Jenkins pipeline git command submodule update

Question

I want to update submodule on git clone.

Is there a way to do this with Jenkins pipeline Git command?

Currently I'm doing this...

git branch: 'master',
    credentialsId: 'bitbucket',
    url: 'ssh://bitbucket.org/hello.git'

It doesn't however update submodule once cloned

Answer 1

With the current Git plugin, you don't even need that.

The Git plugin supports repositories with submodules which in turn have submodules themselves.
This must be turned on though:

in Job Configuration -> Section Source Code Management, Git -> Advanced Button (under Branches to build) -> Recursively update submodules

But the OP is using pipeline.

So a simple first build step is enough:

git submodule update --init --recursive

However, the OP adds:

Yes but if I'm using sh 'git submodule update --init --recursive', this will use $HOME/id_rsa right? I want to pass in my private key for this command if possible.

It is possible: In the Pipeline syntax, you can define environment variables.
Which means you can set GIT_SSH_COMMAND (with Git 2.10+).
That allows you to reference your own private key.

pipeline {
    agent any

    environment {
        GIT_SSH_COMMAND = 'ssh -i /path/to/my/private/key'
    }

    stages {
        stage('Build') {
            steps {
                sh 'printenv'
                sh 'git submodule update --init --recursive'
            }
        }
    }
} 

If any clone involve an ssh url, that ssh clone will use the right private key.

---

Note that sancelot points out in the comments:

unfortunately this does not work: JENKINS-38860

The error reported above:

FATAL: Command "git config --get submodule.MySubModule.url" 
returned status code 1

Occurs for me whenever you have nested submodules.

Consider a scenario in which repo A contains submodule B, which contains submodule C.

If "Advanced submodule behaviour" with "Recursively update submodules" is not enabled, Jenkins will clone A, checkout/clone B, and fail to initialise/clone C.
This is probably expected behaviour.

If you enable "Recursively update submodules", you get the error:

FATAL: Command "git config --get submodule.C.url"
returned status code 1