Git Integration For Jira

Integrating Git with Jira can significantly enhance your development workflow by linking code repositories with your project management. Jira supports Git integration with various Git platforms such as GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and others.

In this article, we'll walk through the process of setting up Git integration for Jira, explain its benefits, and highlight best practices.

What is Git Integration for Jira?

Git Integration for Jira allows you to connect your Git repositories with Jira issues. When integrated, developers can view commit histories, branch details, and pull request information directly within Jira, helping teams track code changes related to specific tasks or issues.

This also helps automate Jira workflows based on Git activity, such as transitioning issues automatically when a pull request is merged.

Key Benefits of Git Integration for Jira

1. Increased Traceability: Developers and project managers can see which Jira issues are linked to specific code changes.
2. Improved Collaboration: Integration encourages better communication between teams by providing more context for code changes.
3. Automation: Automatically update Jira issues based on Git actions, such as transitioning an issue to “In Progress” when a branch is created.
4. Transparency: Visibility into ongoing development directly within Jira, giving project managers insights into the codebase without leaving Jira.

These are the 2 ways to Integrate Git With Jira

Option 1: Using Jira Cloud with Bitbucket, GitHub, or GitLab

Jira Cloud offers native integration with Bitbucket, GitHub, and GitLab, allowing seamless connectivity between your code repositories and Jira projects.

Step 1: Install the Git Integration App (For Jira Cloud)

If you're using Jira Cloud and want to integrate with GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket, you can do so via the built-in Git integration feature. For Jira Server or Data Center, you may need to install an external app such as "Git Integration for Jira."

1. Log into Jira: Navigate to your Jira Cloud instance.
2. Go to Jira Settings: In the lower-left corner of the screen, click on the Jira settings gear icon.
3. Select Products: Click on Products from the left-hand menu, then click on Git repositories under the Integrations section.
4. Connect to Git Provider: Depending on your Git platform, select either GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. Click Connect and follow the on-screen prompts to authenticate and authorize Jira to access your repositories.
5. Select Repositories: Once authorized, choose the repositories you want to link to Jira issues.

Step 2: Link Git Commits and Branches to Jira Issues

After integrating your Git provider with Jira, developers can start linking Git activity to Jira issues.

Linking Commits to Jira Issues

To link a Git commit to a Jira issue, simply include the issue key in the commit message. The issue key is the unique identifier of a Jira issue (e.g., PROJ-123).

Example Commit Message:

git commit -m "PROJ-123: Fixed the bug with form validation"

Jira will automatically detect the issue key in the commit message and associate that commit with the corresponding issue. You will be able to see the commit details under the issue's Development section in Jira.

Linking Branches to Jira Issues

Similarly, you can link branches to Jira issues by including the issue key in the branch name.

Example Branch Name:

git checkout -b feature/PROJ-123-add-new-feature

When the branch is pushed to the repository, Jira will link the branch to the associated issue. This is helpful for tracking work at a high level, directly associating code branches with Jira tasks.

Step 3: View Git Information in Jira Issues

Once the integration is set up and developers start linking commits and branches to Jira issues, the Git information will be displayed directly within the Jira issue view.

• Commits: View a list of commits associated with the issue, including commit messages, author details, and links to the repository.
• Branches: See the branches linked to the issue, including branch names and creation details.
• Pull Requests: Review pull requests related to the issue, including PR status (open, merged, closed) and links to the PR on the Git platform.

Option 2: Using the Git Integration for Jira App (For Jira Server/Data Center)

If you're using Jira Server or Jira Data Center, you may need to install a third-party app like Git Integration for Jira to enable Git repository integration.

Step 1: Install the Git Integration for Jira App

1. Log into Jira as an Admin: You will need administrator access to install apps in Jira.
2. Go to Jira Administration: Click on the Jira settings gear icon and choose Manage apps.
3. Search for Git Integration for Jira: In the Atlassian Marketplace search bar, type "Git Integration for Jira" and find the app provided by BigBrassBand.
4. Install the App: Click on the app and then click Install. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.

Step 2: Configure Git Integration for Jira

Once installed, you will need to configure the app by connecting your Git repositories to Jira.

1. Go to Git Repositories: In the Jira administration section, locate the Git Integration settings.
2. Add Git Repositories: You can add repositories manually by providing the repository URL, or you can connect your Git hosting provider (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, etc.) to Jira.
3. Authenticate and Authorize: Follow the authentication steps to allow Jira access to your repositories.

Step 3: Linking Git Activity with Jira Issues

Similar to Jira Cloud, you can link Git commits and branches to Jira issues by including the Jira issue key in commit messages and branch names. The Git Integration for Jira app will automatically detect and link the activity to the corresponding issues.

Step 4: View Git Data in Jira Issues

Once integrated, you’ll see a Git Commits or Development panel within each Jira issue, displaying all the associated commits, branches, and pull requests. This enables easy tracking of development progress related to specific issues.

Automating Workflows with Git Integration

By integrating Git with Jira, you can automate parts of your Jira workflow based on Git activity. For example:

• Auto-transition Issues: You can configure Jira to automatically transition an issue to a new status when a branch is created or a pull request is merged.
• Closing Issues on Merge: By including specific keywords (e.g., fixes PROJ-123) in your commit messages or pull requests, you can automatically close Jira issues when the related code is merged.

Example of Closing Issues Automatically:

In your pull request or commit message, include:

fixes PROJ-123

When the pull request is merged, Jira will automatically transition the issue PROJ-123 to "Done."

Best Practices for Git Integration with Jira

1. Use Consistent Naming Conventions: Ensure that your team follows consistent conventions for branch names, commit messages, and pull requests that include the relevant Jira issue key.
2. Automate Workflow Transitions: Use the automation features available in Jira to transition issues automatically based on Git activity.
3. Monitor Integration Health: Periodically check that your Git integration is functioning correctly. Broken links between Jira and Git repositories can cause missed updates and confusion in tracking progress.
4. Review Security Settings: Ensure that access to your Git repositories is secure and properly configured in Jira. Limit access to sensitive repositories and review permissions regularly.
5. Utilize Pull Requests for Code Review: Encourage your team to use pull requests for code reviews and link them to Jira issues.