Introduction
# Jira
Natural language interaction with Jira. Supports multiple backends.
## Backend Detection
**Run this check first** to determine which backend to use:
``` 1. Check if jira CLI is available: → Run: which jira → If found: USE CLI BACKEND
2. If no CLI, check for Atlassian MCP: → Look for mcp__atlassian__* tools → If available: USE MCP BACKEND
3. If neither available: → GUIDE USER TO SETUP ```
| Backend | When to Use | Reference | |---------|-------------|-----------| | **CLI** | `jira` command available | `references/commands.md` | | **MCP** | Atlassian MCP tools available | `references/mcp.md` | | **None** | Neither available | Guide to install CLI |
---
## Quick Reference (CLI)
> Skip this section if using MCP backend.
| Intent | Command | |--------|---------| | View issue | `jira issue view ISSUE-KEY` | | List my issues | `jira issue list -a$(jira me)` | | My in-progress | `jira issue list -a$(jira me) -s"In Progress"` | | Create issue | `jira issue create -tType -s"Summary" -b"Description"` | | Move/transition | `jira issue move ISSUE-KEY "State"` | | Assign to me | `jira issue assign ISSUE-KEY $(jira me)` | | Unassign | `jira issue assign ISSUE-KEY x` | | Add comment | `jira issue comment add ISSUE-KEY -b"Comment text"` | | Open in browser | `jira open ISSUE-KEY` | | Current sprint | `jira sprint list --state active` | | Who am I | `jira me` |
---
## Quick Reference (MCP)
> Skip this section if using CLI backend.
| Intent | MCP Tool | |--------|----------| | Search issues | `mcp__atlassian__searchJiraIssuesUsingJql` | | View issue | `mcp__atlassian__getJiraIssue` | | Create issue | `mcp__atlassian__createJiraIssue` | | Update issue | `mcp__atlassian__editJiraIssue` | | Get transitions | `mcp__atlassian__getTransitionsForJiraIssue` | | Transition | `mcp__atlassian__transitionJiraIssue` | | Add comment | `mcp__atlassian__addCommentToJiraIssue` | | User lookup | `mcp__atlassian__lookupJiraAccountId` | | List projects | `mcp__atlassian__getVisibleJiraProjects` |
See `references/mcp.md` for full MCP patterns.
---
## Triggers
- "create a jira ticket" - "show me PROJ-123" - "list my tickets" - "move ticket to done" - "what's in the current sprint"
---
## Issue Key Detection
Issue keys follow the pattern: `[A-Z]+-[0-9]+` (e.g., PROJ-123, ABC-1).
When a user mentions an issue key in conversation: - **CLI:** `jira issue view KEY` or `jira open KEY` - **MCP:** `mcp__atlassian__jira_get_issue` with the key
---
## Workflow
**Creating tickets:** 1. Research context if user references code/tickets/PRs 2. Draft ticket content 3. Review with user 4. Create using appropriate backend
**Updating tickets:** 1. Fetch issue details first 2. Check status (careful with in-progress tickets) 3. Show current vs proposed changes 4. Get approval before updating 5. Add comment explaining changes
---
## Before Any Operation
Ask yourself:
1. **What's the current state?** — Always fetch the issue first. Don't assume status, assignee, or fields are what user thinks they are.
2. **Who else is affected?** — Check watchers, linked issues, parent epics. A "simple edit" might notify 10 people.
3. **Is this reversible?** — Transitions may have one-way gates. Some workflows require intermediate states. Description edits have no undo.
4. **Do I have the right identifiers?** — Issue keys, transition IDs, account IDs. Display names don't work for assignment (MCP).
---
## NEVER
- **NEVER transition without fetching current status** — Workflows may require intermediate states. "To Do" → "Done" might fail silently if "In Progress" is required first.
- **NEVER assign using display name (MCP)** — Only account IDs work. Always call `lookupJiraAccountId` first, or assignment silently fails.
- **NEVER edit description without showing original** — Jira has no undo. User must see what they're replacing.
- **NEVER use `--no-input` without all required fields (CLI)** — Fails silently with cryptic errors. Check project's required fields first.
- **NEVER assume transition names are universal** — "Done", "Closed", "Complete" vary by project. Always get available transitions first.
- **NEVER bulk-modify without explicit approval** — Each ticket change notifies watchers. 10 edits = 10 notification storms.
---
## Safety
- Always show the command/tool call before running it - Always get approval before modifying tickets - Preserve original information when editing - Verify updates after applying - Always surface authentication issues clearly so the user can resolve them
---
## No Backend Available
If neither CLI nor MCP is available, guide the user:
``` To use Jira, you need one of:
1. **jira CLI** (recommended): https://github.com/ankitpokhrel/jira-cli
Install: brew install ankitpokhrel/jira-cli/jira-cli Setup: jira init
2. **Atlassian MCP**: Configure in your MCP settings with Atlassian credentials. ```
---
## Deep Dive
**LOAD reference when:** - Creating issues with complex fields or multi-line content - Building JQL queries beyond simple filters - Troubleshooting errors or authentication issues - Working with transitions, linking, or sprints
**Do NOT load reference for:** - Simple view/list operations (Quick Reference above is sufficient) - Basic status checks (`jira issue view KEY`) - Opening issues in browser
| Task | Load Reference? | |------|-----------------| | View single issue | No | | List my tickets | No | | Create with description | **Yes** — CLI needs `/tmp` pattern | | Transition issue | **Yes** — need transition ID workflow | | JQL search | **Yes** — for complex queries | | Link issues | **Yes** — MCP limitation, need script |
References: - CLI patterns: `references/commands.md` - MCP patterns: `references/mcp.md`