what is the difference between a clone and a duplicate?

[Maya Eyal]

When linking two issues on JIRA, what is the difference between one issue "cloning" another, and an issue "duplicating" another?

[Udo Brand · Accepted solution]

A clone is derived from the clone issue operation. A duplicate is an independently entered issue which has the same content (same problem).

[Maya Eyal]

How do you clone an issue, and why would you do that?

[Nic Brough _Adaptavist_]

Click "clone" in the menu on the issue. It's usually done when you have a lot of information on an issue and want a copy of it. Or you want to split the work (Within the same project or to move the copy to another project). Or you have segregated data (client X needs to see the issue, but not allowed into its project, so you need a copy in a project where X can see it)

[Katya Godneva]

Hello,  I see, that's it's been some time, but still.

@Nic Brough _Adaptavist_

"Or you have segregated data (client X needs to see the issue, but not allowed into its project, so you need a copy in a project where X can see it)"

- you mean, that the clinet X is going to see the changes I am making to a clon-issue (in a project, where  can see it)?

[Nic Brough _Adaptavist_]

I am sorry, I do not understand the question.  We've already explained that a cloned issue is a copy that might be available to customers, so I am not sure what you are asking.

[Jules Dawes]

May be similar to my query, for example:

I have a Test that I want to use in a different project - do I Clone it, or do I Assign it to the other project? 

[Nic Brough _Adaptavist_]

If you need to keep the original, then clone and move the clone.

If you don't want the original to stay in the source project, then move it.

[Michael Nadeau]

Hi,

When you move an issue to another project, does all the fields come over to the new project? If so, how will I see those fields, if they are not on the new project?

[Nic Brough _Adaptavist_]

The fields will move with the issue if the fields are valid for the new project in terms of field context.  If they have no context, their content will be removed.  If they do have context, the data remains on the issues, but you may still find that the project screens and/or field configuration hide them.

[Arima]

Could you kindly elaborate on this explanation

[Arima]

I didn't understand which field you are pointing at. If you could just explain that in your answer

[Nic Brough _Adaptavist_]

I can't.  The explanation is answering a question about field data during a move, not for a specific field, but for any field you might have on an issue.

[Sarah]

Hi there, can you tell me how we can get the comments to move as well when we clone?

My example is, i've got testing cards that have bugs, I want to clone the testing card to turn it into a bug card but all the testing failures in the comments do not copy over?

Or am i better to create a task from the testing card? Thanks.

[Nic Brough _Adaptavist_]

The comments do not get copied during "clone" because they are a converstation about the original issue, not a conversation about the new cloned one.

Cloning issues is for an edge-case where you need a copy, it's not for duplicating existing work.  Cloning to turn test cards into bug cards is a broken process - you should be fixing the broken tests, not copying them.

[Sarah]

Thanks Nic.  I've read suggestions to create a sub task called Sprint Bugs.  Will do this and add them to the testing card as the testing card is pretty broad.  Any other best practise suggestions are welcome.

[Nic Brough _Adaptavist_]

A clone is an issue that was created by copying another issue

A duplicate is an issue that repeats another issue (an example - it happens a lot when two clients raise the same bug - often the second/third/nth raiser doesn't know that it's already been reported)