?Jira Queries 101 [JQL]: A Techie’s Guide

Mastering Jira Queries: How JQL Makes Life Easier for Tech Teams

If you’ve spent any time navigating Jira, you know the search function can either be your best friend or a bit of a challenge. We all start by typing keywords into the search bar and crossing our fingers that Jira will miraculously deliver the right issue. But, let’s be real—half the time, you end up sorting through a sea of irrelevant results. Enter JQL (Jira Query Language), the not-so-secret sauce that lets you actually ask Jira what you want. Whether you’re a developer, a project manager, or just someone trying to keep their sanity intact, JQL is about to change the way you search for issues in Jira.

In this blog, we’ll dive into JQL—breaking it down for the newbies and offering some advanced tips for the pros. Plus, we’ll throw in a bit of humor to keep things light (because who said search queries had to be boring?).

The Basics: Getting Started with Jira Search

1. The Search Box – Your New Best Friend

Before we jump into the complex stuff, let’s start with the search box—the gateway drug to JQL. This little box, sitting at the top right of your Jira screen, lets you type in basic keywords like "open bugs" or an issue key like "JIRA-123." It’s simple but pretty handy if you just want a quick glance at something specific. But let’s be honest, it can only do so much.

You can use this search box for:

• Searching specific issue keys (like “JIRA-15”)
• Finding issues based on text within summaries, descriptions, or comments (type “atlassian” and see what pops up)
• Smart querying (type “my open bugs,” and Jira will filter out bugs that are assigned to you and still open)

It’s a solid start, but if you’re dealing with hundreds (or thousands) of issues, this is where it falls short. That’s where JQL steps in.

2. The Issues Section – A Bit More Control

Jira gives you a second option: the “Issues” section in the dropdown menu. This one offers a bit more flexibility. You can filter issues based on criteria like project, issue type, assignee, etc. It’s a lot like using a dating app but instead of swiping right on potential matches, you’re filtering through tickets that hopefully won’t make your life harder.

You can filter on any field available in Jira—status, priority, assignee, project, and more. It’s a good way to quickly narrow things down if you know exactly what you're looking for, but it’s still a bit too basic for more complex searches.

Moving Up: Basic vs. Advanced Search

1. Basic Search: Form Filling 101

The basic search feature in Jira lets you fill out fields like “Project Name,” “Status,” and “Assignee.” It’s good for quick and dirty searches where you don’t need much detail. This search method is perfect when you’re just trying to get a high-level view of what's going on.

2. Advanced Search: Where the Magic Happens

This is where JQL comes into play. With JQL, you’re essentially building a query using fields, operators, and values to create more targeted searches. In short, it allows you to search for exactly what you need without scrolling through a bunch of irrelevant results.

Here’s a basic breakdown of the JQL formula:

• Field: The type of information you’re querying (status, priority, assignee, etc.)
• Operator: Defines how the field and value should interact (equals, greater than, less than, etc.)
• Value: The actual data you’re searching for (Open, High, JohnDoe, etc.)
• Keyword: Special words that help structure the query (AND, OR, IS)

3. Advanced JQL for the Brave (and Tired)

Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, let’s dig into some more advanced examples. Ready?

Example 1: Find Unassigned Issues That Haven’t Been Touched in a Day (SQL)

assignee IS EMPTY AND updated < -1d        

Translation: Show me all the issues that don’t have an assignee and haven’t been updated in the last day. Because we all know those tickets aren’t going to assign themselves.

Example 2: Find All the Critical Bugs in Multiple Projects (java)

priority IN (Blocker, Critical) AND project IN (ProjectA, ProjectB, ProjectC)        

This one’s handy for teams that are juggling multiple projects (no real-life comparison here, I promise). It returns all issues that are classified as either Blocker or Critical across multiple projects. Think of it as triaging, but without the drama.

JQL Cheat Sheet – Your New Best Friend (Next to Coffee)

Here are some handy operators and keywords you’ll find yourself using a lot in JQL:

• AND: Both conditions need to be true (status = "In Progress" AND priority = "High")
• OR: Either condition can be true (status = "In Progress" OR status = "Open")
• IS: Used for empty fields (assignee IS EMPTY)
• NOT: Reverses the condition (status != "Closed")
• IN: Used for lists (priority IN ("Blocker", "High"))

Practical Use Cases for JQL - Keeping Tabs on SLA Breaches

For organizations with Service Level Agreements (SLAs), JQL is a lifesaver. You can quickly find all the issues that are creeping toward SLA breaches with a query like:

resolution IS EMPTY AND due < now()        

This query shows all issues that aren’t resolved yet and are past their due date. No more manual tracking—let Jira do the heavy lifting.

Managing Priorities and Deadlines

Need to see what high-priority issues are slipping through the cracks? Try this one:

priority = High AND due < now() AND resolution IS EMPTY        

Now you’ll have a list of all the high-priority issues that should have been resolved yesterday (but hey, better late than never, right?).

Pro Tips for Mastering JQL

• Use relative dates: Jira understands relative dates like -1d (yesterday), -1w (last week), or -30d (last month). This is great for ongoing reporting without having to constantly update your queries.
• Save your filters: Once you’ve nailed the perfect JQL query, save it as a filter. You can use it again without having to retype it (or remember it).
• Share filters with your team: If you’re the Jira guru on your team, save them some headaches by sharing your filters. Trust me, they’ll thank you later.

Wrapping Up: Don’t Fear JQL, Embrace It

JQL might seem intimidating at first, but it’s actually pretty user-friendly once you get the hang of it. It gives you the ability to fine-tune your searches and find exactly what you’re looking for without sifting through irrelevant noise. Plus, Jira’s JQL editor gives suggestions as you type, so you’re never really flying solo.

Whether you’re a newbie or a Jira pro, learning JQL is worth your time. It’s one of those skills that make your life easier every day—and who doesn’t want that?

Ready to take your Jira game to the next level? We’re here to help.

Clovity is an Atlassian Gold Solution Partner, and we specialize in helping teams get the most out of Jira and Atlassian tools. Contact us at ?? [email protected] or visit ?? atlassian.clovity.com .