jql-query-builder_skill

Overview

This skill builds and optimizes JQL (Jira Query Language) queries to find and filter Jira issues quickly. It helps craft precise searches for bugs, features, tasks, or complex cross-project conditions and produces performant, reusable queries.

How this skill works

I ask about the goal and constraints (projects, types, users, dates, statuses) then construct a JQL query step-by-step. I explain each clause, suggest performance improvements (field-specific searches, date limits, IN usage) and can run and refine the query using a jira-search action to verify results.

When to use it

• You need a precise search for issues across projects, types, or people
• You want to filter or sort issues by complex criteria (dates, priorities, labels)
• You need to optimize slow queries or reduce result noise
• You want to convert a plain-language requirement into JQL
• You need to find recently updated, overdue, or unassigned items

Best practices

• Use specific fields (summary, description) instead of broad text searches
• Limit date ranges (created >= -90d) to improve performance
• Prefer IN(...) over multiple OR conditions for cleaner queries
• Put the most restrictive AND conditions first to narrow results quickly
• Add ORDER BY only when you need sorted results

Example use cases

• Find high-priority bugs assigned to the current user updated in the last week
• List unassigned high-priority issues across multiple projects for triage
• Identify epics that have no linked stories or parent issues missing subtasks
• Build a sprint planning view: project = PROJ AND status = "To Do"
• Detect stale work: status = "In Progress" AND updated <= -30d