Tips for Keeping Jira Performance Smooth with 10k+ Issues per Project

[Tarun Nagar]

Hi everyone,
I’m managing a large Jira instance where some projects have 10,000+ issues, and I’ve noticed that performance can sometimes slow down — especially when running complex filters, dashboards, or reports. I want to start a discussion about best practices for maintaining Jira speed and stability at scale.

Specifically, I’m looking for advice on:

• Optimizing Jira queries and filters – How do you structure JQL queries to reduce load and improve responsiveness?
• Board and dashboard management – Any tips on designing boards, gadgets, or dashboards that perform well with tens of thousands of issues?
• Project and issue organization – Do you split large projects into smaller ones, use components, or archive old issues to keep performance smooth?
• Jira administration tricks – Are there any server or cloud settings, indexing strategies, or add-ons that help maintain high performance?
• Real-world experiences – How have others handled Jira at scale? Any lessons learned or pitfalls to avoid?

Essentially, I want to gather practical strategies and expert advice for running Jira efficiently when dealing with very large projects, so we can avoid slow load times and system frustration.

Looking forward to hearing your tips and experiences!

[Carlos Garcia Navarro]

Hi @Tarun Nagar ,

This is a great topic! There a few points and the corresponding articles that provide some information:

• Atlassian recommends narrowing the scope of JQL queries by specifying spaces or boards rather than searching all work items, which can dramatically reduce query execution time. E.g, searching 500 items in specific spaces instead of 10,000 site-wide. They also warn that certain fields like labels are slower due to their complexity, and that poorly structured AND clauses can create redundant searches that slow performance

https://support.atlassian.com/jira-software-cloud/docs/jql-optimization-recommendations/

• Jira Cloud includes a Site Optimizer accessible from System settings that helps administrators manage data health by monitoring total issues, custom fields, and space role permissions, with recommendations for ideal numbers based on performance data

https://support.atlassian.com/jira-cloud-administration/docs/what-is-the-site-optimizer/

[Gonchik Tsymzhitov]

Hi @Carlos Garcia Navarro , 

Thank you very much

[Rilwan Ahmed]

Hi @Tarun Nagar ,

As you are using Atlassian Cloud, you can follow some diagnosis steps described here and then contact Atlassian Support from https://support.atlassian.com/contact/#/

Regarding Optimizing Jira queries and filters, 

• Avoid text ~ searches unless absolutely necessary. Full-text searches are expensive.
• Filter on indexed fields only (project, status, issueType, assignee, labels, components, customfields). These are fastest.
• Avoid ORDER BY updated DESC unless you truly need it. Sorting forces Jira to scan results fully.
• Use specific projects and issue types.
  Instead of  status = "In Progress", use project = "ABC" AND issuetype IN ("Story", "Bug") AND status = "In Progress"
• Limit gadgets per dashboard (max ~6–8). Each gadget triggers a separate JQL query.

[Jesse Hilton]

Managing Jira with 10k+ issues per project can get challenging. Key tips include archiving old issues, optimizing workflows, indexing regularly, and using filters and dashboards efficiently. Proper add-on management and monitoring system resources also help maintain smooth performance.