How do I set up the Jira MCP server?

Add the Jira server to your MCP config using the command: npx with the package mcp-atlassian. See the full config below.

What does the Jira MCP server do?

Search and manage Jira issues, projects, and sprints via the Atlassian REST API.

Jira MCP Server — Config Template & Setup Guide

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "server-jira": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-atlassian"
      ],
      "env": {
        "JIRA_URL": "https://your-domain.atlassian.net",
        "JIRA_USERNAME": "[email protected]",
        "JIRA_API_TOKEN": "your-api-token-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Environment Variables

Variable	Required	Description
`JIRA_URL`	✓ Required	Your Jira instance base URL.
`JIRA_USERNAME`	✓ Required	Atlassian account email address.
`JIRA_API_TOKEN`	✓ Required	Jira API token generated from id.atlassian.com/manage-profile/security/api-tokens.

Setup Instructions

Ensure Node.js 18+ is installed on your system.
Copy the config block above into your claude_desktop_config.json file (typically at ~/.config/claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS/Linux or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json on Windows).
Set the JIRA_URL environment variable: Your Jira instance base URL.
Set the JIRA_USERNAME environment variable: Atlassian account email address.
Set the JIRA_API_TOKEN environment variable: Jira API token generated from id.atlassian.com/manage-profile/security/api-tokens.
Restart your AI client to apply the config.

claude_desktop_config.json

Environment Variables

Setup Instructions

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