Answers: <p>Installing it as a tool allows Jenkins to manage the binary and ensure it's available for your build while also providing supporting pipeline syntax <code>withEnv()</code>. Having an agent with the binary allows you to shell out and run your commands using <code>sh</code> without <code>withEnv()</code>. It also allows you to decide where these binaries come from depending on your agent type (<em>static, vm, container, pod</em>).</p>
  
  <p>Personally, I prefer the latter because I can control the updating of said binaries on the agent in a more automated fashion.</p>
  
Answers: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers: 2019-05-20T18:30:47.123Z
Answers: 2019-05-20T18:30:47.123Z
Answers: casey vega
Body: <p>What is the difference between using maven as a tool versus having a slave that has maven installed? </p>
  
  <p>I am using Jenkins on OCP and it came with a slave image for maven and not setup as a tool. I now need to install gradle and I am wondering if I should add it as a tool or make a slave with it installed.</p>
  
Tags: <jenkins><gradle>
Title: Jenkins Tool vs Slave local tool
UserDisplayName: ssc327
ThreadText: # Jenkins Tool vs Slave local tool
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2019-05-13)
  
  What is the difference between using maven as a tool versus having a slave that has maven installed?
  
  I am using Jenkins on OCP and it came with a slave image for maven and not setup as a tool. I now need to install gradle and I am wondering if I should add it as a tool or make a slave with it installed.
  
  **Tags:** jenkins, gradle
  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2019-05-20. Score: 1
  
  Installing it as a tool allows Jenkins to manage the binary and ensure it's available for your build while also providing supporting pipeline syntax `withEnv()`. Having an agent with the binary allows you to shell out and run your commands using `sh` without `withEnv()`. It also allows you to decide where these binaries come from depending on your agent type (*static, vm, container, pod*).
  
  Personally, I prefer the latter because I can control the updating of said binaries on the agent in a more automated fashion.
  
  
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