step id, linked status, transition id confusion? what does the number beside the transitions(id) men

[sn]

hi all,

im new to JIRA Adminand im not clear about the differences in step name(id) and the number it has beside it. In a workflow , what does these transitions and number beside them represent. 

i think its the unique id that is being generated but im not able to understand why & how this id is unique if im using same transition across different workflow?

TIA

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

A workflow is made of two basic things - steps and transitions.

Within a workflow,

• Each step has a unique id.  It also has a 1:1 mandatory and exclusive relationship with a status, and for most intents and purposes, the step is synonymous with the status.
• Each transition has a unique id as well.

These ids are unique only by type and location.  You will never have a workflow with two steps with the same id.  Similarly for transitions.

But you can have separate workflows with clashing step and transition ids.  Especially if you copy a workflow - you'll end up with an identical set of ids in the new workflow.  Which can then diverge as they're separate workflows now.

so, to answer your last question - the id is not unique because ids are only unique within their current workflow.  You aren't even using the "same" transition in both workflows.  The transition in workflow 1 might well have the same name, start, end, functions and ID as the same transition in workflow 2, but they are independent of each other.