jira-mcp-server

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that lets AI assistants create, search, and manage Jira issues. Authenticates using Chrome browser cookies, so it works seamlessly with SSO-protected Jira Cloud instances -- no API tokens needed.

How it works

Instead of requiring a Jira API token, this server extracts session cookies from your Chrome browser. If you're logged into Jira in Chrome, the server can make API calls using your existing session. This is especially useful for organizations that use SSO (Azure AD, Okta, etc.) where generating long-lived API tokens isn't practical.

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• Google Chrome (or Chromium) on Linux
• An active Jira Cloud session in Chrome (log in before using)
• Chrome must not be running, or its cookie database must be unlockable

Quick start

git clone https://github.com/chaholl/jira-mcp-server.git
cd jira-mcp-server
npm install
npm run build
npm run setup   # interactive wizard -- discovers your Jira instance config

The setup wizard will:

1. Ask for your Jira base URL and project key
2. Verify authentication via Chrome cookies
3. Auto-discover issue types, priorities, and custom fields from your Jira instance
4. Write a jira-config.json file (gitignored)

MCP tools

Tool	Description
jira_auth_check	Verify authentication and display the current user
jira_create_issue	Create a new issue (story, bug, task, etc.)
jira_get_issue	Fetch and display an issue by key
jira_edit_description	Update an issue's description
jira_edit_acceptance_criteria	Update the acceptance criteria field
jira_add_comment	Add a comment to an issue
jira_transition_issue	Move an issue to a new status
jira_search	Search issues using JQL
jira_lookup_user	Look up a user's account ID by email
jira_list_components	List available project components
jira_reassign_issue	Reassign an issue to a different user
jira_reparent_issue	Change an issue's parent (epic/story)

Configuration

Setup wizard (recommended)

npm run setup

This interactively discovers your Jira instance's issue types, priorities, and custom fields, then writes jira-config.json.

Manual configuration

Alternatively, set environment variables:

export JIRA_BASE_URL="https://your-org.atlassian.net"
export JIRA_PROJECT_KEY="MYPROJECT"

Or create jira-config.json in the project root:

{
  "jiraBaseUrl": "https://your-org.atlassian.net",
  "projectKey": "MYPROJECT",
  "issueTypes": {
    "story": "10001",
    "bug": "10004",
    "task": "10002"
  },
  "priorities": {
    "critical": "1",
    "high": "2",
    "medium": "3",
    "low": "4"
  },
  "customFields": {
    "acceptance_criteria": "customfield_11083"
  }
}

Adding to your MCP client

Claude Code

claude mcp add jira -- node /path/to/jira-mcp-server/dist/index.js

Claude Desktop

Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jira": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/jira-mcp-server/dist/index.js"]
    }
  }
}

Limitations

• Linux only -- Chrome cookie extraction uses Linux-specific paths and secret-tool for keyring access
• Chrome/Chromium only -- does not support Firefox, Safari, or other browsers
• Session-based -- if your Jira session expires in Chrome, you'll need to log in again
• Single project -- configured for one Jira project at a time

License

MIT