After implementing this project in Python, I decided to learn Go and see what I could come up with. The result is quite satisfactory (not perfect though).

Configuration Prerequisites

Start with the following json file (e.g. ~/.jitlab.json)

{
  "gitlab": {
    "baseurl": <gitlab-url>,
    "groupid": <gitlab-group-id>,
    "token": <gitlab-token>
  },
  "jira": {
    "baseurl": <jira-url>,
    "token": <jira-token>,
    "username": <jira-username>
  },
  "branchPrefix": <your-branch-prefix>,
  "branchSuffix": <your-branch-suffix>,
  "keyCommitSeparator": <your-separator>
}

where:

• <gitlab-token> is a token with api permissions and you can issue one here https://gitlab.com/profile/personal_access_tokens (or similar URL if you are on-premise)
• <gitlab-group-id> is the ID of the group your project belongs to
• <jira-token> can be issued here: https://id.atlassian.com/manage-profile/security/api-tokens
• branchPrefix is what you want to be prefixed to every branch you create
• branchSuffix is what you want to be appended to every branch you create
• keyCommitSeparator is what you want to separate the jira key and your commit message

Board Prerequisites

Jitlab works with both kanban and scrum workflows, but on jira there's a third board type (simple) which screws things up.

A simple board can be both... And its purpose is to help people setting up boards fast.

Jitlab treats by default kanban and simple the same way, but if you're using scrum workflow and your team's board is simple, then jitlab won't work.

In future releases I may fix this problem or simply ask to change your board type to scrum.

Configuration

Once you fulfilled all the requirements, start using jitlab by configuring it.

Run jitlab config and follow the questions you'll be asked. You should run this command only once (or if you change the board).

Your .jitlab.json will be updated.

Project init

Every project you want to use jitlab with should be initialized.

Run jitlab init to do it. This will create a local .repo file with the project information. For example:

{
    "id": 12345678,
    "name": "Jitlab",
    "description": "An awesome tool",
    "path": "jitlab"
}

Working on tasks

Jitlab will read issues from jira and will create a local git branch according to the jira task title.

Use jitlab new to pick up tasks from your chosen columns.

Branches will follow this naming convention <your-prefix>TEST-12-your-branch-title<your-suffix>.

Pushing changes

Jitlab supports git commit and will automatically prefix the message with the jira key. One example could be TEST-12: awesome message where : is your chosen key commit separator.

Run jitlab commit -m 'awesome message'

Creating merge request

Once you're happy with your changes, you can create the merge request issuing jitlab mr.