README.md
Jira CLI & MCP Server — dual-mode Go binary for Jira Cloud
jtk — Jira Toolkit
The most comprehensive dedicated Jira MCP server in the open-source ecosystem. A dual-mode Go binary that works as both a rich CLI tool and an MCP server for AI agents.
11 MCP tools · 4 prompt templates · Full CLI · Single binary · Zero dependencies
Why jtk?
| jtk | mcp-atlassian (Python) | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Go (single ~15MB binary) | Python (pip install + deps) |
| Jira tools | 11 dedicated tools | ~30 mixed Jira+Confluence |
| Startup | ~50ms | ~2s |
| Permission introspection | Dynamic at startup | None |
| Dev status API | Branches, PRs, commits | Not available |
| Issue metrics | Cycle time, lead time, time-in-status | Not available |
| MCP prompts | 4 built-in templates | None |
| Auth | Classic + scoped tokens | Classic only |
Features
- Dual Mode — CLI for humans, MCP server for AI agents, same binary
- Git Awareness — Auto-detects Jira issue keys from branch names (e.g.,
feature/PROJ-123-add-login→PROJ-123) - Dynamic Permission Introspection — Queries
/mypermissionsat MCP startup, only registers mutation tools your token allows - Dev Status API — Surfaces branches, PRs, and commits linked to any issue via Jira's 3-step dev-status endpoint
- Issue Metrics — Cycle time, lead time, time-in-status breakdown with status transition history
- MCP Prompts — Standup summary, sprint status, release notes, dev dependency tree
- Token-Efficient — Consolidated action-based tools minimize schema overhead. ResponseFlattener strips bloated JSON. Full ADF↔Markdown conversion
- Agile-First — Boards, sprints, backlogs, sprint mutations, active sprint detection
Installation
# From source
git clone https://github.com/zach-snell/jtk.git && cd jtk
./install.sh # builds and copies to ~/.local/bin
# Or build manually
go build -o jtk ./cmd/jtk
Pre-built binaries available on the Releases page.
Quick Start
# Authenticate
jtk auth
# Get current issue from git branch
jtk issues get
# Search with JQL
jtk issues search --jql "project = PROJ AND status = 'In Progress'"
# Create an issue
jtk issues create --project PROJ --type Task --summary "Fix login bug"
# Sprint overview
jtk boards list
jtk boards active-sprint --board 1
CLI Commands
jtk auth Authenticate with Jira Cloud
jtk issues Issue CRUD, search, comments, transitions, links
jtk boards Agile boards, sprints, backlogs
jtk projects List, get, create projects
jtk users Search and get users
jtk versions Project versions/releases
jtk worklogs Time tracking
MCP Server
Stdio Transport (Claude Desktop, Cursor, OpenCode, etc.)
{
"mcpServers": {
"jira": {
"command": "/path/to/jtk",
"args": ["mcp"],
"env": {
"JIRA_DOMAIN": "your-domain",
"JIRA_EMAIL": "you@example.com",
"JIRA_API_TOKEN": "your-api-token"
}
}
}
}
Streamable HTTP Transport
jtk mcp --port 8080
Environment Variables
| Variable | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
JIRA_DOMAIN |
Atlassian domain (e.g., acme for acme.atlassian.net) |
Yes |
JIRA_EMAIL |
Email for the API token | Yes |
JIRA_API_TOKEN |
Atlassian API token | Yes |
JIRA_TOKEN_TYPE |
classic or scoped (auto-detected if omitted) |
No |
JIRA_DISABLED_TOOLS |
Comma-separated tool names to hide | No |
MCP Tools (11)
| Tool | Actions |
|---|---|
manage_issues |
get, create, update, assign, transition, delete, add_comment, edit_comment, list_comments, list_types, get_links, get_history, link, list_link_types, get_watchers, add_watcher, remove_watcher |
manage_search |
jql, quick |
manage_boards |
list_boards, get_board, list_sprints, get_sprint_issues, get_backlog, get_active_sprint, search_sprints, create_sprint, update_sprint, move_to_sprint |
manage_projects |
list, get, list_statuses, create |
manage_devinfo |
get_dev_info |
manage_worklogs |
list, add |
manage_versions |
list, get, create |
manage_attachments |
list, download, upload, delete |
manage_users |
get_current, search, get |
manage_metrics |
get_dates, get_metrics |
MCP Prompts (4)
| Prompt | Description |
|---|---|
standup_summary |
Generate a standup report from recent activity |
Tools (10)
manage_issuesPerform CRUD operations, comments, transitions, and link management for Jira issues.manage_searchExecute JQL queries or quick searches.manage_boardsManage agile boards, sprints, and backlogs.manage_projectsList, get, or create Jira projects.manage_devinfoRetrieve development status including branches, PRs, and commits.manage_worklogsList or add time tracking worklogs.manage_versionsManage project versions and releases.manage_attachmentsList, download, upload, or delete issue attachments.manage_usersSearch and retrieve user information.manage_metricsCalculate cycle time, lead time, and time-in-status metrics.Environment Variables
JIRA_DOMAINrequiredAtlassian domain (e.g., acme for acme.atlassian.net)JIRA_EMAILrequiredEmail for the API tokenJIRA_API_TOKENrequiredAtlassian API tokenJIRA_TOKEN_TYPEclassic or scoped (auto-detected if omitted)JIRA_DISABLED_TOOLSComma-separated tool names to hideConfiguration
claude_desktop_config.json
{"mcpServers": {"jira": {"command": "/path/to/jtk", "args": ["mcp"], "env": {"JIRA_DOMAIN": "your-domain", "JIRA_EMAIL": "you@example.com", "JIRA_API_TOKEN": "your-api-token"}}}}Try it
→Generate a standup summary based on my recent activity in Jira.
→Find all issues currently in the 'In Progress' status for the PROJ project.
→What is the development status of issue PROJ-123, including linked PRs?
→Calculate the cycle time for the last 5 completed issues in the active sprint.
→Create a new task in project PROJ with the summary 'Fix login bug'.