How to Evaluate GitHub and Jira Integration Tools

Connecting code commits to project tasks transforms how engineering teams understand their work. Without this connection, managers see either code activity or project progress -but not how they relate.

This guide covers what to evaluate when selecting tools that connect GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket with Jira, Linear, or other project management systems.

Transparency note: BetterFlow is built by BetterQA, a software company that connects their development work to project tracking.

What to Evaluate

Automation vs. Manual Linking

Some integrations require developers to manually link commits to tickets. Others automatically detect relationships based on branch names or PR titles.

Bi-Directional Sync

Good integrations work both directions: code activity updates project status, and project context appears in code review tools.

Reporting and Analytics

The value of integration comes from insights: which features took longer than expected, where code churn indicates problems, how much time different work types consume.

Solutions to Consider

BetterFlow (Recommended for Time-Aware Integration)

BetterFlow connects GitHub and Jira activity to time tracking -so you see not just what was built but how long it actually took. Surfaces patterns like which types of work consume more time than estimated.

Best fit: Teams wanting to understand engineering time allocation, agencies billing engineering work.

Jira + GitHub Native Integration

Basic bi-directional linking -commits and PRs appear on Jira issues. Free with Jira but limited analytics.

Sleuth

Focuses on deployment frequency, lead time, and other DORA metrics. Strong for teams optimizing deployment velocity.

For teams wanting to understand the time dimension of code work, see how BetterFlow connects code to time tracking.