How to Become a Jira Developer in 2025

In the growing world of software development, one role continues to grow in demand and relevance: the Jira developer. As organizations embrace agile approaches and refined project management tools, Jira has become a foundation of team collaboration and workflow automation. If you are a student founding career opportunities, a skilled developer pursuing a niche or a decision maker considering upskilling opportunities and learning to become a Jira developer in 2025 could be a key step forward.

Here’s how you can tackle on this journey, understand the skills required and carve your path to becoming a professional Jira developer.

Understanding the Role of a Jira Developer

A Jira developer is much more than someone who configures workflows or updates boards. Think of Jira as the backbone of a well-oiled project management system. A Jira developer acts like the architect and engineer, customizing and extending Jira’s capabilities to meet the unique needs of teams and organizations.

This includes tasks such as:

• Customizing workflows to streamline project progress.
• Developing plugins and apps to add new functionalities.
• Integrating Jira with external tools like Confluence, Slack or CI/CD pipelines.
• Automating tasks using Jira Automation and scripting languages.
• Building custom dashboards to enhance reporting and insights.

Becoming a Jira developer involves mastering both technical skills and the art of problem solving. It is a blend of creativity, technical proficiency and an understanding of how people cooperate within organizations.

Why Choose Jira Development?

The world of Jira development is akin to joining the pit crew of a racing team. While the racers (project teams) are on the track, you are working behind the scenes to optimize every element of the vehicle (Jira) to ensure top performance.

1. Demand for Jira Developers is Growing
With over 180,000 customers global, Jira is the go to tool for agile project management. Businesses are always pursuing Jira developers who can customize the platform to their exact needs, making it more efficient, easy to understand and aligned with business goals.

2. Diverse Career Opportunities

As a Jira developer, you are not restricted to a single domain. Jira is used in industries ranging from software development to healthcare, finance and manufacturing. Your skills will help to opportunities in both technical and strategic roles, such as Jira consultant, Atlassian administrator or agile coach.

Step by Step Guide to Becoming a Jira Developer

1. Build a Strong Foundation in Programming for Jira Developer

To thrive as a Jira developer, you will need a solid grounding in programming. Jira’s extensibility relies heavily on coding, particularly using languages like:

• Java: For building Jira plugins and apps.
• JavaScript: To create dynamic user interfaces and work with REST APIs.
• Groovy: Used for scripting in Jira ScriptRunner.
• SQL: For querying Jira’s database and managing data efficiently.

Start by learning these languages through online courses, bootcamps or self-guided projects. For instance, practice building small scripts or mini applications that mimic real-world use cases.

2. Understand Jira’s Ecosystem

Jira development is not just about coding. It is also about deeply understanding Jira’s structure and ecosystem. Focus on:

• Jira Software, Service Management and Core: Learn the differences and use cases for each.
• Custom fields and workflows: Understand how to tailor Jira projects to specific needs.
• Jira REST API: This is crucial for integrating Jira with other tools or creating custom solutions.
• Atlassian Marketplace: Find existing apps to understand gaps you can fill with your solutions.

3. Gain Hands-On Experience

One of the best ways to learn Jira development is by doing. Start by experimenting with Jira in a test environment. Atlassian offers free trials of Jira, which you can use to:

• Create custom workflows.
• Automate repetitive tasks.
• Develop simple plugins using the Atlassian SDK (Software Development Kit).
• Practice integrating Jira with tools like GitHub or Jenkins.

Contributing to open source projects that involve Jira is another great way to gain experience while building your portfolio.

4. Learn Atlassian Tools and Best Practices
Jira is part of a broader suite of Atlassian tools. Familiarize yourself with other tools like Confluence, Bitbucket and Bamboo. Knowing how these tools integrate and complement Jira will make you a more adaptable developer.

Also, learn about agile and DevOps practices. Jira is built to support these methodologies and understanding them will help you create solutions that truly meet the needs of your team or clients.

5. Get Certified as a Jira Developer

Certifications can help confirm your skills and boost your trustworthiness. Atlassian offers certifications like:

• ACP-620: Managing Jira Projects for Cloud
• ACP-120: Jira Administration for Cloud
• ACP-100: Jira Administration for Data Center and Server

While not mandatory, certifications signal your expertise to employers and clients.

6. Stay Updated

The tech landscape evolves quickly and so does Jira. In 2025, cloud-based solutions are becoming the standard. Stay informed about Atlassian’s updates, participate in Jira communities and follow trends in project management and software development.

Tools and Resources for Jira Developer

Learning Platforms

• Atlassian University: Offers official Jira courses and certifications.
• igmGuru and Coursera: Provide beginner to advanced courses in Jira development and jira training online.
• YouTube tutorials: Great for quick tips and practical examples.

Communities

• Atlassian Community: Engage with other Jira developers and ask questions.
• Reddit (r/Atlassian): Join discussions and learn from peers.
• GitHub: Find Jira related repositories and collaborate on projects.

Practice Tools

• Jira Cloud Free Plan: Start experimenting with Jira’s cloud platform.
• Postman: Test Jira REST APIs.
• IntelliJ IDEA: A robust IDE for Java and Groovy development.

Final Thoughts about Jira Developer

Becoming a Jira developer in 2025 is a compelling and best career choice. It demands a mix of technical skills, creativity and a problem solving mindset. If you are designing custom plugins, automating workflows or integrating tools, you will play an important role in certifying teams to work smarter and achieve their goals.

By following this article, you will build the expertise and spirit needed to excel as a Jira developer. As the demand for skilled professionals continues to rise, you will find yourself at the forefront of a passionate and impactful area.