Automate Jira Tasks with GitHub Actions

Overview

Do you use Jira as your issue tracker and want to ensure every GitHub PR contains a linked Jira issue key? This GitHub Action validates that requirement automatically.

The "Jira Issue Key Checker" action verifies that each pull request includes a Jira issue key matching a specified prefix in both the title and description. Complete source code is available at github.com/fgiuliani/jira-issue-key-checker.

Init Project and Install Packages

Begin with Node.js by running npm init to create a package.json file. Install required dependencies:

npm install @actions/core
npm install @actions/github

The @actions/core package interfaces with workflow commands and variables, while @actions/github provides access to GitHub Actions contexts.

Create an Action Metadata File

Create action.yml to define inputs and configuration:

name: "Jira Issue Key Checker"
description: "Checks If a PR contains its linked Jira issue key in both the title and the description."
on: [pull_request]
inputs:
  GITHUB_TOKEN:
    required: true
  jira-prefix:
    required: true
    description: "Jira issue key prefix. Ex. ABC-1111, prefix would be ABC"
runs:
  using: "node12"
  main: "index.js"

Write the Action Code

Create index.js containing the validation logic:

const core = require("@actions/core");
const github = require("@actions/github");

const jiraPrefix = core.getInput("jira-prefix");

async function run() {
  try {
    const prTitle = github.context.payload.pull_request.title;
    const prBody = github.context.payload.pull_request.body;

    let regex = new RegExp(`${jiraPrefix}-[0-9]+`);
    if (!regex.test(prTitle) || !regex.test(prBody)) {
      core.setFailed("Jira Issue Key missing in PR title or description.");
      return;
    }
  } catch (error) {
    core.info(error);
  }
}

run();

Key Implementation Details

• GitHub Actions provide context via the github package for webhook event information
• core.getInput() retrieves the configured issue prefix
• github.context.payload.pull_request exposes PR metadata
• core.setFailed() marks validation failures when the regex doesn't match PR title or body

Commit, Tag, and Push

Prepare your action for release:

git add .
git commit -m "My GitHub Action"
git tag -a -m "My GitHub Action" v1
git push --follow-tags

Include the node_modules folder in your commit.

Test and Use the Action

In any GitHub repository, create .github/workflows/jira-issue-key-checker.yml:

name: "Jira Issue Key Checker"
on:
  pull_request:
    types:
      - opened
      - edited
      - synchronize

jobs:
  publish:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: [your-user]/[your-action-repository]@v1
        with:
          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
          jira-prefix: "ABC"

Once added, the action automatically runs on pull request events. Monitor execution details in the repository's Actions tab.