JDBC Driver for Jira

Build 26.0.9770

Establishing a Connection

Creating a JDBC Data Source

You can create a JDBC data source to connect from your Java application using the CData JDBC Driver for Jira.

Follow these steps:

  1. Add the driver JAR file to the classpath. The JAR file is located in the installation directory's lib subfolder. Ensure that the .lic file is located in the same folder as the JAR file.
  2. Provide the driver class. For example: 
    cdata.jdbc.jira.JIRADriver
  3. Provide the JDBC URL. For example: 
    jdbc:jira:AuthScheme=APIToken;User=admin;APIToken=myApiToken;URL=https://yoursitename.atlassian.net;

    Or, if there is a conflict in your application between drivers using the same URL format, use this form to ensure that you are using the CData driver: 

    jdbc:cdata:jira:AuthScheme=APIToken;User=admin;APIToken=myApiToken;URL=https://yoursitename.atlassian.net;

    Ensure that the URL starts with either jdbc:jira: or jdbc:cdata:jira:. The URL can include any of the connection properties in name-value pairs separated with semicolons.

Connecting to Jira

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

Authenticating to Jira

Jira supports several authentication schemes. The available methods depend on your instance type: Cloud or Data Center (on-premise).

  • Cloud
    • OAuth
    • API Token
  • Data Center
    • OAuth
    • Personal Access Token (PAT)
    • Okta
    • Crowd
    • LDAP
    • Basic (User and Password)
    • Anonymous

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 to the Client ID in your application settings.
  • OAuthClientSecret (custom applications only): Set to the Client Secret in your application settings.
  • CallbackURL (custom applications only): Set to the callback URL configured in your application.
  • URL: Set this to the URL to your Jira endpoint, for example, https://yoursitename.atlassian.net.
When you connect, the driver opens Jira's OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application. The driver then completes the OAuth process:

  • The driver 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 driver refreshes the access token automatically when it expires.

Web Applications

When connecting via a Web application, you must register a custom OAuth application with Jira. You can then use the driver 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 to the Client ID in your application settings.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set to the Client Secret in your application settings.
  • URL: Set this to the URL to your Jira endpoint, for example, https://yoursitename.atlassian.net.

Then call stored procedures to complete the OAuth exchange:

  1. Call the GetOAuthAuthorizationURL stored procedure. Set the AuthMode input to WEB and the CallbackURL to the callback URL you specified in your application. The stored procedure returns the URL to the OAuth endpoint.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 GetOAuthAccessToken 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 must authenticate on another device that has an internet browser.

  1. 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 driver 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.

  2. Then configure the driver 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.

  1. 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:

      Then call the GetOAuthAuthorizationURL stored procedure with the appropriate CallbackURL. Open the URL returned by the stored procedure in a browser.

  2. Log in and grant permissions to the driver. 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 must 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 to the Client ID in your application settings.
  • OAuthClientSecret (custom applications only): Set to the Client Secret in your 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 to the Client ID in your application settings.
  • OAuthClientSecret (custom applications only): Set to the Client Secret in your application settings.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to the location containing the encrypted OAuth authentication values. Make sure this location gives read and write permissions to the driver to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.

Option 2: Transfer OAuth Settings

Prior to connecting on a headless machine, you must 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 to the Client ID in your application settings.
  • OAuthClientSecret (custom applications only): Set to the Client Secret in your application settings.
  • 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 driver to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.

API Token

This authentication method is only available in Jira Cloud.

You can authenticate to Jira Cloud instances using API tokens. To generate an API token, log in to your Atlassian account, click the user icon in the top-right corner of the page, and navigate to Account settings > Security > API tokens > Create and manage API tokens, then click Create API token. Store this token for later use. Note that the token is shown only once. If you leave the page without copying the token, you will have to create another token and copy its value. Set the following to connect:

  • AuthScheme: APIToken
  • User: The username of your Jira account.
  • APIToken: The API token you created using the above process.

Personal Access Token (PAT)

This authentication method is only available in Jira Data Center.

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 the REST API.

From the Atlassian application:

  1. Select the profile picture at the top right of the screen. Jira displays a drop-down list.
  2. Choose Profile.
  3. At the left panel, select Personal Access Tokens.
  4. Click Create token.
  5. Give the new token a name.
  6. 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.)
  7. 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 driver properties:

  • AuthScheme: PAT
  • PAT: The token you generated using the above procedure.

NOTE: PATs can also be created using the REST API. For further information, see Creating Personal Access Tokens.

Okta

To connect to Okta, set these properties:

  • AuthScheme: Okta.
  • User: The authenticating Okta user.
  • Password: The password of the authenticating Okta user.
  • SSOLoginURL: The SSO provider's login URL.
  • SSOExchangeURL: The URL 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 either 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 driver 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 driver sends a device token to extend MFA authentication lifetime. If you do not want MFA to be remembered, set this variable to False.

Example connection string: 

AuthScheme=Okta;Url=https://yoursitename.atlassian.net;SSOLoginURL='https://example.okta.com/home/appType/0bg4ivz6cJRZgCz5d6/46';User=oktaUserName;Password=oktaPassword;SSOExchangeUrl=https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlconsumer;

Crowd

To authenticate via Crowd SSO:

  • AuthScheme: Crowd
  • 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 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;

LDAP

This authentication method is only available in Jira Data Center.

To establish a connection to any Jira Server instance, set the following:

  • AuthScheme: LDAP
  • User: The username of one of your LDAP server's users.
  • Password The password associated with the specified LDAP user.

Basic

This authentication method is only available in Jira Data Center.

You can authenticate to Jira Data Center using a username and password. To do this, set the following:

  • AuthScheme Basic
  • User: Your Jira Data Center username.
  • Password: The password associated with the specified username.

Anonymous

This authentication method is only available in Jira Data Center.

You can connect to public endpoints in Jira that do not require authentication. This allows the driver to access data without sending user credentials. To connect, set the following:

  • AuthScheme: Anonymous
  • Timezone: The timezone associated with your Jira Data Center instance.

IMPORTANT: This scheme should only be used when connecting to publicly accessible endpoints that are configured to allow anonymous access. If the Jira instance does not support anonymous access for the requested resource, the connection fails or returns an empty result set.

Copyright (c) 2026 CData Software, Inc. - All rights reserved.
Build 26.0.9770