What is the difference between a child and a linked issue for an epic?

Question

Ste Wright · Answer

Hi @Daria Kozak

I would say this depends on how your team recognises and tracks bugs.

I've seen teams...

* Add the Bug as part of the Epic - to show both the Stories/Tasks which make up the Epic, and Bugs which are found or created due to these changes.
* Link the Bug to the relevant Story or Task - to show it blocks delivery, or is caused by the feature enhancement. This is sometimes used where a Bug does not block delivery of the Epic, or is found post-release.
* Do both - to show impact to both a direct Story, but also indirectly up the hierarchy.

Ste

Daria Kozak · Answer

Ok, it makes sense, if in a current Epic I find bugs, I make them into Child of this current Epic?  Thanks for your answer, @Ste Wright

Ste Wright · Answer

Hi @Daria Kozak

Welcome to the Community!

These are two different relationship types! In summary...

* Hierarchy: This is the parent/child relationship between issues - so there are Issue Types which are children of Epics - by standard that is Bugs, Stories, etc. In this relationship type, there can be one parent, and multiple children.
* Linked Issues: These are sibling relationships, more often used for dependencies between issues. These are a many-to-many relationship, and use link types like blocks, clones, related to, etc.

Is there a specific concern you have in relation to these two?

Ste