JIRA API Archeology and Zombies. Guidance for perplexed developers
Samples of API JIRA Nuances and Gotchas
The JIRA REST API is a great tool for synchronizing data into downstream systems but is not without Zombies, Land Minds, and other gotchas.
Sources of Zombie data in downstream systems
- Deletes and Archives will not be communicated through the REST APIs.
- Moving an issue from one to another
- Changing the issuetype of an issue
- Moving the issue to another project with a different issue type
Possible solutions
- Use webhooks and stream all event items of interest. Those will include delete actions.
- Occasionally, compare all known keys+issuetype to the downstream systems records. Delete keys that exist in the downstream system only.
- Pull the changelog and scan it for changes of project, key, or issuetype on the issue. This will provide details on what the old key and issuetype were so that they can be deleted.