📣 Deprecation of text operators (~, !~) on JQL interval date fields

[#1]

Hi everyone!

As a follow-up to the blog post recently published on Jira Product Discovery forum, we are officially announcing 3-month depreciation period for the text operators used with JPD interval date fields in JQL queries. For example this JQL query:

"Project start[Interval]" ~ "2026*"

won't work after 10th September 2026. Please read further to learn more about the changes.

What's changing

We are deprecating the CONTAINS (~) and NOT CONTAINS (!~) operators when used with JPD interval date fields in JQL queries.

In parallel, we're introducing startDate and endDate properties to allow filtering by a specific date within the interval. These properties are now required when querying interval date fields.

Queries using deprecated operators, or missing the required startDate/endDate properties, will stop working after 10th September 2026.

During the deprecation period, these queries will continue to function but will display an error message. After that date, they will no longer work.

After updating to the new syntax, the error message disappears.

Why we're making this change

The CONTAINS (~) operator is designed for text search, not date comparisons.

To enable better date-based querying for interval fields, we're moving from text operators to date operators, which are far better suited to the job.

What you should use instead

JQL provides dedicated date operators that work correctly with interval fields. These operators support sub-field syntax ([startDate] and [endDate]) for precise date range querying:

Supported operators: =, !=, >, >=, <, <=, IS, IS NOT, IN, NOT IN

Supported functions: now(), startOfDay(), startOfWeek(), startOfMonth(), startOfYear(), endOfDay(), endOfWeek(), endOfMonth(), endOfYear()

Mitigation examples

Deprecated	Use instead
"Project start[Interval]" ~ "2025-01-01"	"Project start[Interval]"[startDate] = "2025-01-01" OR "Project start[Interval]"[endDate] = "2025-01-01"
"Project start[Interval]" ~ "2025*"	"Project start[Interval]"[startDate] >= "2025-01-01" AND "Project start[Interval]"[startDate] < "2026-01-01" AND "Project start[Interval]"[endDate] >= "2025-01-01" AND "Project start[Interval]"[endDate] < "2026-01-01"
"Project start[Interval]" !~ "2025*"	("Project start[Interval]"[startDate] < "2025-01-01" OR "Project start[Interval]"[startDate] >= "2026-01-01") AND ("Project start[Interval]"[endDate] < "2025-01-01" OR "Project start[Interval]"[endDate] >= "2026-01-01")
cf[16491] IS EMPTY	cf[16491][startDate] IS EMPTY
cf[16491] IS NOT EMPTY	cf[16491][startDate] IS NOT EMPTY

New capabilities not available before:

Query	Example
Filter using IN operator	"Project start[Interval]"[startDate] IN ("2025-10-01", "2025-07-01")
Use date functions	"Project start[Interval]"[startDate] >= startOfYear()

Who is affected

This change affects you if you use the CONTAINS (~) or NOT CONTAINS (!~) operators in JQL queries targeting JPD interval date fields.

What you need to do

1. Review your saved JQLs and automations - look for any JQL that uses ~ or !~ with interval date fields.
2. Update your queries using the migration examples above.
3. Test the new syntax.

FAQ

Will my existing queries break immediately?
No. The deprecated operators will continue to work during the warning period, so you have until 10th September 2026 to update your queries.

How do I know if I'm using affected queries?
Look for any JQL that combines a JPD interval field name with the ~ or !~ operator. You'll also see a validation message saying the syntax is incorrect, but queries will continue to operate as usual during the deprecation period.

In case of questions

You can always contact us by commenting under this post or raising a support ticket.