JIRA Interview Questions

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JIRA is a widely used project management and issue tracking program. It was created by Atlassian. Software development teams frequently utilize it to plan, monitor, and manage their work throughout the development lifecycle.

Companies hire people in various roles related to JIRA software to ensure efficient implementation, administration, project management, development, reporting, and integration of JIRA within their organization.

Below are the three categories into which these JIRA interview questions are divided:

1. Basic Level JIRA Interview Questions

2. Intermediate Level JIRA Interview Questions

3. Advanced Level JIRA Interview Questions

Basic Level JIRA Interview Questions

Firstly, let’s discuss some entry-level questions that you can expect during a JIRA interview.

1. What is JIRA?

JIRA is used to assist you in keeping track of everything that needs to be done for your project. You are able to create issues (tasks, bugs, etc.), distribute them to team members, monitor their development, and specify deadlines.

JIRA also comes with a number of reporting tools that may show you how your project is developing and point out any areas that need improvement.

JIRA can be used to track the following things:

• Potential bugs or errors
• New features that should be updated
• User stories that need to be put into practice

2. What are the benefits of using JIRA?

Here are a few advantages to utilizing JIRA:

• You can monitor tasks and problems with it: JIRA makes it simple to establish issues and tasks, designate team members to complete them, and monitor their advancement. You can stay focused and organized by doing this.
• It helps in workflow automation: JIRA’s ability to automate workflows can help you save time and effort. For instance, you may programmatically create a new issue whenever a flaw is submitted.
• Reporting tools: JIRA has many reporting options that can be used to track the development of your project and help you identify any areas that need improvement.

3. What are the three agile methodologies supported by JIRA?

JIRA, a versatile project management tool, supports three prominent Agile methodologies, enhancing project efficiency and adaptability.

• Firstly, Scrum, characterized by iterative development cycles called sprints, prioritizes tasks from a product backlog.
• Secondly, Kanban focuses on continuous flow, visualizing work on a board, and minimizing bottlenecks.
• Lastly, Extreme Programming (XP) promotes frequent software releases, emphasizing customer feedback and collaboration.
• JIRA empowers teams to smoothly implement these methodologies, providing customized workflows, backlog management, and real-time tracking, thereby streamlining Agile project management and facilitating rapid, customer-centric software development.

4. Name some of the control programs with which JIRA integrates.

Here are the names of control programs with which JIRA can integrate:

• • Version control systems: JIRA is compatible with a number of version control systems, including Git, GitHub, and Bitbucket. Teams can cooperate on development projects and track changes to code and other assets because of version control systems.
  • Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) tools: JIRA may be integrated with Jenkins and Bamboo, among other CI/CD systems. Through the automation of the build and deployment processes, teams are able to produce software more quickly.
  • Issue tracking systems: Other issue tracking tools like Bugzilla and MantisBT can integrate with JIRA. Teams may track issues across many platforms and work together on feature requests and bug solutions.
  • Project management tools: JIRA may be integrated with additional project management applications like Asana and Trello. As a result, teams can work together on projects and monitor progress across several systems.

5. What is the difference between JIRA and JIRA Core?

Here are the differences between JIRA and JIRA Core:

6. Describe the JIRA workflow and its components.

An issue travels through a set of statuses and transitions known as a Jira workflow throughout its existence. Every workflow is made up of statuses and transitions that correspond to organizational work processes.

There are three primary categories of statuses in JIRA:

Open: A problem’s initial status is “open.” When a problem is first developed, it is regarded as open. Work on the issue is ongoing, as evidenced by its status.

Closed: This status denotes the conclusion of an issue.

7. What is a JIRA Query Language (JQL), and why is it used?

JQL, or JIRA Query Language, can help you look for bugs. Issues can be located using JQL queries based on their status, priority, assignee, and other factors.

JQL is a basic language that is straightforward to pick up. Since JQL is based on the SQL language, those who are already familiar with SQL will find it easy to learn.

8. How do you create a sprint in JIRA?

The steps for creating a sprint in JIRA are as follows:

1. Visit the Backlog page for the project.
2. Choose Create Sprintfrom the drop-down option.
3. Please give a name to your sprint.
4. Select the start and end dates for your sprint.
5. Choose Createfrom the menu.

Once a sprint has been established, issues from the backlog can be dropped into it. You may also create issues by choosing the desired issue type and pressing the create issue button.

To start a sprint, you must click the Start Sprint button. Every issue in the sprint will now have the status In Progress.

9. What do you mean by agile board?

An agile board is generally referred to as a visual tool that is used in agile project management methodologies for tracking and monitoring work items. It is also known as a kanban or scrum board, which provides a visual representation and helps in organizing tasks throughout the project.

10. What is an event in JIRA?

In JIRA, an event gives information about the status, the default template, the notification scheme, and the workflow transition post-function associations for the event. The events are classified into the following categories:

1. A System event (JIRA-defined events)
2. Custom events (User-defined events)

Intermediate Level JIRA Interview Questions

Now, let’s discuss some of the JIRA admin interview questions

11. How can I integrate JIRA with other tools?

Integrating JIRA with other tools is key for facilitating project management and enhancing productivity. To achieve this, first identify the specific tools you wish to integrate, such as Confluence, Slack, or Trello. JIRA offers a rich ecosystem of plugins and connectors, allowing smooth connectivity with these platforms.

• Utilize these plugins to sync data, automate workflows, and maintain real-time communication between systems. Also, JIRA’s robust API allows you to develop custom integrations tailored to your unique requirements. By integrating JIRA with complementary tools, you can optimize collaboration, data sharing, and overall project efficiency.

12. What are the different types of permissions that can be assigned to users in JIRA?

Global permissions, project permissions, and issue permissions are the three categories of permissions that can be given to users in JIRA.

Global permissions: Global permissions are applied across the board, not only to specific projects, in the JIRA program. Users’ ability to start new projects, see the issue navigator, and manage users are all governed by these rights.

Most common global permissions:

1. Administer JIRA
2. Create new projects.
3. View other users
4. Manage issue security

Project Permissions: Specific projects are subject to project permits. Who can see the project, create issues, edit issues, and assign issues is all governed by these rights.

1. View project
2. Create issues
3. Edit issues
4. Close issues

Issue permissions are specific to each issue. Who can read an issue, comment on it, and modify its status.

1. View issue
2. Edit issue
3. Comment on the issue
4. Assign issue

13. Define the elements of a schema in JIRA.

A JIRA schema is a group of data used to keep track of resources, configuration items, and assets. Object types, objects, attributes, icons, references, and statuses are just a few examples of the distinctive information that each schema contains.

A schema consists of the following elements:

• Object types: The various types of entities that can be tracked in a schema are known as object types. A schema might have object types for servers, users, and apps, for instance.
• Objects: Individual entities that are tracked in a schema are referred to as objects. As an illustration, objects for Server1, User1, and Application1 might be present in a schema.
• Attributes: The properties of an object are its attributes. An object might include characteristics for its name, description, and status, for instance.
• Icons: In JIRA, objects are represented by pictures called icons. The connections between items are known as references. An object can, for instance, refer to another object that serves as its parent.
• References: The connections between items are known as references. An object can, for instance, refer to another object that serves as its parent.
• Statuses: Statuses refer to the various states in which an object may be. An object might have the statuses Active’,‘Inactive, and Deprecated,, for instance.

14. What is cloning an issue in JIRA?

Cloning an issue in JIRA refers to the process of creating an identical duplicate of an existing issue within the project. This feature of JIRA serves as a valuable tool for efficient project management and issue tracking. When an issue is cloned, all relevant information, including its summary, description, comments, attachments, and associated metadata, is replicated.

1. This allows teams to manage similar or recurring issues without the need to recreate them from scratch, saving time and ensuring consistency. Cloning is particularly useful for handling tasks like bug fixes, feature requests, or recurring problems, streamlining workflows and promoting organized project management within JIRA.

15. How are user stories created in JIRA for an agile project?

A common method for gathering requirements for agile projects is through user stories. Typically, they are written from the user’s point of view and focus on what the user wants to accomplish rather than how to do it.

You can take the following actions to create a user story in JIRA:

• Navigate to the project where the user story will be created.
• Select Createfrom the menu.
• From the list of issue types, pick User Story.
• For the user story, enter a summary.
• Write a description of the user story in the Description field. The following details ought to be in the description:
  • As a user persona, the user narrative will benefit.
  • I desire—this is the user story’s objective.
  • So that is The benefit of achieving the goal.
• Specify the requirements that must be satisfied for the user story to be deemed complete in the acceptance criteria section.
• Add any additional fields you believe are pertinent to the user story in the Additional Fields section.
• Select Createfrom the menu.

16. How can I report on issues in JIRA?

There are two ways to report on issues in JIRA:

Use the built-in reporting features:

• Navigate to JIRA’s Reports page.
• Choose the report you want to produce. By choosing the fields you want to include, the filters you want to use, and the time period you want to cover, you can personalize the report.
• Publish the report.

Use a third-party reporting tool.

• You have access to a variety of third-party reporting tools to create reports on issues in JIRA.
• Compared to the built-in reporting features, these tools offer more features and allow for greater customization.
• Select a reporting solution from a third party that has the features you require.
• Use the third-party reporting tool to produce reports.

17. What is the role of validators in JIRA?

JIRA uses validators to verify that every input given to a transition is correct before the transition is carried out. The information received on the transition screen from the user might be included as input. If a validator fails, the problem is not moved to the transition’s destination status, the post functions are not run, and the failed validator’s error message is displayed.

There are many different things that validators can check for, including:

• If a required field has been completed.
• If a field’s value falls inside a predetermined range.
• If a field’s value complies with a regular expression.
• The uniqueness of a field’s value

18. Explain the three color indicators to show time spent in JIRA and their significance.

JIRA uses three different colors, orange, blue, and green, to indicate how much time has been spent on a certain problem. To view this data, navigate to the ‘Time Tracking’ area.

• Blue: The Original estimate is displayed using the color blue. This is an estimation of how long it will take to solve a problem. You can see the word ‘Estimated’ in this field.
• Orange: The orange color represents the amount of time left to solve a problem. ‘Remaining’ is how this field is shown.
• Green: The time actually invested in resolving the issue to this point is shown by the color green. You can view this field displayed as logged.

19. What are some of the common JIRA add-ons?

Here are some of the most common JIRA add-ons:

• Automation: In JIRA, repetitive processes like adding new issues, assigning issues, and updating issue statuses may all be automated.
• ScriptRunner: JIRAenables you to create personalized scripts to automate even more difficult operations.
• BigGantt: This allows you to see your JIRAissues displayed in a Gantt chart, which is useful for project planning and tracking.
• eazyBI Reports and Charts for JIRAenables you to produce unique reports and graphs using data from JIRA.
• BigPicture is a project management add-on that offers a more comprehensive picture of your projects, including their dependencies, hazards, and resources. This can assist you in better comprehending your tasks and deciding how to allocate your resources.

20. What are the issue types in a scrum project in JIRA?

Here are the issue types that are commonly used in a scrum project in JIRA:

• Story: A user narrative, or requirement from the client, is represented by a story. Stories are frequently used to monitor the development of features or functionalities.
• Task: A task is an item of work that must be completed. The progress of smaller, more specific work items is often monitored using tasks.
• Bug: An error in the software is referred to as a bug. Bugs are often used to monitor how well flaws are being fixed.
• Subtask: A subtask is a piece of work that must be done in order to finish a task. Subtasks are frequently used to monitor the advancement of bigger, trickier projects.
• Epic: An epic is a substantial, intricate work that is composed of numerous stories, chores, and bugs. Epics are frequently used to monitor the development of significant features or functionalities.

Advanced Level JIRA Interview Questions

Let’s discuss some of the JIRA interview questions for experienced

21. How can you automate tasks and workflows in JIRA using automation rules and triggers? Provide examples of scenarios where automation can be beneficial.

Automating tasks and workflows in JIRA can significantly enhance efficiency and reduce manual overhead. JIRA offers automation rules and triggers to streamline processes. Automation Rules are predefined conditions and actions that initiate when specific criteria are met. Triggers are events that prompt these rules.

For instance, you can automate the assignment of issues to specific team members based on issue type, priority, or project. When a high-priority bug is reported, an automation rule can assign it to the appropriate developer automatically.

Automation can also benefit in SLA management. If an issue is nearing its resolution deadline, a trigger can escalate it to a higher priority, ensuring timely resolution and customer satisfaction. Moreover, repetitive administrative tasks like status transitions or notifications can be automated. For example, an automation rule can transition an issue to In Review status when all subtasks are completed.

22. How can you automate tasks and workflows in JIRA using automation rules and triggers? Provide examples of scenarios where automation can be beneficial.

To set up and manage a JIRA data center, you will need to:

• Set-up JIRA on your personal servers.
• Configure JIRA to match your unique requirements.
• Maintain ongoing control over JIRA, including security, upgrades, and backups.

Using a JIRA data center has a number of advantages for larger businesses::

• More control: The environment, including the hardware, software, and configuration, is more under your control, as was already established. For businesses with particular security or compliance needs, this may be crucial.
• Scalability: The JIRA Data Center was created with scalability in mind to fulfill the requirements of larger organizations. As a result, you can increase the number of users and data without worrying about performance or availability.
• Security: Data security is better under your control because the JIRAData Center is housed on your own infrastructure. For organizations that manage sensitive data, this may be crucial.
• Performance: For large organizations with lots of data, JIRAData Center may perform better than the cloud-based version of JIRA.

23. Explain the concept of JIRA gadgets and dashboards. How can you create custom dashboards and add gadgets to provide visualizations and insights?

JIRA dashboards and gadgets are tools for tracking and visualizing your JIRA data. Small, standalone widgets called gadgets show data from JIRA like issue counts, charts, and tables. Dashboards are customizable pages that can present the data that is most essential to you. They can contain many gadgets.

To create a custom dashboard:

• Go to the Dashboards page.
• Click Create a new dashboard.
• Give your dashboard a name and description.
• Add gadgets to your dashboard.
• Save your dashboard.

You must: in order to add gadgets to your dashboard.

• Select  Add Device.
• Choose the device you want to add.
• Set the device’s settings.
• Select Add.

24. What considerations and steps should be taken during the migration process?

Here are some considerations and steps that should be taken during the migration process from the JIRA Server to the JIRA Cloud:

• Data migration: This is the most crucial factor since you need to make sure that all of your data is successfully migrated. You can use a variety of tools, like the JIRA Cloud Migration Assistant, to assist you with data migration.
• User migration: In order to use JIRA Cloud, your users must be moved. Creating new user accounts and adding them to the appropriate groups are included in this.
• Configuration: JIRA Cloud must be set upto correspond with your current configuration. Things such as problem categories, workflows, and permissions are included in this.
• Integrations: You must ensure that any integrations you have with other programs are compatible with JIRA

Steps:

• Plan the migration: This involves identifying the data that must be moved as well as the tools and materials you will require.
• Backup of your data: You must make a backup of your data in case something goes wrong during the migration process.
• Data migration is the process of moving your information from JIRAServer to JIRA Cloud.
  Once the data has been transferred, you should test the migration to ensure everything is operating as planned.
• Go live: Once the migration has been completed to your satisfaction, you can start using JIRA Cloud.

25. How can you ensure data security and privacy in JIRA?

Any organization using JIRA must prioritize data security and privacy. You may aid in defending your JIRA instance against unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security concerns by adhering to these security best practices.

• Using two-factor authentication and strong passwords is the most fundamental security precaution you can take to safeguard your JIRA To increase security, make sure your passwords are strong and distinctive, and turn on two-factor authentication.
• Update your JIRA software frequently. JIRA receives security updates from Atlassian on a regular basis. In order to be protected against the most recent security flaws, it’s critical to keep your JIRA software updated.
• Use a firewall. A firewall can assist in preventing unauthorized access to your JIRA Make sure your firewall is set up to only allow traffic from trusted sources and to block all other incoming traffic.
• Encrypt your data: Your data should be encrypted if you are storing sensitive information in JIRA. This will shield your information in the event of a data breach.
• Encrypt your data: Only authorized users should be able to access JIRA, which should be restricted. JIRA’s permission system allows you to limit access to particular projects, issues, and fields.
• Backup your data: Creating a copy of your JIRA data is a smart practice at all times. This will assist you in recovering your data in the event of a disaster or data breach.

26. State the difference between Bugzilla and JIRA?

Bugzilla and JIRA are both issue-tracking systems used in software development, but they differ in several key aspects. Bugzilla is an open-source tool primarily designed for bug tracking, while JIRA, developed by Atlassian, is a commercial tool that offers broader project management capabilities, including issue tracking.

27. Explain labeling and linking issues in JIRA.

Labeling, often referred to as ‘tagging’, allows users to categorize issues with descriptive keywords or phrases. These labels serve as metadata, providing a quick and efficient way to classify, search for, and organize issues. Labels can denote various attributes, such as priority, type, or department, making it easier to locate specific issues within a project or across multiple projects.

For example, labels like ‘high-priority’ or ‘bug’ help in swiftly identifying critical issues requiring immediate attention. Effective labeling fosters enhanced organization, communication, and prioritization within teams.

Linking issues in JIRA establishes connections between related tasks, stories, or bugs. This functionality promotes comprehensive project traceability and helps manage complex dependencies. There are several types of issue links in JIRA, including ‘blocks’, ‘relates to’, and ‘is duplicated by’. These links enable teams to visualize and understand how different issues are interconnected, ensuring that progress on one issue doesn’t hinder or delay others. For instance, if Issue A is blocking Issue B, this linkage alerts team members to the fact that resolving Issue A is crucial before tackling Issue B.

28. How does the service desk work?

A service desk operates as a key component within an organization’s IT infrastructure, functioning as a central point of contact for addressing user issues, inquiries, and technical support needs. Its primary objective is to ensure the seamless delivery of IT services, boost productivity, and enhance user satisfaction.

The service desk workflow typically begins when users report their IT-related concerns, either through phone, email, or an online portal. These requests are then logged, categorized, and assigned to dedicated support personnel, commonly referred to as technicians or agents. These skilled professionals utilize a robust knowledge base and diagnostic tools to analyze and resolve issues efficiently.

Effective communication is paramount throughout the process, as the service desk keeps users informed about the progress of their requests. Furthermore, service desks often follow Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) best practices to ensure consistent service quality and adherence to predefined service level agreements (SLAs).

29. How can you modify multiple bulk issues?

To modify multiple bulk issues efficiently, most issue tracking systems, including JIRA, offer the following steps:

• Search and filter: Begin by creating a search query or filter that identifies the set of issues you want to modify. This can be based on various criteria such as issue type, status, or custom fields.
• Bulk edit: Use the bulk edit feature, which allows you to select multiple issues from the search results. This feature typically provides options to modify fields like assignee, status, priority, or custom fields.
• Review and confirm: Carefully review the changes you intend to make, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Execute: Apply the modifications to the selected issues in a single operation.
• Audit and verification: After the bulk edit, verify that the changes have been correctly applied to all relevant issues.

30. Explain the report types generated by JIRA.

JIRA,, a robust project management and issue-tracking tool, offers various report types to aid in project assessment and decision-making. These reports include:

• Burndown chart: This visualizes work progress over time, helping teams track how well they are meeting project goals.
• Velocity chart: It calculates the team’s historical sprint velocity, aiding in sprint planning and workload estimation.
• Cumulative flow diagram: This offers insights into work in progress, helping to identify bottlenecks and optimize workflows.
• Sprint report: It provides an overview of sprint progress, including completed and remaining work items.
• Epic report: Helps in managing large initiatives by tracking the progress of epics and their related issues.