Jira (software)

Jira
Company type	Proprietary software
Industry	Software, Project management
Founded	2002; 24 years ago
Founder	Atlassian
Products	Jira Software, Jira Service Management, Jira Align
Owner	Atlassian
Website	www.atlassian.com/software/jira

Jira () is a software application created by Atlassian that specializes in bug tracking, issue management, and agile project coordination. It caters to a wide range of functions including project oversight, time tracking, requirements management, task handling, defect tracking, change control, code review, testing, release management, and sprint planning, serving an extensive international clientele.

Naming

The term originates from the middle syllables of the Japanese word Gojira (Godzilla), which was a nickname Atlassian developers adopted for Bugzilla, the earlier bug-tracking system they used internally.

Description

Atlassian promotes Jira as an all-encompassing solution for issue tracking and project management. Prominent users of Jira include Fedora Commons, Hibernate (framework), and the Apache Software Foundation, which utilizes both Jira and Bugzilla. Jira also supports seamless migration from alternative tools like Bugzilla.

Jira is offered in three primary editions:

Jira Software – the core product featuring agile project management capabilities (previously known as Jira Agile).
Jira Service Management – tailored for IT operations teams and business service desks.
Jira Align – aimed at strategic portfolio and product management.

Built with Java, Jira employs the Pico inversion of control container, Apache OFBiz entity engine, and WebWork 1 framework. It enables remote procedure calls through REST, SOAP, and XML-RPC protocols. The platform integrates with various version control systems such as Clearcase, CVS, Git, Mercurial, Perforce, Subversion, and Team Foundation Server. Supported languages include English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.

Additionally, Jira implements the Networked Help Desk API to facilitate sharing customer support tickets across different issue tracking platforms.

License

Jira is a commercial software product available either via on-premises licensing or as a cloud-hosted service. Originally released as open source software, it later shifted to a proprietary model that underpins Atlassian’s commercial operations.

Atlassian provides free access to Jira for eligible open source initiatives and certain non-commercial or nonprofit entities. The complete source code is obtainable under a developer source license permitting customization.

Security

In April 2010, a cross-site scripting vulnerability affected Jira, compromising two servers operated by the Apache Software Foundation and exposing an unsalted password database susceptible to attack. Apache recommended users update their passwords promptly. Atlassian was also targeted during this incident; a legacy database containing plaintext passwords was breached.

Evolution

Since its introduction in 2002 as an issue tracking tool for software developers, Jira has grown into a versatile project management platform across various sectors. The launch of Atlassian Marketplace in 2012 enabled third-party developers to distribute project management add-ons, boosting Jira’s adoption significantly. Notable Marketplace plugins include BigPicture, Scriptrunner, Advanced Roadmaps (formerly Portfolio), Structure, Tempo Planner, and ActivityTimeline—all of which enhance Jira’s project management functionality.

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