Slack Integration+ for Jira
4 min to read
Key results
- Over 300 employees
used the integration across
- 200+ channels
internally at Slack
About
In 2018, managing Jira issues while communicating in Slack was a productivity killer. Developers wasted hours switching tabs, missing updates, and repeating themselves. Work slipped through the cracks. That’s when Nextup set out to change the way teams handle issue tracking and communication.
The founders, Michael Duff and Nicholas Cron, envisioned a seamless two-way integration between Jira and Slack—one that would eliminate context switching, streamline collaboration, and bring updates to where conversations already happened. That vision became Slack Integration+ for Jira.
But like many early-stage startups, Nextup had more vision than bandwidth. They required a partner who could move speedily, think with long-term strategy and establish a clean technical architecture with a long- term perspective
High-Impact Partnership
Initially, one of Fivewall`s engineers joined the project to boost velocity. But it didn’t take long before the whole company became a core part of the team—writing critical features, influencing architecture decisions, and driving clean, scalable code. From day one, both teams aligned around technical excellence, speed, and innovation.
“The added development help has ensured the project will launch according to schedule. Fivewalls has established smooth cooperation and displayed exceptional responsiveness. Their dedication to timelines and quality are also noteworthy.”
— Nicholas Cron, Co-founder of Nextup
That shared mindset helped Slack Integration+ gain early traction faster than expected.
Challenges and Solutions to the Integration
The technicalities involved in the project also grew as the projects expand. Integrating Jira’s complex backend with Slack’s dynamic real-time interface wasn’t straightforward. The team had to solve several key engineering problems:
- Real-Time Synchronization
We designed robust data protocols to ensure that Jira and Slack always stayed in sync. Updates on one side showed up instantly on the other, so nothing got missed. - Performance Optimization
Handling Jira’s heavy API payloads inside Slack could’ve slowed things down. We carefully optimized workflows to keep interactions lightning-fast and reliable. - Enterprise-Grade Security
Jira data is often sensitive. Our engineers implemented encrypted communications, secure storage, and GDPR-compliant practices to ensure trust at every level.
Outcome
- Create Jira issues directly from Slack messages
- Track updates without switching apps
- Link dedicated Slack channels to specific Jira issues
- Customize notifications to reduce noise and improve focus
Adoption and Scale
Slack Integration+ quickly became one of the most widely used Jira apps in Slack. Internally at Slack, over 300 employees used the integration across 200+ channels.
As usage scaled, so did our collaboration. Fivewalls added more engineers to support feature development, architectural improvements, and customer success. Our team didn’t just write code—we helped shape product direction through continuous iteration and tight communication loops.
With support for Jira Cloud, Server, and Data Center, the tool became indispensable for dev teams around the world.
💡 The integration eliminates two-thirds of context-switching, which costs the average development team 2 hours per developer per week, equating to a potential savings of 1.19 million dollars a year for organizations more than 800 developers.
Growth & Progression
By 2022, the success of the product was indubitable. That November, Nextup was acquired by Appfire, one of the largest providers in the Atlassian ecosystem. It was a major milestone, and Fivewalls remained a trusted contributor as the product evolved under its new parent company.
Today, Slack Integration+ continues to exceed expectations. The product has been developed to full-fledged enterprise-grade application with an expanding roadmap and user base.
Project Overview and Outcomes
Slack Integration+ is more than just an integration—it’s a case study in how strategic partnerships and clean engineering can turn a simple idea into a market-leading product.
Fivewalls helped Nextup bridge the gap between vision and execution, and continues to support its growth under Appfire. From solving real-world user pain to enabling massive productivity gains, this is a story of tech done right.