In your query, you will seek to retrieve specific issues that meet certain conditions. What these conditions are, is going to be dictated by the type of field involved & the possible values for that field. Do thought experiments & try to guess what a Scrum master might ask from you as opposed to a project manager who is managing 3 different projects. If you seem to be using some specific Jira jql queries often, turn them into a saved filter. There are numerous benefits of jql queries over the basic search available in Jira. Designing an advanced jql query will need some way to connect multiple search criteria together.

To recap, in this guide you’ve learnt the nuts & bolts of Jira Query Language, a powerful tool for advanced searching in Atlassian Jira. That’s where we explored fields, operators, values, keywords, and functions, the building blocks of JQL queries. We also discussed the advantages of advanced search over basic search, highlighting its precision and flexibility. So more often than not, you will work with your colleagues in there. That’s where the workload of creating various JQL queries can be distributed amongst the team.

JIRA JQL Cheat Sheet

AI features are currently available only on the Cloud versions of Jira, so DC instances of large organisations still rely on human written JQL queries. Even on cloud, companies from highly regulated industries are on the fence about using AI. They see that as a potential threat for exposing their proprietary data. By keeping documentation accessible, practicing with real-world scenarios, leveraging learning resources, and using a cheat sheet, you can continually enhance your JQL skills. Well, as it turns out – the above logic also applies to the popular project management tool, Atlassian Jira. There are some Jira instances out there with hundreds of thousands of issues/tickets tracked in them.

Tips and tricks section covered saving filters, sharing queries, and scheduling subscriptions. These features help you get more out of the tool than to write the same queries repetitively. We also discussed the importance of using parentheses for complex queries and leveraging functions to enhance your jql queries further. However, if you wanted to see all issues that meet all the above criteria or any bug whose title includes the word ‘Critical’ – the basic search won’t be of immediate help. We also have a downloadable cheat sheet to keep close on hand as you perform searches with JQL.

Functions in Jira Query Language

We will start with the basic concepts & then debate about utility of JQL in the age of AI, along the way covering some advanced topics. And yes, we’ve included a Jira JQL cheat sheet for handy reference. For example, spreadsheets are a great way to store information until they become unwieldy, and even a basic lookup on such sheets might crash the system, let alone advanced search. Visit the Jira product guide to learn more about JQL, advanced search with use cases, and more. Different query conditions can be combined into a more complex query using AND and OR.

We noted the convenience of natural language query builders while acknowledging the limitations and ongoing need for human oversight. Even as AI evolves, understanding and verifying JQL queries will remain a valuable skill, especially in complex and highly regulated environments. Our verdict – AI or not, the need to learn Jira Query Language will remain in demand. If not for building complex queries but for verifying them, when generated through AI. Just bookmark the official Jira documentation links (shared above) for quick referencing. It can save you time and help you quickly resolve any queries you may have.

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Copy and paste fields, operators and functions into the Jira search bar, as well as learn more advanced queries. Continuous learning and hands-on practice are key to mastering this SQL like query language and becoming more proficient in searching Jira issues. As seen below, a Jira jql query can be broken down into small elements – fields, operators, values, keywords, functions & more. It goes beyond the basic search & lets you dig deeper into the data with advanced features such as operators, functions, customizations & more. Having a JQL cheat sheet can be incredibly helpful for quick references. Download our comprehensive PDF cheat sheet below and keep it handy.

• Give your filter a meaningful name so you can easily identify it later.
• Tip – One easy way to see the limitations of basic search is to try & switch to the Basic search from JQL search.
• You can filter on any field available in Jira (depending on the selected project(s)).
• Well, now if your JQL is complex it will say something like ‘This JQL query is complex & cannot be converted into a basic search’.
• As we have seen above, JQL is a powerful tool with a vast array of functions, operators, and keywords.

It includes the most commonly used functions, operators, and syntax examples, making it easier for you to construct queries without having to memorize everything. By implementing these tips and tricks, you can make the most of Jira advanced search and significantly improve your ability to manage and track issues in Jira. Whether you’re saving and sharing filters, setting up subscriptions, or leveraging advanced functions, these strategies will help you use JQL more efficiently. Highlighted toggle lets you switch between the Basic & JQL (aka advanced) search.Basic search itself lets you choose the fields & corresponding values that you want to search for.

Operators

Tip – One easy way to see the limitations of basic search is to try & switch to the Basic search from JQL search. Remember how Jira itself converted basic search into the JQL query? Well, now if your JQL is complex it will say something like ‘This JQL query is complex & cannot be converted into a basic search’. For example, the default priority field has possible values of Blocker, Critical, Major, Minor, Trivial.

This is extremely helpful for organizations that have service level agreements (SLA) with their customer base. A JQL query can easily find the issues that are not meeting that SLA. You can filter on any field available in Jira (depending on the selected project(s)). That’s why we have developed an app for Jira cloud that lets you search any such entities on your Jira instance. And the good thing is that it takes all its structure from the Jira JQL. Just enter your query in plain English & it will get converted into JQL automatically.

This guide will be incomplete without the mention of Jira service management. The list of JQL keywords is actually small & pretty much self-explanatory. Following keywords are available to use in Jira – AND, OR, NOT, EMPTY, NULL, ORDER BY. That’s the primary role of keywords in the context of Jira query language. The most simple search feature in Jira is the search box at the top right of your screen.

Rely on a tweaked version of this Jira query language to achieve their end goals. Know that advanced JQL queries will save you tons of time & improve your ITSM KPIs. Arguably, functions in JQL are an important & differentiating factor. They have made jira query examples this SQL like query language as popular as it is today. Although there are similarities between SQL & JQL, the good news is that Jira JQL is way much easier. One of the reasons why Jira is so popular within the software development sphere is the JQL.

Based on your query condition, locate the corresponding operator from the list of 17 operators below. As we have seen above, JQL is a powerful tool with a vast array of functions, operators, and keywords. Here are some practical tips to help you enhance your Jira advanced search abilities. Here’s a handy tip – use parentheses to group related elements together. This list does not end here, but it should definitely give you an idea into the depth of function availability for advanced search in Jira.