Multibranch Pipeline Parameterization

A Jenkins plugin that adds UI-defined build parameters to Multibranch Pipeline jobs.

Jenkins Multibranch Pipelines dynamically create branch jobs on each index scan and overwrite their configurations, wiping out any manually added parameters. The only supported way to define parameters is inside the Jenkinsfile:

pipeline {
    parameters {
        string(name: 'DEPLOY_ENV', defaultValue: 'staging')
    }
    ...
}

This has drawbacks:

• Parameters are developer-controlled and scattered across branches
• Ops teams can't centrally manage deployment parameters
• Any change requires a commit to every branch

This plugin lets you define parameters once, at the Multibranch folder level, via the Jenkins UI. They are injected into every branch job on each scan and survive rescans.

Parameters injected by the plugin are clearly marked on the Build with Parameters page with a banner: "The parameters below are managed by the Multibranch Pipeline configuration, not the Jenkinsfile."

1. Open your Multibranch Pipeline job → Configure
2. Under Branch Sources, find Property strategy
3. Select All branches get the same properties
4. Click Add property → Branch Parameters
5. Click Add Parameter and configure your parameters
6. Choose a Jenkinsfile parameter policy (see below)
7. Save and trigger a branch index scan

Every branch will now show Build with Parameters with your defined params.

1. Under Property strategy, select Parameterized Branch Strategy
2. Choose a Filter mode:
   • All branches — same as Option A
   • Only branches matching pattern — regex include list
   • All branches except those matching pattern — regex exclude list
3. Enter a Branch name pattern (Java regex), e.g.:
   • main|develop — only those two branches
   • release/.* — all release branches
   • feature/.* — all feature branches
4. Add parameters, choose a policy, and save

Controls what happens when a branch's Jenkinsfile also defines parameters via properties([parameters([...])]).

Note: No policy can prevent a running Jenkinsfile from calling properties() and overwriting parameters at build time — that happens inside the pipeline execution. The plugin operates exclusively at scan time.

On the Build with Parameters page, plugin-injected parameters are preceded by a labelled banner so it is always clear which parameters are centrally managed:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  📋  MULTIBRANCH PIPELINE CONFIGURATION                  │
│  The parameters below are managed by the Multibranch    │
│  Pipeline configuration, not the Jenkinsfile.           │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
  DEPLOY_ENV   [ staging        ]
  DRY_RUN      [ ☐ ]

All built-in Jenkins parameter types work out of the box:

• String Parameter
• Boolean Parameter
• Choice Parameter
• Password Parameter
• File Parameter
• Run Parameter
• Multi-line String Parameter

Third-party parameter plugins (e.g., Extended Choice Parameter, Git Parameter) are also automatically available in the Add Parameter dropdown.

The plugin integrates natively with the Job DSL plugin via Dynamic DSL — no extra configuration required. Use the branchSource {} block (singular) inside branchSources {} to co-locate the SCM source and the branch strategy in one entry.

Use parameterizedBranchStrategy in all cases — set filterMode('ALL') to apply parameters to every branch, or filterMode('INCLUDE_PATTERN') / filterMode('EXCLUDE_PATTERN') to target specific branches by regex.

multibranchPipelineJob('my-service') {
  branchSources {
    branchSource {
      source {
        git {
          id('my-repo')
          remote('https://github.com/example/my-service.git')
        }
      }
      strategy {
        parameterizedBranchStrategy {
          filterMode('ALL')
          parameterPolicy('REPLACE')
          parameterDefinitions {
            stringParam {
              name('DEPLOY_ENV')
              defaultValue('staging')
              description('Target environment')
            }
            booleanParam {
              name('DRY_RUN')
              defaultValue(false)
              description('Skip deployment')
            }
            choiceParam {
              name('REGION')
              choices(['eu-west-1', 'us-east-1', 'ap-southeast-1'])
              description('AWS region')
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

multibranchPipelineJob('my-service') {
  branchSources {
    branchSource {
      source {
        git {
          id('my-repo')
          remote('https://github.com/example/my-service.git')
        }
      }
      strategy {
        parameterizedBranchStrategy {
          filterMode('INCLUDE_PATTERN')
          branchPattern('main|develop|release/.*')
          parameterPolicy('REPLACE')
          parameterDefinitions {
            stringParam {
              name('DEPLOY_ENV')
              defaultValue('staging')
              description('Target environment')
            }
            booleanParam {
              name('DRY_RUN')
              defaultValue(false)
              description('Skip deployment')
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Valid filterMode values: ALL, INCLUDE_PATTERN, EXCLUDE_PATTERN.
Valid parameterPolicy values: REPLACE, MERGE_PLUGIN_WINS, MERGE_JENKINSFILE_WINS, SKIP_IF_JENKINSFILE.

# Run all tests
mvn test

# Start a local Jenkins with the plugin pre-installed
mvn hpi:run
# Then open http://localhost:8080/jenkins

ParameterizedBranchProperty          (extends BranchProperty)
│  ├── jobDecorator()                 ← called by Branch API on every scan
│  │    └── jobProperties()           ← injects ParametersDefinitionProperty
│  └── DescriptorImpl                 ← registers with Jenkins, provides UI
│
ParameterizedBranchPropertyStrategy  (extends BranchPropertyStrategy)
│  ├── getPropertiesFor(SCMHead)      ← decides which branches get params
│  └── DescriptorImpl
│
ParameterPolicy                       (enum: REPLACE / MERGE / SKIP_IF_JENKINSFILE)
MultiBranchHeaderParameter            (visual marker on Build with Parameters page)
config.jelly (×2)                     ← Jelly UI for Configure page

Pull requests are welcome. Please add tests for any new behaviour and run mvn checkstyle:check before submitting.

MIT