build times, reducing pipeline complexity, and developer productivity.
They position themselves as tool-agnostic advisors, often helping teams evaluate whether Jenkins still fits their needs.
How they typically approach Jenkins work
Thoughtworks audits Jenkins usage through the lens of developer experience—measuring build wait times, identifying bottlenecks, and reducing toil. They redesign Jenkins pipelines to give developers faster feedback and clearer failure signals.
Their work includes establishing metrics for CI/CD effectiveness, training teams on trunk-based development with Jenkins, and evaluating whether Jenkins aligns with long-term strategy.
Where they tend to be a good fit
Companies focused on engineering effectiveness and developer productivity. Works well when you want honest assessment of whether Jenkins serves your needs well, not just Jenkins optimization.
Good fit if you care about build time as a developer experience metric and want pipelines designed around fast feedback loops.
Common Jenkins Consulting Engagement Models
Most Jenkins engagements fall into three categories.
Advisory work involves auditing your Jenkins setup, documenting technical debt, and recommending improvements. Consultants analyze plugin usage, pipeline complexity, and operational patterns. They deliver reports and roadmaps. Your team implements the changes.
Hands-on delivery means consultants rewrite pipelines, migrate Jenkins to new infrastructure, and configure plugins. They work alongside your engineers, pairing on complex scripts and transferring knowledge as they build. Expect 8-16 weeks of active engineering time.
Enablement programs focus on training your team. Consultants run workshops on Jenkins best practices, help teams adopt pipeline-as-code, and establish operational playbooks. The goal is internal capability building.
Most engagements combine elements of all three. The ratio depends on your team’s existing Jenkins knowledge and available capacity.
Mistakes Teams Make with Jenkins
One common challenge is treating Jenkins as infrastructure you set up once without ongoing attention. Jenkins benefits from regular maintenance—plugin updates, security patches, performance tuning. Teams that defer this work sometimes face fragile systems.
Over-customization creates another complexity layer. Teams write custom Groovy code for edge cases, build elaborate shared libraries, and create complex plugin chains. When the original authors leave, institutional knowledge gaps appear. Simpler Jenkins configurations tend to age better.
Teams also sometimes underestimate the operational requirements. Jenkins needs monitoring, backup procedures, disaster recovery plans, and on-call coverage. Understanding these requirements upfront helps with tool selection decisions.
Finally, some teams engage consultants to improve Jenkins without planning for knowledge retention. When consultants leave, technical debt can accumulate again. Building internal Jenkins expertise or planning tool transitions both work—the key is intentional capability planning.
FAQs for Engineering Leaders
Should we modernize Jenkins or replace it?
This depends on what runs on Jenkins and migration costs. If you have hundreds of pipelines with complex build logic, modernizing Jenkins in place is often more practical and lower-risk. If you have simpler pipelines and fewer regulatory constraints, newer tools like GitHub Actions or GitLab CI/CD may offer operational advantages.
Key questions: does our team have capacity to rewrite pipelines? Do we need features Jenkins lacks? Are we constrained by compliance requirements? These answers guide the decision.
How long does a serious Jenkins cleanup take?
For a mid-sized Jenkins estate—50-200 jobs across 5-10 teams—expect 10-16 weeks. That includes auditing existing pipelines, migrating to declarative syntax, establishing shared libraries, and training teams.
Large enterprises with thousands of jobs typically need 6-12 months, often phased by team or business unit. Scope and organizational complexity drive timeline.
What skills should we retain in-house?
At minimum: one person who understands Jenkins plugin architecture, can debug Groovy scripts, and knows JVM performance tuning. Ideally, platform engineers who treat Jenkins as production infrastructure.
If retaining that expertise proves difficult, planning for migration or contracted ongoing support both represent viable paths. Jenkins requires sustained operational attention.
Do we need consultants if we’re planning to replace Jenkins anyway?
Sometimes. Consultants help with migration planning—inventorying what actually runs on Jenkins, identifying dependencies, and designing phased cutover strategies. They also help keep Jenkins stable while you build replacement pipelines.
The timing matters. If replacement happens within six months, deep Jenkins modernization may not be warranted. If migration will take 18+ months, Jenkins reliability during transition becomes more important.
Can Jenkins handle modern cloud-native workloads?
Yes, with appropriate configuration. Jenkins runs on Kubernetes using dynamic agents. It integrates with container registries, supports Docker and Kaniko builds, and works with GitOps tooling.
The consideration is operational complexity. Jenkins requires more operational attention than some newer CI/CD platforms. If you have platform engineers willing to maintain it, Jenkins works well. If operational simplicity is a priority, alternatives may fit.
Closing Perspective
There’s no universally optimal Jenkins consultant. Xebia brings European enterprise experience. Cognizant offers managed services. InfraCloud focuses on cloud-native modernization. Thoughtworks emphasizes developer experience. Your context drives the decision.
Jenkins isn’t the newest tool, but it remains viable when handled appropriately. It works well in environments with complex build requirements, regulatory constraints, or substantial accumulated pipeline logic where rewriting carries risk.
If you’re inheriting Jenkins, stabilization comes first. If you’re scaling Jenkins, standardization helps. If you’re modernizing Jenkins, understanding why you’re not replacing it clarifies the approach.
Consultants accelerate these outcomes. They complement but don’t replace the need for internal ownership. The goal of any engagement should be increased internal capability. That’s the success measure.