How to know where an app is used within jira operation

[Javier Perez]

Use case: We're working on getting rid of one of those jira apps (plugins) which started being free to then, when your jira instance is deep into it and they got you, the vendor makes it paid for.

My question: I know this is probably difficult to say, but does anybody has any guidelines to follow or tips to give, which would allow to know where an app is used in jira (for example, worflow post-functions), or what/where impact would be if an app is uninstalled.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Accepted solution]

You have to look at what each app does individually and work out how to identify how it might be being used.  Some are easier than others, but each one does different things and hence injects different functions which you have to analyse for usage.

Workflow post-functions are in the middle of the range of easiness to identify - technically clunky, but exact.  (Easier is fields, where you can run queries in the UI, harder would be a report where you'd need to add logging to trap if people land on it).

  Delete all unused workflows first to simplify the search-set, then take an xml backup of your system.  Look at the plugin providing the function and work out what the class name of the function is, then search the xml backup for that name.  Each hit is a transition using the function.

[Javier Perez]

Thanks Nic

[Thorsten Letschert _Decadis AG_]

Hi @Javier Perez ,
with regard to workflow elements like conditions, validators or post functions you might want to have a look at Admin Toolbox for Jira. Its built-in workflow report provides the exact analysis you're looking for. All the relevant functionality is obviously available within the usual 30 days trial.

Cheers
Thorsten

[Joe Pitt]

I'm not aware of a tool that would find this out for you. There is probably a indicator in the xml code when a function is used. You can do a search in an xml backup looking for the code. If it creates custom fields look in the custom field list to see where those field types are used.  Backing it out could be very painful. This is why I never used free plugins