The Timeline view in Jira: Differences between business and software spaces

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In Jira, Timeline view exists in both business spaces and software spaces, but it’s designed for different audiences and levels of complexity.

1. Timeline in Business Spaces

Purpose: Simple planning and visibility for non-technical teams (HR, marketing, operations).

Key characteristics:

• Lightweight, task-focused timeline

• Shows issues (tasks) laid out by start and due dates

• Designed for single-team or small project planning

• Easy drag-and-drop to adjust dates

• Minimal configuration required

Limitations:

• No sprints or versions

• No advanced dependency types (very basic or none)

• No backlog or agile constructs

• Less suitable for complex delivery planning

Best for:

• Marketing campaigns

• Event planning

• Business operations projects

• Teams that don’t use Agile or Scrum

2. Timeline in Software Spaces

Purpose: Advanced planning and dependency management for development teams.

Key characteristics:

• More powerful and structured

• Supports epics, stories, tasks, and sub-tasks

• Displays dependencies (e.g., “blocks / is blocked by”)

• Integrates with sprints, releases (versions), and backlogs

• Works alongside Roadmaps and Plans (depending on plan level)

Additional capabilities:

• Epic-level planning across teams

• Progress tracking based on issue status

• Visibility into delivery risks due to dependencies

• Better suited for long-term technical planning

Best for:

• Scrum and Kanban teams

• Product roadmaps

• Multi-epic or multi-team software delivery

• Release planning

3. Side-by-Side Summary

Feature	Business Space Timeline	Software Space Timeline
Target users	Business / non-technical teams	Software development teams
Complexity	Simple	Advanced
Agile support	❌ None	✅ Full (Scrum/Kanban)
Dependencies	Limited or none	✅ Yes
Sprints & releases	❌ No	✅ Yes
Epics	❌ No	✅ Yes
Configuration depth	Low	High