Jira

You can run and connect to a Jira MCP Server to enable AI assistants to manage Jira issues, search, comment, workflow transitions, and attachments through a compact, token-efficient set of tools. This guide shows you how to install, configure, and use the Jira MCP Server from your MCP client.

How to use

Connect your MCP client to the Jira MCP Server using the local runtime command shown in the configuration example. You will interact with five compound tools to manage issues, search Jira data, handle comments, perform workflow transitions, and manage attachments. Use the tool names provided to perform specific actions, and consult the metadata for required parameters and recommended workflows.

How to install

Prerequisites: ensure you have Node.js version 16 or newer installed on your system and a Jira Cloud account with API access. You also need a Jira API token generated from your Atlassian account.

# Install the Jira MCP Server globally (recommended)
npm install -g @nexus2520/jira-mcp-server

If you prefer running from source, follow these steps to clone, install dependencies, and build.

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/pdogra1299/jira-mcp-server.git
cd jira-mcp-server

# Install dependencies
pnpm install

# Build the project
pnpm run build

Additional configuration and usage notes

Before you start using the Jira MCP Server, set up your Jira credentials as environment variables in your MCP client configuration. You will need your Jira email, API token, and the Jira Cloud base URL.

If you installed via npm, you can connect by configuring Claude Desktop (or your MCP client) with the following settings. This snippet shows the JSON configuration you place in your MCP settings file.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jira": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@nexus2520/jira-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "JIRA_EMAIL": "your-email@company.com",
        "JIRA_API_TOKEN": "your-api-token-here",
        "JIRA_BASE_URL": "https://yourcompany.atlassian.net"
      }
    }
  }
}

Security and tokens

Treat your Jira API token as a sensitive credential. Do not share it publicly and rotate it if you suspect it has been compromised. The MCP server uses the token to perform actions on Jira on your behalf, so ensure the connected account has the necessary permissions for your intended operations.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter authentication errors, verify that your Jira email and API token are correct and that the Jira base URL does not include a trailing slash. If permissions fail, confirm the connected Jira user has the required rights for the requested actions.

Examples of common flows

Create a new Jira issue in a project, then assign it to a user, and finally add an initial comment. You can also search for issues using Jira Query Language (JQL) and retrieve project metadata to understand required fields before creation.

Notes on runtime options

There are two primary ways to run the server locally. If you installed via npm, you can start through the runtime command shown in configuration examples. If you built from source, reference the runtime command that points to the built index file.

Available tools

jira_issues

Manage the full lifecycle of Jira issues including get, create, update, and assign with support for custom fields.

jira_search

Search and discover Jira resources such as issues, projects, users, and creation metadata.

jira_comments

Read and write comments on Jira issues.

jira_workflow

Manage issue status transitions by listing transitions and applying a chosen transition.

jira_attachments

List, download, upload, and delete attachments associated with Jira issues.