Reasons to upgrade
Learn more about the benefits of upgrading to the latest version.
Upgrading from Jira 8.x to Jira 9.x
If you're already on Jira 9.x, feel free to skip this section.
Jira 9.0 is a platform release. As every platform release, it’s brought significant changes that aren’t usually provided in smaller feature releases. All of them affect the upgrade in some way and require that you take extra steps into consideration. Here’s everything you need to know.
Key changes in Jira 9.13
Starting from 9.13, new Jira Software releases support only Data Center licenses. If you try to upgrade to release 9.13 or later with your Server license, Jira will fail to start, and you’ll need to downgrade to the version you were on before the upgrade or provide a valid Data Center license.
Jira Software release notes provide information on the key features and improvements in each release.
Learn more about the key changes in Jira 9.13
Deciding to upgrade
When deciding to upgrade, you should consider a significant time investment to get new features, performance improvements, bug fixes, continued support access, company requirements, and many other benefits. Here are a few tips on how to prepare for the upgrade.
Upgrade: What am I getting?
New features
For every new version of Jira Software, we publish Jira Software release notes and Jira Software upgrade notes. These resources have important information about the upgrade.
The upgrade matrix lists all the features and improvements introduced in consecutive Jira releases. The matrix lets you compare versions and select the one you want to upgrade to. It also provides an overview of bugs, fixed in each release.
If you want to dig deeper and learn about all the technical specifics of upgrading Jira Software for a particular version, see Technical upgrade notes section in the matrix.
Performance improvements
Many of our releases focus on performance improvements, so you and your team can have an effective product experience with minimal technical slowdown. Two examples of these improvements are the optimization of indexing time and faster page load time for dashboards and issues.
Learn more from the performance report
Bug fixes and new releases
We use the public Jira instance to track the development of product bug fixes and suggestions. Many customers report issues and suggestions that would benefit their team and vote for or watch them. Just like watching Jira issues in your instance, you'll be notified via email when an issue is updated.
View Jira public issue tracker
Access to support
For Long Term Support releases, we provide support and bug fixes in all Data Center products for two years after a version is released. Ending support after two years allows us to focus our resources on supporting more up-to-date versions used by the majority of customers. This means that after a version has reached its end of life, our support team will only be able to assist with upgrade-related questions.
For versions that aren’t Long Term Support releases, we provide support for two years but the fixes are available only until the next version is out. Then, we only fix critical bugs. If you want to get all the new features and fixes, it's good to upgrade versions.
Upgrade: what should I consider?
In addition to technical considerations, there are a few other factors to consider for a smooth upgrade.
Time
The amount of time for the upgrade depends on several factors, including the size of your instance and the number of apps and customizations. As a general rule, it's best to incorporate some buffer time for planning and execution in case anything unexpected comes up.
Tools
No external tools are required to complete the Jira upgrade. There are a few handy resources that can help you along the way, like the App Compatibility Checker and the Instance Health Check.
To open these Jira tools:
- In the upper-right corner of the screen, select Administration
> System. - In the left panel, go to System support and select Troubleshooting and support tools.
Stakeholders
It's a good idea to carefully consider how to communicate information about the upgrade, especially if it’s introducing major changes. You might consider informing an approver, end users, and, if you've acquired the license through an approved Atlassian Solution Partner, your partners, as they may offer additional services to assist you during the upgrade.
All ready?
Head back to the upgrade matrix, and choose the version you want to upgrade to.