Changing the project key in Jira Datacenter. Please let us know what is the Impact

[Mahesh Kallepalli]

We are Trying to change the project key in the datacenter. Could you please help us with the impact. Mainly Github integration will work or anything breaks.

[Chris Hampshire · Accepted solution]

Hi @Mahesh Kallepalli 

Changing the Jira project key should not affect anything.

Existing issues with the old key would be redirected to the new one with the old ones still accessible.

As the previous issue links are maintained in the JIRA database, GIThub will work as norma.

This thread has some more information if you needed it

Will a Project Key change destroy github integrati...

[Arkadiusz Wroblewski · Accepted solution]

Hello @Chris Hampshire 

Changing a project key in Data Center is doable, but definitely isn't "no impact." While Jira handles the basics like redirecting old links and keeping old keys working in JQL it triggers a  background re-index the moment you hit save. Because of that, you really should save this for a low-traffic window to avoid slowing down the system.

The main risks are the things Jira doesn't fix automatically. You’ll need to manually update any board filters, dashboards, or custom scripts that have the old key hardcoded.

For your GitHub integration, the old data stays linked, but your team must start using the new key in branch names and commits immediately to keep the sync working. It’s generally a smooth process, but those "hidden" references are where things usually break

.