PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Jira Cloud runs on AWS under Atlassian's US-aligned jurisdiction — the CLOUD Act applies. Atlassian retired Jira Server and is winding down its self-hosted Data Center edition (end-of-life 2029), pushing teams to its cloud. Polybase gives you EU cloud, your own VPC, or air-gapped self-host.
Polybase's built-in Kanban boards and task assignments live inside the same workspace as your chat and documents. Creating a task from a conversation is one click. Task updates appear in relevant channels automatically.
Jira is the industry-standard issue tracker for software teams, offering deep customization, advanced workflows, and extensive reporting. However, its complexity is notorious — teams spend hours configuring workflows, custom fields, and permissions. Jira operates in isolation from communication tools, requiring Slack or Teams integrations to keep developers informed.
Review how Polybase and Jira approach the work your team needs to do.
A practical sequence for planning the change, moving the useful material and introducing the new workspace.
Use Jira's bulk export to CSV or JSON to download your current issues, epics, and sprints. This provides a reference for recreating your task structure in Polybase.
Identify your Jira projects and map them to Polybase channels. Each project becomes a channel with its own Kanban board, chat thread, and document space — no separate tools needed.
Create your active tasks and backlog items in Polybase's Kanban boards. The simplified workflow (Backlog → To Do → In Progress → Done) covers most team needs without Jira's configuration overhead.
Since tasks and chat share the same workspace, your team no longer needs to copy-paste Jira ticket IDs into Slack. Mention a task in chat and it links automatically. Task status changes notify the relevant channel in real-time.
Once your team is running boards and discussions in Polybase, cancel your Jira and Confluence subscriptions. Polybase's integrated docs replace Confluence, saving you a second Atlassian license per user.
The additional workspace capabilities to consider when comparing Polybase with Jira.
In Jira, tasks are isolated from communication. In Polybase, every task is born from a conversation and stays connected. Comments, updates, and context flow between chat and task boards seamlessly.
Jira requires administrators to configure workflows, screens, fields, and permissions. Polybase works out of the box — create a board, add tasks, and start working in minutes, not weeks.
Planning in Polybase happens with video calls running alongside the task board. Discuss, prioritize, and assign tasks in real-time without switching between Jira and Zoom.
Polybase's built-in document editor and folder hierarchy eliminate the need for Confluence. Technical specs, ADRs, and runbooks live alongside your tasks and chat — one search finds everything.
Jira's complexity requires dedicated administrators. Polybase's simple, opinionated task management means any team member can create boards and manage tasks without special training.
Common questions about switching from Jira to Polybase.