[JENKINS-72450] Support alternate ssh implementations on Windows

We are setting up a new Windows 2021 build node. This build node is connected from our Jenkins server using a ssh connection. This is done by using the "Microsoft OpenSSH Server 9.2.20".

We are Running as scripted Pipeline with the following part:

stage('checkout') {

sh 'which ssh'

bat 'where ssh'

checkout([$class: 'GitSCM', branches: [[name: """$COMMIT"""]], doGenerateSubmoduleConfigurations: false, extensions: [], submoduleCfg: [], userRemoteConfigs: [[credentialsId: 'd7695a83-ac09-4660-8b95-74094f8059a5', url: GIT_URL]]])

// set COMMIT_SHA1 variable with the checked out commit SHA1

COMMIT_SHA1=sh script:'git rev-parse --verify HEAD', returnStdout: true

}

this results in the Error: "ssh executable not found."

15:34:59 [Pipeline] stage

15:34:59 [Pipeline] { (checkout)

15:34:59 [Pipeline] sh

15:35:00 + which ssh

15:35:00 /c/Program Files/OpenSSH/ssh

15:35:00 [Pipeline] bat

15:35:00

15:35:00 oaad\xentcon@​GCDXENTCON31 F:\X.com-CIB>where ssh

15:35:00 C:\Program Files\OpenSSH\ssh.exe

15:35:00 [Pipeline] checkout

15:35:00 The recommended git tool is: NONE

15:35:00 using credential d7695a83-ac09-4660-8b95-74094f8059a5

15:35:00 Fetching changes from the remote Git repository

15:35:00 [Pipeline] }

15:35:00 [Pipeline] // stage

15:35:00 [Pipeline] echo

15:35:00 catch2

15:35:00 [Pipeline] echo

15:35:00 java.lang.RuntimeException: ssh executable not found. The git plugin only supports official git client https://git-scm.com/download/win

This pipeline is running without any problems with no change on an jnlp client Windows.

For me it looks like the git-plugin expects to have an external ssh.exe in the path

C:\Program Files\OpenSSH\ssh.exe

which is definitely available. The PATH in the gitbash is:

PATH=/cmd:/mingw64/bin:/usr/bin:/c/Windows/system32:/c/Windows:/c/Windows/System32/Wbem:/c/Windows/System32/WindowsPowerShell/v1.0:/c/Program Files/OpenSSH:/c/ProgramData/GooGet:/c/Program Files/Google/Compute Engine/metadata_scripts:/c/Program Files (x86)/Google/Cloud SDK/google-cloud-sdk/bin:/c/Program Files/PowerShell/7:/c/Program Files/Google/Compute Engine/sysprep:/cmd:.:/c/JavaInPath/bin:/c/PerlInPath/bin:/c/PerlInPath/site/bin:/c/strawberry/c/bin:/c/CMUtils:/c/PythonInPath:/c/Users/xentcon/AppData/Local/Microsoft/WindowsApps

---
Originally reported by brosmar, imported from: Support alternate ssh implementations on Windows

• assignee: markewaite
  
• status: Open
  
• priority: Minor
  
• component(s): git-client-plugin
  
• resolution: Unresolved
  
• votes: 0
  
• watchers: 3
  
• imported: 20251211-071809
  

Raw content of original issue

We are setting up a new Windows 2021 build node. This build node is connected from our Jenkins server using a ssh connection.  This is done by using the "Microsoft OpenSSH Server 9.2.20". 

We are Running as scripted Pipeline with the following part:



stage('checkout') {

	sh 'which ssh'

	bat 'where ssh'

	checkout([$class: 'GitSCM', branches: [[name: """$COMMIT"""]], doGenerateSubmoduleConfigurations: false, extensions: [], submoduleCfg: [], userRemoteConfigs: [[credentialsId: 'd7695a83-ac09-4660-8b95-74094f8059a5', url: GIT_URL]]])

	// set COMMIT_SHA1 variable with the checked out commit SHA1

	COMMIT_SHA1=sh script:'git rev-parse --verify HEAD', returnStdout: true

}


this results in the Error: "ssh executable not found."




15:34:59  [Pipeline] stage

15:34:59  [Pipeline] { (checkout)

15:34:59  [Pipeline] sh

15:35:00  + which ssh

15:35:00  /c/Program Files/OpenSSH/ssh

15:35:00  [Pipeline] bat

15:35:00  

15:35:00  oaad\xentcon@GCDXENTCON31 F:\X.com-CIB>where ssh 

15:35:00  C:\Program Files\OpenSSH\ssh.exe

15:35:00  [Pipeline] checkout

15:35:00  The recommended git tool is: NONE

15:35:00  using credential d7695a83-ac09-4660-8b95-74094f8059a5

15:35:00  Fetching changes from the remote Git repository

15:35:00  [Pipeline] }

15:35:00  [Pipeline] // stage

15:35:00  [Pipeline] echo

15:35:00  catch2

15:35:00  [Pipeline] echo

15:35:00  java.lang.RuntimeException: ssh executable not found. The git plugin only supports official git client https://git-scm.com/download/win 


This pipeline is running without any problems with no change on an jnlp client Windows. 


For me it looks like the git-plugin expects to have an external ssh.exe in the path

C:\Program Files\OpenSSH\ssh.exe

which is definitely available. The PATH in the gitbash is:


PATH=/cmd:/mingw64/bin:/usr/bin:/c/Windows/system32:/c/Windows:/c/Windows/System32/Wbem:/c/Windows/System32/WindowsPowerShell/v1.0:/c/Program Files/OpenSSH:/c/ProgramData/GooGet:/c/Program Files/Google/Compute Engine/metadata_scripts:/c/Program Files (x86)/Google/Cloud SDK/google-cloud-sdk/bin:/c/Program Files/PowerShell/7:/c/Program Files/Google/Compute Engine/sysprep:/cmd:.:/c/JavaInPath/bin:/c/PerlInPath/bin:/c/PerlInPath/site/bin:/c/strawberry/c/bin:/c/CMUtils:/c/PythonInPath:/c/Users/xentcon/AppData/Local/Microsoft/WindowsApps

environment

```
Jenkins Cloud Bees Server 2.414.3.8 on RedHat.

Git-plugin Version 5.2

Git-client-plugin Version 4.5

Jenkins Node:

OS Name Microsoft Windows Server 2022 Datacenter

Version 10.0.20348 Build 20348

OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation

SSH: Microsoft OpenSSH Server 9.2.20

Git: Git-2.43.0-64-bit (installed without own SSH Support)

```