What is the key difference between MCP Server Atlassian Jira and Backlog?

MCP Server Atlassian Jira belongs to the Workplace & Productivity category with local stdio execution, while Backlog belongs to the Workplace & Productivity category with local stdio execution.

How do I install MCP Server Atlassian Jira or Backlog in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are MCP Server Atlassian Jira and Backlog free or paid?

MCP Server Atlassian Jira operates under a Free / Open Source model (API Key required). Backlog operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

MCP Server Atlassian Jira lists 5 tools with 5 views and 74 GitHub stars. Backlog lists 24 tools with 3 views and 5 GitHub stars.

Can I use both MCP Server Atlassian Jira and Backlog together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

MCP Server Atlassian Jira vs Backlog

In-depth architectural comparison of the MCP Server Atlassian Jira and Backlog MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

MCP Server Atlassian Jira

Workplace & Productivity · Local stdio

Quality: 64/100 (Good) | Auth: API Key required

Backlog

Workplace & Productivity · Local stdio

Quality: 47/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose MCP Server Atlassian Jira if you need specialized Workplace & Productivity tools running via a local process. Choose Backlog if your workspace requires Workplace & Productivity integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose MCP Server Atlassian Jira when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Workplace & Productivity domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (Free / Open Source).
You have access to required keys: ATLASSIAN_SITE_NAME, ATLASSIAN_USER_EMAIL, ATLASSIAN_API_TOKEN.
Primary tools included: jira_get, jira_post, jira_put.

Explore MCP Server Atlassian Jira Details

Choose Backlog when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Workplace & Productivity domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
You have access to required keys: TASKDATA, TASKDATA_ROOT, BACKLOG_NAMESPACE, BACKLOG_AUTO_NAMESPACE, BACKLOG_AGENT_ID, BACKLOG_BACKEND, BACKLOG_S3_BUCKET, BACKLOG_S3_REGION.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	MCP Server Atlassian Jira aashari Workplace & Productivity	Backlog backloghq Workplace & Productivity
Summary	Atlassian Jira Cloud integration. Enables AI systems to interact with Jira projects, issues, comments, and related development information in real time.	Persistent, cross-session task management for Claude Code. 24 MCP tools, 7 skills, and agent coordination with event-sourced storage and per-project isolation.
Category & Scope

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

MCP Server Atlassian Jira Tools (5)

jira_get

Read any Jira data. Returns TOON format by default (30-60% fewer tokens than JSON). **IMPORTANT - Cost Optimization:** - ALWAYS use `jq` param to filter response fields. Unfiltered responses are very expensive! - Use `maxResults` query param to restrict result count (e.g., `maxResults: "5"`) - If unsure about available fields, first fetch ONE item with `maxResults: "1"` and NO jq filter to explore the schema, then use jq in subsequent calls **Schema Discovery Pattern:** 1. First call: `path: "/rest/api/3/search/jql", queryParams: {"maxResults": "1", "jql": "project=PROJ"}` (no jq) - explore available fields 2. Then use: `jq: "issues[*].{key: key, summary: fields.summary, status: fields.status.name}"` - extract only what you need **Output format:** TOON (default, token-efficient) or JSON (`outputFormat: "json"`) **Common paths:** - `/rest/api/3/project` - list all projects - `/rest/api/3/project/{projectKeyOrId}` - get project details - `/rest/api/3/search/jql` - search issues with JQL (use `jql` query param). NOTE: `/rest/api/3/search` is deprecated! - `/rest/api/3/issue/{issueIdOrKey}` - get issue details - `/rest/api/3/issue/{issueIdOrKey}/comment` - list issue comments - `/rest/api/3/issue/{issueIdOrKey}/worklog` - list issue worklogs - `/rest/api/3/issue/{issueIdOrKey}/transitions` - get available transitions - `/rest/api/3/user/search` - search users (use `query` param) - `/rest/api/3/status` - list all statuses - `/rest/api/3/issuetype` - list issue types - `/rest/api/3/priority` - list priorities **JQ examples:** `issues[*].key`, `issues[0]`, `issues[*].{key: key, summary: fields.summary}` **Example JQL queries:** `project=PROJ`, `assignee=currentUser()`, `status="In Progress"`, `created >= -7d` API reference: https://developer.atlassian.com/cloud/jira/platform/rest/v3/

jira_post

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

MCP Server Atlassian Jira Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "aashari-mcp-server-atlassian-jira": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@aashari/mcp-server-atlassian-jira"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ATLASSIAN_SITE_NAME": "YOUR_ATLASSIAN_SITE_NAME_HERE",
        "ATLASSIAN_USER_EMAIL": "YOUR_ATLASSIAN_USER_EMAIL_HERE",
        "ATLASSIAN_API_TOKEN": "YOUR_ATLASSIAN_API_TOKEN_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Backlog Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "backloghq-backlog": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "backloghq-backlog"
      ],
      "env": {
        "TASKDATA": "YOUR_TASKDATA_HERE",
        "TASKDATA_ROOT": "YOUR_TASKDATA_ROOT_HERE",
        "BACKLOG_NAMESPACE": "YOUR_BACKLOG_NAMESPACE_HERE",
        "BACKLOG_AUTO_NAMESPACE": "YOUR_BACKLOG_AUTO_NAMESPACE_HERE",
        "BACKLOG_AGENT_ID": "YOUR_BACKLOG_AGENT_ID_HERE",
        "BACKLOG_BACKEND": "YOUR_BACKLOG_BACKEND_HERE",
        "BACKLOG_S3_BUCKET": "YOUR_BACKLOG_S3_BUCKET_HERE",
        "BACKLOG_S3_REGION": "YOUR_BACKLOG_S3_REGION_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

MCP Server Atlassian Jira is categorized under Workplace & Productivity and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Backlog belongs to Workplace & Productivity using local stdio subprocess. Select MCP Server Atlassian Jira when you need capabilities focused on workplace & productivity and Backlog when you require tools for workplace & productivity.

More alternatives to MCP Server Atlassian Jira More alternatives to Backlog Workplace & Productivity category hub