What is Jira
Jira is a project management tool that helps any team plan, track, and deliver work. Teams use it to break big goals into tasks, see who is doing what by when, and keep everyone working from the same source of truth.
It fits software, marketing, IT, operations, design, and product teams, and scales from a single project to work spanning an entire organization. Today it is also where teams direct and track the work of AI agents, so human and agent work live in one place.
If you are deciding whether Jira is right for your team, the short answer is that Jira is built to organize work of almost any kind, connect it to your broader goals, and give you visibility into progress without extra status meetings. Sign up for a live demo of Jira and chat live with Atlassian product experts!
What do teams use Jira for?
Teams use Jira to manage everyday tasks and to run complex, multi-team projects. Common uses include:
Plan work: Break projects into tasks, set owners and due dates, and organize work into sprints or a backlog.
Track progress: Follow work as it moves through your process, from to-do to done, on boards built for your team.
Manage dependencies: See how work connects across teams and spot blockers before they slow you down.
Report on results: Use built-in reports to answer how a project is tracking without building a spreadsheet.
Who uses Jira?
Jira began in 2002 as a work-tracking tool for software teams. Today teams at companies of every size use it, and it supports many kinds of work beyond software. Teams that rely on Jira include:
Software teams building and shipping products
Marketing teams running campaigns
IT and operations teams managing requests and services
Product and design teams planning roadmaps
Project and program managers coordinating across groups
Because it is flexible and works with thousands of apps and integrations, cross-functional teams can use Jira together and connect it to the tools they already use. Learn more about the teams using Jira or get started for free.
What are the main features of Jira?
Jira supports the project management approach your team prefers, from agile sprints to simple task lists, with views including lists, timelines, and boards. The core features are:
Flexible board views
Jira shows the same work in the view that suits your team, including lists, boards, timelines, and calendars. Boards show work as cards that move through stages, with Scrum boards for teams that work in sprints and Kanban boards for continuous flow.
The timeline view lets you plan and track work across weeks or months and manage dependencies so work stays on track.
Reports and dashboards
Reports and dashboards surface data from your boards and projects so your team can track progress and make decisions without leaving their work. Dashboards give you a customizable, at-a-glance view, and reports draw on your team's history to show trends over time.
Integrations
Jira connects with thousands of apps and integrations, so you can link it to the tools your team already uses. Many are free and quick to set up from the Atlassian Marketplace.
Automations
Automations handle repetitive steps in your process with no-code rules, such as assigning work, moving items between stages, or sending an update when something changes. This keeps work moving without manual follow-up.
Customizable configuration
Jira lets you tailor work item types, fields, and workflows to match how your team actually works, so the tool fits your process rather than the other way around.
How is Jira different from a simple to-do list?
A to-do list tracks individual tasks. Jira tracks work in context: who owns it, how it connects to other work, how it maps to a larger goal, and how it is progressing over time. That context is what lets a team of many people, and increasingly AI agents, coordinate without losing track of the bigger picture.
How does Jira use AI?
Jira includes AI features that work with the context already in your work items, and it acts as the system of record for both human and AI-agent work. Jira's AI can capture and break work into defined tasks, run Rovo agents for specific jobs such as drafting a workflow or turning a ticket into a coding plan, and let you assign a work item to an AI agent and review the result.
You can also learn more about Jira AI in the software development lifecycle.
Frequently asked questions
What is Jira used for?
Jira is used to plan, track, and deliver work of almost any kind. Teams use it to organize tasks into projects, follow progress on boards, manage dependencies across teams, and report on results, all in one place.
Is Jira only for software teams?
No. Jira started with software teams in 2002, but today marketing, IT, operations, design, product, and project management teams use it too. Its flexible setup adapts to almost any type of work.
Do I need to know Agile to use Jira?
No. Jira supports Agile methods like Scrum and Kanban, but you can also use it for simple task and project tracking without adopting any specific framework. You can start simple and add more structure as you grow.
How much does Jira cost?
Jira offers a free plan for small teams, with paid plans that add more users and features. You can start free and upgrade when your team needs more.
Can Jira connect to the tools my team already uses?
Yes. Jira connects with thousands of apps and integrations through the Atlassian Marketplace, including tools for communication, development, design, and reporting. Many are free and easy to set up.
Can AI agents do work in Jira?
Yes. You can assign a work item to an AI agent the same way you assign work to a teammate, then review what it produces before it goes further. Agents work inside Jira's existing permissions, so their work stays governed and visible.