Using project functionalities (like security) in my plugin without creating any project

[smhf97]

Hi everyone!

I want to use some of Jira’s functionality (like security (permissions…), issue workflows, reports, …) in my plugin, without creating a project for it.
How can I use these functionalities outside a project? Can I use issue workflows at global level? Can I define a permission scheme with custom permissions and use it without assigning it to a project (so that Jira handles security automatically)?

Can I create a singleton project so I would be sure that there's only one instance of it?

Thanks!

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Accepted solution]

Mostly, you do not, as it does not make a lot of sense. 

A workflow is a process that an issue in a project follows, by definition, it's for an issue (and an issue can only exist in a project, there are no global issues).  Issue security and project permissions define who can and cannot see or perform actions in a project.

You can define schemes and their artefacts that are not used by any projects, but there's no use for them, as their functions are all about project and issue usage.

Reports do not have projects, although some of them do take a project as a simple parameter (most of them take the more flexible option of JQL, and the simple parameter really leads to "project = X" as the underlying JQL).  A plugin providing a report does not refer to any project directly, it usually asks, or runs in the context of the current project.

[smhf97]

Thank you for your response,

So should I implement them myself? I understand what you are saying that Jira is working with projects... . But I was hoping that there is maybe a way to use these functionalities outside a project. For example can I make a custom issue object and then define a workflow for it without any project? Or can I have roles outside a project?

Do you know how other plugins implement their security? (Like Upraise. They have custom permissions that you can assign to role-actors. I don't think they've used a project and I can't see any of permissions in global permissions. Do you think they implement it themselves?).

Thank you for your time.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Probably not.  You could, but it would be pointless.

Think of it this way - you could "implement" project permissions.  Then not apply them to a project.  Which would do precisely nothing.

There's more of the same here:

> can I make a custom issue object and then define a workflow for it

Yes (without any code)

>without any project?

No, issues, by definition, are in a project

>Or can I have roles outside a project?

Project roles, no.  "Roles" in the general sense of what the word role means, of course you can.

I think we should take a step back.  Forget "reuse things that are designed for things we're not actually interested in".

Could you explain what you are trying to achieve?  Without referring to anything Jira and its apps do. 

Just give us the human-friendly description like "I'm trying to make a cup of tea" without worrying about which of the five types of tea it is, the brand of the kettle, the size of the pot or how you check the water is the right temperature, etc.

[smhf97]

Thank you for your response! @Nic Brough -Adaptavist- 

One of my use cases is that I want users to fill a vacation request form. Then this request goes to his manager (I know who is his manager, don't worry about this part). And manager can see his team's requests and accept or reject them and so on (So I wanted to create a workflow to manage the state of this vacation request). Also I want to prevent non managers to have access to requests and manage them (So this was the reason for roles and permissions)

Can I reuse these functionalities (Workflow, Security, ...) for my plugin without being dependent on a project?
 

Thanks again for your time!

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

No, the schemes and components you're looking at are all project dependent, they make no sense outside a project.

If you're doing holiday requests, why aren't you just using an issue for it?  That way, you get to use all the stuff you're asking about automatically.  And you don't have to write an entire issue-tracking sub-system for it!

[smhf97]

Thank you very much for your time,

After our discussion we think about the main problem we had with using projects and now we probably change our design to use the project as you said.

Thanks!