Sprint management permissions

The new Sprint permissions give the team - and not just the project administrators - the ability to organize sprints themselves. Instead of following strict processes, the responsibility and actions are in the hands of the team.

Flag and comment in one action

Flagging and commenting in Jira Software has been merged to a single action, ensuring users know why a task is flagged. Right click on a task, then on "Add flag and comment". The comment automatically appears in the comment section. To remove a flag, use the option "Remove flag and comment".

New Epic list selection

To declutter the list, completed epics or epics in another project are no longer listed in the Epic list. The option to display completed epics is available if you want to assign a ticket to one.

Easy introduction

To help first-time users of Jira Software, Atlassian provides a new streamlined instance. The user has the option to create a new project, create an instance with demo data, or import data from another ticket system. When creating a new project, the Project Creation Wizard steps the user through the available options.

Project issue view

The new "project issue view" lets you see the details of an issue from within a project, without losing the project sidebar.

New linked issue

Create New Linked Issue allows you to create a new issue with the same summary and description, in another project, and it is automatically linked to your current issue. You can then link this issue to other issue when needed, and choose to include attachments and links.

Project sidebar

Navigation is now with the project sidebar instead of the Agile menus. You backlogs, sprints, and reports are all accessible from the sidebar. This simplifies the project manager's process of switching between backlogs and reports, and keeping an eye on priority and active issues. The project manager can return to the Release Hub with one click and track the status of the project.

The icons change depending on the type of project: Scrum boards include links to active sprints; Kanban projects include links to Kanban boards. The sidebar provides shortcuts to everything you need in a project.

Flexible integration options on the sidebar

You can integrate other tools in two ways: in the Release Hub and in the Project Shortcuts.

The Release Hub is a dashboard that integrates with development tools, for example Bitbucket (formerly Stash) and Bamboo. Commit, build, and pull-request information is shown in the Release Hub. Click on Releases in the sidebar to access the Release Hub.

You can add any links to the sidebar shortcuts, for example, from an intranet repository to third party application links with no back-end integration.

Project templates for business teams

Three business templates are included in Jira Core that can be tailored to suit a specific team or corporate requirements.

• Task management: for the creation and resolution of simple tasks
• Project management: to organize larger structured projects.
• Process management: to handle repetitive tasks within the company, for example in Human Resources or Order Processing.

Sidebar navigation

The sidebar is designed for business projects, allowing users to keep an eye on the progress of all their projects. Users can access status information and comments, and can navigate to personalized shortcuts to third-party applications and/or websites.

HipChat integration

Jira projects can be linked with HipChat rooms allowing project information to be automatically broadcast to the team (status updates, issue transitions, etc.) It's easy to configure what information is automatically broadcast with just a few clicks.

Release Hub

The Versions page has been completely redesigned. The Release Hub displays information from Jira and integrated development tools to simplify release management.

Project managers don't have to dig through issues, commits and pull requests to check the progress of their release, spot problems, or determine what is likely to ship, all at a glance.

Workflow validation

Jira 6.4 includes a workflow validator, ensuring that when you create or import a workflow that all statuses have transitions. This is particularly helpful for large and complex workflows.

New sidebar preview

The new sidebar in Jira helps users access project information as quickly and directly as possible. It is particularly efficient when using Jira Agile. The sidebar includes project shortcuts: which can include links to online resources, shared by all users who have access to the project.

Disaster Recovery for Jira Data Center

For large companies where Jira is a mission-critical application, Atlassian offers a high availability clustered deployment in a data center. With Jira Data Center 6.4, customers can configure a cold single or multi node standby site in a geographically separate location. This ensures Jira is continuously available even in the event of a major infrastructure failure.

Automatic issue transitions

Jira 6.3 raises smart commits to a new level. When a developer initiates a pull request or a code review, Jira automatically updates the status of the issue. The new trigger workflow component can be used by teams to automatically update issues as work progresses. Smart commits work together with automatic transitions to automate timesheets, comments and other elements.

Improved Agile reporting

Included in Jira 6.3 is the new version of Jira Agile (formerly GreenHopper). This version of Jira Agile includes new reports to simplify the interpretation of agile metrics. Jira doesn't simply track tasks, but learns how teams plan, develop and deliver projects. Three updates reports are included in Jira Agile: Release Burndown, Epic Burndown, and the Control Chart.

The Release and Epic Burndown diagrams make it easy to evaluate work progress over time. Teams can see the finished work or removed issues, and can better predict when the release or epic will be finished.

Use the Control Chart to monitor the workflow through the team, to detect where bottlenecks occur and improve the velocity of the team. The Control Chart enables you to make better estimates and more accurately predict deliveries.

Easily create new issues in sprints

Jira customers asked to be able to create issues from wherever they are, at any moment. Issues can now be created in-line from within the Scrum board, useful when the team is in sprint planning meetings where new issues are best captured immediately. With in-line issue creation, tasks can be clearly defined. New issues can be added to current or future sprints.

Development panel

Jira 6.2 introduces the development panel, which is displayed on the View Issue screen or Detail View in Jira Agile. Here the code lifecycle can be followed: branches, pull requests, code reviews, builds and deployments. Jira integrates with many popular Git solutions - including Stash and Bitbucket - but also with Mercurial, Subversion and Perforce.

Auditing

Jira 6.2 tracks a range of activities in an audit log. Customers can see when a user is added or removed, or when someone has modified a workflow. Although the audit logs do not register every single event in Jira, configuration changes that affect users and projects are logged. This can help you diagnose problems or security issues.

New status indicators

In Jira 6.2, colored status indicators have replaced the previous combination of icon plus text, making it easier to see the status of an issue. They are designed as per the Atlassian Style Guide.

Simplified workflow designer

Jira 6.2 helps administrators configure tailored workflow for each team now that the workflow designer us available within each project. For each transition, you can set a specific workflow. You can still reuse workflows in other projects and issue types, however the impact of each change is easier to see: Jira displays the issues types and projects that are impacted by or which will inherit a change to a specific workflow.

Simple issue type configuration

In Jira 6.2, it's simpler to configure issue types: Issue types associated with a project are now tabs on the project administration screen. Each tab allows direct access to the workflow designer and screen designer so you can configure an issue type without leaving the project.

Creator of an issue is automatically recorded

The creator of an issue is now automatically recorded. It is particularly useful to know who has created an issue for compliance reasons. The creator is distinct from the reporter (which can be configured as in previous versions to be an optional field). When upgrading to Jira 6.2, the creator is set to be the reporter in all existing issues.

New workflow designer

The new workflow designer is fast, modern and easy to use. Based on HTML5, the newest HTML version, it loads instantly and is extremely responsive. The Jira team have delivered features that make it significantly easier for administrators to build workflows - design in full screen mode, snap lines to statuses (geometric snap lines), select a status to highlight transitions, and more.

New project templates

When creating a new project, you can choose from two new templates: The Simple Issue Tracking project has an easy to understand three-step workflow; or the Software Development project, configured with basic development and review process workflows.

Intuitive custom field configuration

It is easier to create and deploy custom fields. From a task view, click the Admin menu to select an existing custom field, or create a new custom field. The field is automatically added to the Create and Edit screens so you can use it immediately.

Improved integration with coding tools

It has always been possible to link commits from Bitbucket and Stash with Jira issues, making it easy to see which issues code changes have fixed. Jira 6.1 includes additional features to manage commits, builds and deployments within the context of your planning resources in Jira. Bitbucket and Stash code repository users can now create code branches directly from issues in Jira or Jira Agile.

Jira add-on name changes

In Jira 6.1 two add-ons have new names: Greenhopper has been renamed to Jira Agile; and Bonfire has been renamed to Jira Capture.

New design

The new Jira user interface is designed to follow the Atlassian Design Guidelines (ADG). The new Jira not only looks great but makes it easy to work with issues. Information is easier to find with the intuitive interface. Users of other Atlassian products such as Confluence, Bitbucket or Stash will be able to adapt to Jira faster and easier.

Jira mobile

Connect to Jira from everywhere: The Jira team have developed a new, mobile interface for smartphones and tablets, designed so you can view and work with issues on the go.

Instant search

With the new instant search, writing search queries is a breeze. Filters enable you to refine your search criteria step-by-step, so you can find issues fast.

Administration helper

This tool enables you to quickly diagnose configuration errors such users unable to see custom fields or issues.

Issue collector

The issue collector allows you to create feedback forms in Jira. Each piece of submitted feedback creates an issue in Jira. With issue collector, you can create custom feedback surveys.

Inline editing

You no longer need to enter the edit mode to edit issues. When viewing an issue, simply click on a field's content to begin editing it.

Autowatch issues

Users who create or watch an issue will automatically be added to the notification list so they can stay informed of the issue's progress.

Activity streams now show activity from other applications

Activity streams show events in the Jira dashboard from all linked Atlassian applications and third-party apps, such as Jira, FishEye/Crucible oder Bamboo.

Remote issue links

You can now create links to issues on other Jira sites or any URL.

Share issues and mention users

You can share issues quickly with other users or mention users in an issue comment.

Rapidly create and edit issues

Jira 5 has made issue creation more efficient, by using customizable dialog boxes. You can choose to show the fields you use most often an create multiple issues in quick succession.

Full integration with LDAP and Active Directory

User data can be easily transferred to and updated in Jira using LDAP or Active Directory.

Quick search - wild card

Quick search has been enhanced by allowing the use of the standard wildcard symbols. For example: a "*" after other letters will match any issue that include the defined letters. "3.2*" will match:

• 3.2
• 3.2-beta
• 3.2.1
• 3.2.x

The "r:" prefix can find issues reported by a specific user.

• "r:me" — finds issues reported by you.
• "r:samuel" — finds issues reported by the user whose username is "samuel".
• "r:none" — finds issues with no reporter.

List of logged-in users

The list of logged-in users show those who are currently online and working in Jira.

Dialogs for common actions and workflow operations

For faster edits to an issue, pop-up dialogs have replaced screen changes for common actions and workflow operations.

Issue labeling

Labels can now be assigned to all issues.

View Issue screen improvements

The issue display in both view and edit mode has been modernized and simplified. The changes make it easier to see important information at a glance.

• Tighter spacing between lines to reduce space between elements
• Stronger section headings
• The 'Description' field separated into its own section
• Horizontal division lines between each custom field
• Votes and Watchers fields on the same line
• Labels represented as bubbles

Global keyboard shortcuts

The navigation around Jira has been greatly improved with global shortcuts. From anywhere in Jira, you can enter a command with a single key. Projects can be searched, issues created and pages loaded.

Image gallery

Images attached to am issue are now displayed in an image gallery. All images in the gallery are easily downloaded in a .zip file.

Advanced searching

Jira 4.0 allows you to search using JQL (Jira Query Language). JQL is a structured language, using logical operators (AND, OR, NOT, NULL, EMPTY), even on custom fields. JQL is easy to use, even for those who are not used to databases - just start typing and auto-complete will suggest fields, logical operators and values so you can quickly define your query.

Dashboard gadgets

Users can get an overview of all important and current issues through their dashboard. The new dashboard can be customized by the user, selecting from a variety of layouts and colors. Now that standard gadgets are used, even third-party gadgets (for example from Google) can be integrated into the Jira dashboard.

Activity streams

Users can rely on the activity stream to remain up to date and informed of any changes. The activity stream appears both in the user profile and in the project summary. It can be added as a gadget on the dashboard, and users can subscribe to RSS feeds containing the information they are most interested in following.

New-look "Browse Project"

The new Browse Project allows users to precisely track the status of a project. You can see at a glance, which issues have been completed and which are still pending. The number of issues displayed in the project can be configured. Bamboo, FishEye and Crucible data can be included.

Charting becomes standard

Charts have been built into Jira and redesigned. They can also be displayed within standard gadgets.

New-look header

The redesigned Jira header provides quick access to all of the most commonly-used functions. Creating issues is now even faster.

Project icons

"History" is now permanent