Example of a script for backing up Jenkins config in git.

jenkins-git-backup.sh

#!/bin/bash -ex
#

# Copies certain kinds of known files and directories from a given Jenkins master directory
# into a git repo, removing any old ones, adds 'em, commits 'em, pushes 'em.
#
if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
  echo usage: $0 jenkins_root_dir jenkins_master
  exit 1
fi

ROOT_DIR=/var/backup/jenkins
JENKINS_MASTER=ctrlaltreboot
GIT_SERVER=
ORIG_DIR=$PWD

mkdir -p $ROOT_DIR && cd $ROOT_DIR
rm -rf *-jenkins-git

git clone git@${GIT_SERVER}:${JENKINS_MASTER}-jenkins-git.git

cd $ROOT_DIR/${JENKINS_MASTER}-jenkins-git

rsync-nv() {
  IGNOREEXIT=24
  IGNOREOUT='^(file has vanished: |rsync warning: some files vanished before they could be transferred)'

  set -o pipefail

  rsync "${@}" 2>&1 | (egrep -v "$IGNOREOUT" || true)
  ret=$?

  if [[ $ret == $IGNOREEXIT ]]; then
    ret=0
  fi

  exit $ret
}

# rsync-nv (rsync-no-vanished) is just a wrapper making sure rsync doesn't fail on vanished files during the process.
# Jenkins master is in a subdirectory of /var/lib/jenkins.
rsync-nv -av --delete --exclude="jobConfigHistory" \
    --exclude="war" \
    --exclude="config-history" \
    --exclude=".hudson" \
    --exclude=".ivy2" \
    --exclude=".m2" \
    --exclude="lost+found" \
    --include="*/" \
    --include="*config.xml" \
    --include="users/*" \
    --include="*.hpi" \
    --include="*.jpi" \
    --include="*pinned" \
    --include="*disabled" \
    --exclude="*" \
    --prune-empty-dirs /var/lib/jenkins/${JENKINS_MASTER}/ .

[[ -d /var/lib/jenkins/${JENKINS_MASTER}/scriptler ]] && rsync-nv -av --delete /var/lib/jenkins/${JENKINS_MASTER}/scriptler .
[[ -d /var/lib/jenkins/${JENKINS_MASTER}/secrets ]] && rsync-nv -av --delete /var/lib/jenkins/${JENKINS_MASTER}/secrets .
cp /var/lib/jenkins/${JENKINS_MASTER}/*.xml .
cp /var/lib/jenkins/${JENKINS_MASTER}/*.key .

git add -A
git commit -m "Jenkins ${JENKINS_MASTER} config backup for $(date)"
git push origin master