Using DevOps Triggers with Automation for Jira

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With the release of Jira 9 in June 2022,  Automation for Jira (A4J) became a native feature in Jira Data Center. Previously, it was only available as an add-on on the Atlassian Marketplace. 

 Now, Automation for Jira is completely free and customers using previous versions of Jira Data Center can still install the app from the Marketplace.

 While Jira contains a set of pre-defined automation rules which can be used as-is, they can also be modified to a customer’s specific needs. This Jira automation template library can be used to explore the options, but they must be recreated manually in your environment

What is Automation for Jira? 

Automation for Jira was created by Code Barrel and acquired in October 2019, and was made natively available in Jira Cloud shortly after the acquisition. 

 A4J  enables teams to automate processes and workflows by using a rule builder within Jira. 

 These automation rules consist of the following: 

• Triggers: these cause the automation to begin
• Conditions: requirements that must be met 
• Actions: what happens after a rule is triggered
• Branches: a section of a rule which can contain other conditions and actions

 A4J reduces the manual steps teams need to take to keep Jira up-to-date and organized. It’s really a win for everyone.

DevOps Triggers with Automation for Jira 

Automation for Jira adds immense value for development teams using Jira because it lets you trigger workflows based off of data that your repositories provide. For example, when a commit or pull request is made on an issue, an email can automatically be sent to the assignee,  and/or the status of the issue can be moved to “In Progress.” 

 For teams using Git and Jira, they can access DevOps triggers in Jira by connecting  your repositories through a Marketplace app, such as Git Integration for Jira. This application integrates with all Git hosting providers including Azure DevOps, Bitbucket, GitHub, and GitLab, and unlocks triggers for numerous actions like creating branches and pull requests, and declining and merging pull requests. 

These DevOps triggers, combined with Git Integration for Jira, allow developers to focus on coding, and remain in their dev tools of choice, while also enabling development stakeholders to stay informed without having to leave Jira.

Now combine these with Smart Commits, or a Git tool like GitKraken Client, that offers both a GUI and CLI, and developers can truly do all of their work outside of Jira without having to swap between applications and remember all of the administrative steps they need to perform. 

Rules for Teams Using DevOps Triggers in Jira

There are several basic DevOps rules that every development team can benefit from. These are a starting point, and can be customized based on your setup and workflows.

1. Move an issue to in progress once a developer makes a commit

• When: Commit created
• Status Equals: “To Do”
• Then: Transition the issue to “In Progress”

2. Notify a slack channel based on assignee when a branch is created

• When: Branch created
• Then: Add comment to issue (pull request title, url)
• And: Send a message in specific slack channel based on assignee

3. Move an issue into “In Review” and notify a reviewer when a pull request is made

• When: Pull request created
• Status Equals: “In Progress”
• Then: Transition the issue to “In Review”
• And: Send email to [user] for review

4. Mark an issue as “Ready for Testing” when a pull request is merged

• When: Pull request merged
• Then: Transition the issue to “Ready for Testing”
• And: Send email ‘merged {{issue.key}} is ready to be tested’

Smart values are a good way to further refine aspects of your rules for DevOps triggers in Jira. 

They provide better context for your notifications or allow you to filter a rule based on certain requirements.

Using Git with Jira + Automation 

Combining Git information into Jira is a huge factor in increasing visibility and accountability across development stakeholders. Non-development groups, such as product, QA, support, marketing, etc. can get the information they need, in real-time, without having to disrupt their workflows. Additionally, it cuts down on unnecessary meetings and ad-hoc status updates, eliminating questions of who is working on what and when a task is going to be completed. 

Adding automation on top of your Git data in Jira makes everyone’s lives easier. Developers can work in their primary tools and stay heads down on their tasks without context switching or interrupting flow. At the same time, stakeholders who work in Jira can be confident in the cleanliness and accuracy of the data they’re looking at in Jira.

You can start a free trial of Git Integration for Jira for Jira Cloud or Data Center today.