Establishing a Connection

The objects available within our connector are accessible from the "cdata.jira" module. To use the module's objects directly:

Import the module as follows:
```
import cdata.jira as mod
```
To establish a connection string, call the connect() method from the connector object using an appropriate connection string, such as:
```
mod.connect("User=admin;APIToken=myApiToken;Url=https://yoursitename.atlassian.net")
```

Connecting to Jira

To connect set the URL to your Jira endpoint; for example, https://yoursitename.atlassian.net.

Accessing Custom Fields

By default the connector surfaces only system fields. To access the custom fields for Issues, either set IncludeCustomFields to true, or extend the connector schemas to configure access to custom fields. (See Custom Fields.) Note that the server response time can be significantly slower when custom fields are included.

Authenticating to Jira

Jira supports authentication via either a Personal Access Token or OAuth 2.0.

Personal Access Token (PAT)

PATs are a secure way to authenticate to Jira, acting as a safe alternative to authenticating with a username and password. The advantage of authentication via PAT is that if the system is ever compromised, the administrator can revoke existing tokens immediately. This avoids the need to change the access password in all scripts and integrations.

PATs are created by each individual user. When created, they automatically have the same permissions level as the user. Users can create a PAT either via their Atlassian Settings menu, or using a REST API.

From the Atlassian application:

Select the profile picture at the top right of the screen. Jira displays a drop-down list.
Choose Settings >Profile.
At the left panel, select Personal Access Tokens
Click Create token
Give the new token a name.
If desired, set the token to automatically expire after a certain number of days. (Atlassian displays a reminder message five days before the token actually expires, which gives the user time to create a new token.)
Click Create.

The personal token displays. It cannot be viewed or retrieved after creation, so be sure to copy the token now and store it in a safe place.

Now set the following Jira connector properties:

AuthScheme = PAT
PAT = the value of the generated Personal Access Token.

Note: PATs can also be created using the REST API. For further information, see Jira's documentation on Creating PATs at https://confluence.atlassian.com/enterprise/using-personal-access-tokens-1026032365.html.

OAuth 2.0

You can leverage Jira's "three-legged" OAuth 2.0 support (3LO) to connect to data without providing your login credentials.

The following procedures assume that AuthScheme has been set to OAuth in all OAuth flows.

Desktop Applications

CData provides an embedded OAuth application that simplifies OAuth desktop Authentication. Alternatively, you can create a custom OAuth application. See Creating a Custom OAuth Application for information about creating custom applications and reasons for doing so.

After setting the following, you are ready to connect:

InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
OAuthClientId (custom applications only): Set this to the client Id assigned when you registeredcation.
OAuthClientSecret (custom applications only): Set this to the client secret assigned when you registered your application.
CallbackURL (custom applications only): Set this to the redirect URI defined when you registered your application.
Url (custom applications only): Set this to the URL to your Jira endpoint, for example, https://yoursitename.atlassian.net.
OAuthVersion (custom applications only): Set this to 2.0.

When you connect, the connector opens Jira's OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application. The connector then completes the OAuth process:

The connector obtains an access token from Jira and uses it to request data.
Extracts the access token from the callback URL and authenticates requests.
Saves OAuth values in the location specified in OAuthSettingsLocation. These values persist across connections.

The connector refreshes the access token automatically when it expires.

Web Applications

When connecting via a Web application, you need to register a custom OAuth application with Jira. You can then use the connector to get and manage the OAuth token values. See Creating a Custom OAuth Application for more information.

Get an OAuth Access Token

Set the following connection properties to obtain the OAuthAccessToken:

OAuthClientId: Set this to the client Id in your application settings.
OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the client secret in your application settings.
Url (custom applications only): Set this to the URL to your Jira endpoint, for example, https://yoursitename.atlassian.net.
OAuthVersion (custom applications only): Set this to 2.0.

Then call stored procedures to complete the OAuth exchange:

Call the GetOAuthAuthorizationURL stored procedure. Set the AuthMode input to WEB and the CallbackURL to the Redirect URI you specified in your application settings. The stored procedure returns the URL to the OAuth endpoint.
Navigate to the URL that the stored procedure returned in Step 1. Log in and authorize the web application. You are redirected back to the callback URL.
Call the GetOAuthAccessToken stored procedure. Set the AuthMode input to WEB and the Verifier input to the "code" parameter in the query string of the redirect URI.

To connect to data, set the OAuthAccessToken connection property to the access token returned by the stored procedure. When the access token expires after ExpiresIn seconds, call the GetOAuthAccessToken stored procedure again to obtain a new access token.

Headless Machines

To configure the driver to use OAuth with a user account on a headless machine, you need to authenticate on another device that has an internet browser.

Choose one of two options:
- Option 1: Obtain the OAuthVerifier value as described in "Obtain and Exchange a Verifier Code" below.
- Option 2: Install the connector on a machine with an internet browser and transfer the OAuth authentication values after you authenticate through the usual browser-based flow, as described in "Transfer OAuth Settings" below.
Then configure the connector to automatically refresh the access token on the headless machine.

Option 1: Obtain and Exchange a Verifier Code

To obtain a verifier code, you must authenticate at the OAuth authorization URL.

Follow the steps below to authenticate from the machine with an internet browser and obtain the OAuthVerifier connection property.

Choose one of these options:
- If you are using the Embedded OAuth Application, call the GetOAuthAuthorizationURL stored procedure. Open the URL returned by the stored procedure in a browser.
- If you are using a custom OAuth application, set the following properties:
  - InitiateOAuth: Set to OFF.
  - OAuthClientId: Set to the client Id assigned when you registered your application.
  - OAuthClientSecret: Set to the client secret assigned when you registered your application.
  - OAuthVersion: Set to 2.0.
  Then call the GetOAuthAuthorizationURL stored procedure with the appropriate CallbackURL. Open the URL returned by the stored procedure in a browser.
Log in and grant permissions to the connector. You are then redirected to the redirect URI. There is a parameter called code appended to the redirect URI. Note the value of this parameter. Later you need this to set the OAuthVerifier connection property.

Next, you need to exchange the OAuth verifier code for OAuth refresh and access tokens.

On the headless machine, set the following connection properties to obtain the OAuth authentication values:

InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH.
OAuthVerifier: Set this to the noted verifier code (the value of the code parameter in the redirect URI).
OAuthClientId: (custom applications only) Set this to the client Id in your custom OAuth application settings.
OAuthClientSecret: (custom applications only) Set this to the client secret in the custom OAuth application settings.
OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to persist the encrypted OAuth authentication values to the specified location.

Test the connection to generate the OAuth settings file, then re-set the following properties to connect:

InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH.
OAuthClientId: (custom applications only) Set this to the client Id assigned when you registered your application.
OAuthClientSecret: (custom applications only) Set this to the client secret assigned when you registered your application.
OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to the location containing the encrypted OAuth authentication values. Make sure this location gives read and write permissions to the connector to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.

Option 2: Transfer OAuth Settings

Prior to connecting on a headless machine, you need to install and create a connection with the driver on a device that supports an internet browser. Set the connection properties as described in "Desktop Applications" above.

After completing the instructions in "Desktop Applications", the resulting authentication values are encrypted and written to the location specified by OAuthSettingsLocation. The default filename is OAuthSettings.txt.

Test the connection to generate the OAuth settings file, then copy the OAuth settings file to your headless machine.

On the headless machine, set the following connection properties to connect to data:

InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH.
OAuthClientId: (custom applications only) Set this to the client Id assigned when you registered your application.
OAuthClientSecret: (custom applications only) Set this to the client secret assigned when you registered your application.
OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to the location of the OAuth settings file you copied from the machine with the browser. Make sure this location gives read and write permissions to the connector to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.

OAuth 1.0

DEPRICATED: OAuth 1.0a is a deprecated authentication protocol and should not be used in Jira Cloud. You can use the OAuth 2.0 version by setting the OAuthClientId along with the OAuthAccessToken connection property.
To connect to Jira you have to follow the steps below:

Generate an RSA public/private key pair. In your terminal, run the following commands:

-openssl genrsa -out jira_privatekey.pem 1024
-openssl req -newkey rsa:1024 -x509 -key jira_privatekey.pem -out jira_publickey.cer -days 365
-openssl pkcs8 -topk8 -nocrypt -in jira_privatekey.pem -out jira_privatekey.pcks8
-openssl x509 -pubkey -noout -in jira_publickey.cer  -out jira_publickey.pem

Create application links in your account. Go to Settings > Applications > Application links.
Enter a test URL for the url field, click Create new link.
Ignore the error and click continue. You need only configure incoming calls (from the application to Jira).
In the Link applications window, filling in the fields is optional, since they are not relevant to this task. But make sure to select Create incoming link. Click Continue. to go to the next page.
Fill in the required fields:
- Consumer Key: Use any string you want. This is required for the OAuthClientId connection property.
- Consumer Name: Use any string you want.
- Public key: Enter the key from the jira_publickey.pem file you generated earlier.
Click Continue.

To connect set the following properties:

URL (for example: https://yoursitename.atlassian.net).
OAuthClientId to the Consumer Key of your application.
OAuthClientSecret to any value (such as 'testClientSecret').
CertificateStore to the location of your private key file.
CertificateStoreType to the appropriate option based on the private key file being used. If using the generated PEM key file, set CertificateStoreType to PEMKEY_FILE.
InitiateOAuth to GETANDREFRESH.

API Token

You can establish a connection to any Jira Cloud account by setting the AuthScheme to APIToken and providing the User and APIToken.
An API token is necessary for basic authentication to Cloud instances. To generate one, log in to your Atlassian account and navigate to Security > Create and manage API tokens > Create API token. The generated token will be displayed.

Basic

You can establish a connection to any Jira Server instance by setting the AuthScheme to Basic. To connect to a Server Instance provide the User and Password.
(Note: Password has been deprecated for connecting to a Cloud Account and is now used only to connect to a Server Instance.)

LDAP

You can establish a connection to any Jira Server instance by setting the AuthScheme to LDAP. Additionally provide the URL, User and Password of the Jira instance. (Note: LDAP Authentication is not currently supported for Cloud accounts.)

Crowd

Set the AuthScheme to Crowd, then configure these connection properties:

User: The CROWD user account.
Password: The password associated with the Crowd account.
SSOLoginURL: The login URL associated with the Crowd account. You can find the IDP URL by navigating to your application > SSO > SSO information > Identity provider single sign-on URL.
SSOAppName: The name of the application in which SSO is enabled.
SSOAppPassword: The password of the application in which SSO is enabled.
SSOExchangeUrl: The URL used used to exchange the SAML token for Jira cookies. This URL may have the following formats:
- https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlconsumer
- https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlsso

Example connection string:

AuthScheme=Crowd;Url=https://yoursitename.atlassian.net;SSOLoginURL='https://<authority>/crowd/console/secure/saml/sso.action';User=crowdUserName;Password=crowdPassword;SSOExchangeUrl=https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlconsumer;SSOAppName=CrowdAppName;SSOAppPassword=CrowdAppPassword;

Okta

To connect to Okta, set the AuthScheme to Okta, and set these properties:

User: The Okta user.
Password: The Okta user's password.
SSOLoginURL: The SSO provider's login URL.
SSOExchangeUrl: The URL used used to exchange the SAML token for Jira cookies. This URL may have the following formats:
- https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlconsumer
- https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlsso

If you are using a trusted application or proxy that overrides the Okta client request OR configuring MFA, you must use combinations of SSOProperties to authenticate using Okta. Set any of the following, as applicable:

APIToken: When authenticating a user via a trusted application or proxy that overrides the Okta client request context, set this to the API Token the customer created from the Okta organization.
MFAType: If you have configured the MFA flow, set this to one of the following supported types: OktaVerify, Email, or SMS.
MFAPassCode: If you have configured the MFA flow, set this to a valid passcode.
If you set this to empty or an invalid value, the connector issues a one-time password challenge to your device or email. After the passcode is received, reopen the connection where the retrieved one-time password value is set to the MFAPassCode connection property.
MFARememberDevice: True by default. Okta supports remembering devices when MFA is required. If remembering devices is allowed according to the configured authentication policies, the connector sends a device token to extend MFA authentication lifetime. If you do not want MFA to be remembered, set this variable to False.