ACLI Jira Command Reference

Quick-reference for Atlassian CLI (acli) Jira commands. Covers authentication, work item CRUD, search, project management, boards, sprints, and filters.

Core Principles

1. Authenticate first: Verify auth status before running commands
2. JQL for precision: Use JQL queries for targeted searches over broad listing
3. Bulk via JQL: Prefer --jql over comma-separated --key for operations on many items
4. Output format matters: Use --json for scripting, --csv for exports, default for readability
5. Use short flags: Combine -p, -t, -s, -a for faster command composition

Authentication

Authenticate before running any Jira command.

# Log in (interactive browser flow)
acli jira auth login

# Check current auth status
acli jira auth status

# Switch between authenticated accounts
acli jira auth switch

# Log out
acli jira auth logout

Work Items — Core Operations

Create

Tip: Issue types are project-specific. Before creating, check allowed types with: acli jira workitem create -p "PROJ" --help or attempt creation — the error message lists valid types.

# Create with inline fields
acli jira workitem create --project "PROJ" --type "Task" --summary "Implement feature X"

# Create with description
acli jira workitem create -p "PROJ" -t "Story" -s "User login" -d "As a user, I want to log in"

# Create with assignee and labels
acli jira workitem create -p "PROJ" -t "Bug" -s "Fix crash" -a "@me" -l "critical,backend"

# Create as subtask (specify parent)
acli jira workitem create -p "PROJ" -t "Subtask" -s "Write tests" --parent "PROJ-42"

# Create from JSON template
acli jira workitem create --generate-json > template.json  # generate template
acli jira workitem create --from-json template.json         # create from template

# Create from file (summary + description)
acli jira workitem create -p "PROJ" -t "Task" --from-file spec.txt

# Open editor to compose (summary + description)
acli jira workitem create -p "PROJ" -t "Task" -e

View

# View work item details
acli jira workitem view PROJ-123

# View as JSON
acli jira workitem view PROJ-123 --json

# View specific fields only
acli jira workitem view PROJ-123 --fields summary,status,assignee

# Open in browser
acli jira workitem view PROJ-123 --web

Edit

# Edit summary
acli jira workitem edit --key "PROJ-123" --summary "Updated summary"

# Edit multiple items
acli jira workitem edit --key "PROJ-1,PROJ-2,PROJ-3" --assignee "dev@company.com"

# Bulk edit via JQL
acli jira workitem edit --jql "project = PROJ AND status = Open" --assignee "dev@company.com"

# Edit description from file
acli jira workitem edit --key "PROJ-123" --description-file updated.txt

Assign

# Assign to self
acli jira workitem assign --key "PROJ-123" --assignee "@me"

# Assign to someone
acli jira workitem assign --key "PROJ-123" --assignee "dev@company.com"

# Bulk assign via JQL
acli jira workitem assign --jql "project = PROJ AND sprint in openSprints()" --assignee "dev@company.com"

Transition (Change Status)

# Transition to a new status
acli jira workitem transition --key "PROJ-123" --status "In Progress"

# Common transitions
acli jira workitem transition --key "PROJ-123" --status "Done"
acli jira workitem transition --key "PROJ-123" --status "In Review"

Delete

# Delete a work item
acli jira workitem delete --key "PROJ-123"

# Delete multiple
acli jira workitem delete --key "PROJ-1,PROJ-2"

Search

# Search with JQL
acli jira workitem search --jql "project = PROJ AND assignee = currentUser()"

# Search with field selection
acli jira workitem search -j "project = PROJ AND status = 'In Progress'" -f "key,summary,assignee,status"

# Search with limit
acli jira workitem search --jql "project = PROJ" --limit 50

# Count results only
acli jira workitem search --jql "project = PROJ AND type = Bug" --count

# Export as CSV
acli jira workitem search --jql "project = PROJ" --csv

# Export as JSON
acli jira workitem search --jql "sprint in openSprints()" --json

# Paginate through all results
acli jira workitem search --jql "project = PROJ" --paginate

# Search using saved filter
acli jira workitem search --filter "12345"

# Open search in browser
acli jira workitem search --jql "project = PROJ" --web

Work Items — Secondary Operations

Comments

# Add a comment
acli jira workitem comment create --key "PROJ-123" --body "Ready for review"

# List comments
acli jira workitem comment list --key "PROJ-123"

# Update a comment
acli jira workitem comment update --key "PROJ-123" --id "10001" --body "Updated comment"

# Delete a comment
acli jira workitem comment delete --key "PROJ-123" --id "10001"

Clone

# Clone a work item (--to-project is required, even for same project)
acli jira workitem clone --key "PROJ-123" --to-project "PROJ"

# Clone to a different project
acli jira workitem clone --key "PROJ-123" --to-project "OTHER"

Link

# Link two work items (outward blocks inward)
acli jira workitem link create --out "PROJ-123" --in "PROJ-456" --type "Blocks"

# Get available link types
acli jira workitem link type

Attachments

# List attachments
acli jira workitem attachment list --key "PROJ-123"

# Delete an attachment (by attachment ID, no --key needed)
acli jira workitem attachment delete --id "10001"

Watchers

# Remove a watcher (--user takes Atlassian account ID)
acli jira workitem watcher remove --key "PROJ-123" --user "5b10ac8d82e05b22cc7d4ef5"

Archive / Unarchive

# Archive work items
acli jira workitem archive --key "PROJ-123"

# Unarchive work items
acli jira workitem unarchive --key "PROJ-123"

Project Management

Create Project

# Create a project cloned from an existing one (company-managed projects only)
acli jira project create --from-project "EXISTING" --key "NEWPROJ" --name "New Project"

# Create with description and lead
acli jira project create --from-project "EXISTING" --key "NEWPROJ" --name "New Project" \
  --description "Project description" --lead-email "lead@company.com"

# Generate JSON template for full control
acli jira project create --generate-json > project.json
acli jira project create --from-json project.json

List Projects

# List projects (requires --limit, --recent, or --paginate)
acli jira project list --limit 50

# List recently accessed projects
acli jira project list --recent

# List all projects (paginated)
acli jira project list --paginate

# List as JSON for scripting
acli jira project list --limit 50 --json

# Extract project keys with jq
acli jira project list --limit 50 --json | jq '.[].key'

View Project

# View project details
acli jira project view --key PROJ

# View as JSON
acli jira project view --key PROJ --json

Update Project

# Update project name and lead (--project-key targets existing, --key sets new key)
acli jira project update --project-key "PROJ" --name "New Name" --lead-email "newlead@company.com"

Archive / Restore

# Archive a project
acli jira project archive --key "PROJ"

# Restore an archived project
acli jira project restore --key "PROJ"

Delete Project

# Delete a project (irreversible)
acli jira project delete --key "PROJ"

Boards, Sprints & Filters

Boards

# Search for boards
acli jira board search

# Search by name
acli jira board search --name "Team Board"

# List sprints on a board
acli jira board list-sprints --id 42

Sprints

# List work items in a sprint (both --sprint and --board are required)
acli jira sprint list-workitems --sprint 100 --board 6

# List with field selection
acli jira sprint list-workitems --sprint 100 --board 6 --fields "key,summary,status,assignee"

Filters

# Search filters (supports --owner, --name, --limit, --paginate)
acli jira filter search

# List my filters (--my or --favourite required)
acli jira filter list --my
acli jira filter list --favourite

# Add a filter to favourites
acli jira filter add-favourite --filter-id "12345"

# Change filter owner (--id, not --filter-id)
acli jira filter change-owner --id "12345" --owner "newowner@company.com"

Common Flag Patterns

Common Workflows

Discover Project & Create Items

# 1. Find available projects
acli jira project list --limit 50 --json | jq '.[] | {key, name}'

# 2. Check project details (issue types are listed in error if wrong type used)
acli jira project view --key PROJ --json

# 3. Create item with validated type
acli jira workitem create -p "PROJ" -t "Task" -s "My new task" -d "Description here"

Start Working on an Item

# Find and assign item to yourself, then transition to In Progress
acli jira workitem assign --key "PROJ-123" --assignee "@me"
acli jira workitem transition --key "PROJ-123" --status "In Progress"

Create Bug with Full Context

# Create bug with description, labels, and assignment
acli jira workitem create \
  -p "PROJ" -t "Bug" \
  -s "Login fails with SSO redirect loop" \
  -d "Steps: 1. Click SSO login 2. Redirects infinitely. Expected: Successful login." \
  -a "@me" -l "sso,auth,critical"

Sprint Review — List Items by Status

# All items in current sprint
acli jira workitem search --jql "sprint in openSprints() AND project = PROJ" -f "key,summary,status,assignee"

# Incomplete items in current sprint
acli jira workitem search --jql "sprint in openSprints() AND project = PROJ AND status != Done" -f "key,summary,status"

# Export sprint report as CSV
acli jira workitem search --jql "sprint in openSprints() AND project = PROJ" --csv

Bulk Reassignment

# Reassign all items from one person to another
acli jira workitem assign --jql "assignee = 'old@company.com' AND status != Done" --assignee "new@company.com"

Complete an Item

# Add final comment and transition to Done
acli jira workitem comment create --key "PROJ-123" --body "Completed in PR #456"
acli jira workitem transition --key "PROJ-123" --status "Done"

Useful JQL Patterns

# My open items
"assignee = currentUser() AND status != Done"

# Current sprint items
"sprint in openSprints() AND project = PROJ"

# Recently updated bugs
"project = PROJ AND type = Bug AND updated >= -7d"

# Unassigned items in backlog (sprint field requires Scrum board)
"project = PROJ AND assignee is EMPTY AND sprint is EMPTY"

# Items blocked or blocking
"issueFunction in linkedIssuesOf('key = PROJ-123', 'blocks')"

# Epics without completed stories
"type = Epic AND project = PROJ AND status != Done"

# High priority items needing attention
"project = PROJ AND priority in (Highest, High) AND status != Done"

# Items created this week
"project = PROJ AND created >= startOfWeek()"

# Items without estimates
"project = PROJ AND originalEstimate is EMPTY AND type in (Story, Task)"

# Overdue items
"project = PROJ AND duedate < now() AND status != Done"

Output Formatting Tips

Use --json for scripting/piping, --csv for spreadsheet export, --count for totals only, and -f to select specific fields. Add --paginate with --limit for large result sets. These flags work across most search and list commands.

JSON + jq Piping

# Extract specific fields from search results
acli jira workitem search --jql "project = PROJ" --json | jq '.[].key'

# Get project keys and names
acli jira project list --limit 50 --json | jq '.[] | {key, name}'

# Count items by status
acli jira workitem search --jql "project = PROJ" --json | jq 'group_by(.fields.status.name) | map({status: .[0].fields.status.name, count: length})'

Description Formatting

• Short descriptions: Use -d with plain text. Avoid markdown headings (##) inline — they don’t render well in all Jira views.
• Long/rich descriptions: Use --editor to compose in your editor, or --from-file to read from a file.
• Multi-line inline: Use shell line continuation (\) with -d for multi-paragraph descriptions.