How to reuse a project key in Jira Software?

[Andy Laohakanniyom]

What is the best workaround to reuse the JIRA project key?

We are using Cloud Jira and have one existing classic project with, ley's say, key = "ABC".
We already changed the key to "XYZ".

Now, we want to create a new Next-gen software project with the key = "ABC", but it does not allow to do.

We have found this info pages

- https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirakb/how-to-reuse-a-project-key-in-jira-1004930048.html
- https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRASERVER-34945

My questions now are:

1. If we back up (or export) all existing issues and delete the existing project, will we really be able to use the key = "ABC" for our new Next-gen software project?
2. What is the plan for this feature request: JRASERVER-34945?
   , and will it apply to Cloud Jira as well?

Thank you,
Andy

[John Funk · Accepted solution]

Hi Andy,

Here is the link to the Cloud version of the feature request:

https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRACLOUD-34945

You should vote for it and follow along for updates. 

You might could try a test project to see what would happen. The problem tends to be issues that are linked to other issues with references back to the old key. But sure to include that in your test example. 

If you give that a try, can you come back and update this thread so people will know how it went? 

[Andy Laohakanniyom]

I expect a more solid/clear answer from Atlassian about this question.

"If we back up (or export) all existing issues and delete the existing project, will we really be able to use the key = "ABC" for our new Next-gen software project?"

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

John is not an Atlassian.

But his answer is correct and what anyone who knows Atlassian software would tell you.

[Andy Laohakanniyom]

Nic_Brough__Adaptavist, Thanks for the clarification.

John_Funk, Thank you for your kindly help.

[John Funk]

By coincidence, see the answer posted by an Atlassian just today:

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-questions/Can-t-rename-a-project/qaq-p/1405218?utm_source=atlcomm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=immediate_general_answer&utm_content=topic

[Fabio Xodo]

I had the same issue today, and I think this may be a workaround:

So, if you're in the situation where you have changed key from ABC to XYZ, and you want to use ABC for a new project, you may try these steps.

- create a new project AAA and migrate all issues from XYZ to AAA

- delete project XYZ and remove it from the trash

- create project XYZ and migrate all issues from AAA to XYZ

- delete project AAA and remove it from the trash

- create project ABC

I cannot try, but based on the fact that project keys are reusable if you delete a project (also from the trash) this should be doable.

[John Funk]

Nope - don't think it will let you because you moved the current issues and Atlassian keeps that connection in issue keys behind the scenes. So you will not be able to completely delete the project. 

[Fabio Xodo]

Even when moving them to a new project and deleing the old one? Wow, that doesn't make much sense but... I believe in you :) that's a bummer.

[John Funk]

Let's say you have issue ABC-123 on project ABC. Then you move it to project DEF and it generates a new key of DEF-876. 

The system knows that DEF-876 used to be ABC-123. If you query for ABC-123, it will find it and bring up DEF-876. If you were to delete project ABC, that would not be possible. Therefore, Jira prevents you from reusing ABC as a project key because it would look like ABC=123 is from that new project and it is not. 

However, if you have never moved any issues off of project ABC, then you can delete it and reuse the project key. But if you move even one issue to any other project, then you will never be able to use ABC again.