Mortise Apps
LinkLens for JiraSee the whole blocker chain in Jira: from a flat list of issue links to a dependency graph
Jira shows issue links one issue at a time. A blocker three hops away stays invisible until it is late. Here is how to see the whole chain.
LinkLens for Jira
See every blocker chain in your Jira project on one canvas
LinkLens is a Jira Cloud app that draws issue links as a dependency graph, one link type at a time. It is built for delivery leads, scrum masters and product managers who need to know what is really blocking a feature without opening issue after issue.
LinkLens is a dependency graph for Jira issue links. Pick a link type such as blocks / is blocked by and the whole chain appears: F1 blocks F2, F2 blocks F3, F3 blocks F4, laid out left to right with the direction always obvious. The same chain shows on every issue.
✓ Free for up to 10 users✓ Runs on Atlassian, no data leaves your site✓ Any link type, both directions✓ Works in every Jira Cloud project type
Key facts
The short version for admins and procurement.
- Type
- Jira Cloud app (Atlassian Forge, Runs on Atlassian)
- Works with
- Jira Software, Jira Work Management, Jira Service Management; any issue link type
- Price
- Free up to 10 users, then about USD 0.20 per user per month
- Data handling
- Read-only; stores only per-project display settings inside your site; reads as the viewing user
- Install time
- Under a minute from the Atlassian Marketplace, no configuration
- Support
- support@mortiseapps.com, reply within one business day
The dependency problem in Jira Cloud
Jira records every link faithfully and then shows you exactly one issue's worth at a time.
Links are a flat list on one issue
The issue view shows "blocks SHOP-4" and "is blocked by SHOP-7". Where SHOP-7 comes from, or what SHOP-4 blocks next, means opening issue after issue.
Third-hop blockers are invisible
The feature that is really stuck is three links away, in another team's backlog. Nobody finds it until the sprint review.
All-link-types explorers get noisy
Tools that draw blocks, relates, clones and duplicates at once turn a real project into a hairball. The dependency you care about disappears in it.
Portfolio tools cost 5-10x
Roadmap and portfolio suites do include a dependency view, at several dollars per user for the whole site, to answer one question.
What LinkLens adds to Jira
One page, one panel, one link type at a time. Nothing is written to your issues.
Project Dependencies page
Every chain of the chosen link type across the project, or any JQL scope you type. Issues without that link are counted, not drawn, so the picture stays readable. Blockers on the left, blocked work on the right, separate chains stacked.
project = SHOP AND fixVersion = "Spring release"Dependency chain on every issue
The Dependency chain panel shows what blocks this issue and what it blocks, one to five hops out. Change the depth, hide Done work, jump to the full project view.
One link type, both directions
Pick Blocks (blocks / is blocked by) once. LinkLens uses both sides of the link automatically and draws the arrow from the issue that must finish first to the issue that waits. Works with Depends on or any custom type your admin created.
Circular dependencies, caught
A blocks B, B blocks C, C blocks A: nothing can start and Jira never warns you. LinkLens draws the closing link in red and lists every loop as keys.
Click to trace, double-click to open
Hover or click any card and its full upstream and downstream chain stays bright while the rest fades, with a pinned card showing counts and an Open link. Double-click to open the issue. Find any key, fit to view, pan and zoom.
Cross-project ends kept
Issues outside your scope that are linked in appear as dimmed cards, so an external blocker never hides. Widen the JQL to expand them.
PNG export
The whole graph at double resolution with a legend, ready for a Confluence page or a slide.
How to see every blocker chain in a Jira project with LinkLens
Three steps, no configuration screens.
Install from the Atlassian Marketplace
Select Get it now on the LinkLens listing and choose your Jira Cloud site. Jira admin rights are required; nothing needs configuring.
Open Dependencies in the project sidebar and pick a link type
Choose Blocks (blocks / is blocked by) or any other link type. Every chain of that type in the project is drawn left to right; use the JQL box to widen or narrow the scope.
Trace a chain and share it
Click a card to highlight its whole upstream and downstream chain, double-click to open the issue, and select PNG to export the graph with a legend.
Native Jira vs LinkLens
What changes once LinkLens is installed.
| Capability | Native Jira Cloud | With LinkLens |
|---|---|---|
| See links on one issue | Yes, as a list | Yes, as a graph with direction |
| See the whole chain (F1 to F4) | No | Yes, left to right |
| All dependencies in a project on one screen | No | Dependencies page |
| Filter the picture to one link type | No | Yes, both directions in one pick |
| Detect circular dependencies | No | Red edges plus a list |
| Cross-project blockers visible | Only by opening each issue | Dimmed cards in the graph |
| Export the picture | No | PNG with legend |
| Create or edit links | Yes | Use Jira's editor (canvas editing on the roadmap) |
What Jira teams say
Reviews come from the Atlassian Marketplace listing. We never write our own.
LinkLens is new on the Marketplace. Verified reviews appear here as they arrive.
Read or write a review on the Marketplace
Read or write a review on the Marketplace
Pricing
Billed by Atlassian on your Jira invoice. Cancel any time from Jira administration.
Small teams
Free
Sites with up to 10 Jira users. Every feature included.
Everyone else
About $0.20 / user / month
Roughly $10 a month for a 50-user site, $20 for 100 users, and $25-100 for larger sites as volume rates step down. 30-day free trial.
Why so cheap?
A dependency graph should not cost as much as a portfolio suite. Runs on Atlassian keeps our costs low, so a whole company can see its blockers for the price of a couple of coffees.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers, including what the app cannot do.
How do I visualize issue dependencies in Jira Cloud?
Install LinkLens, open a project and select Dependencies in the sidebar. Pick a link type such as Blocks and every chain of that type in the project is drawn as cards and arrows, blockers on the left, blocked work on the right. Native Jira only lists links on one issue at a time.
Does it show the whole chain or just direct links?
The whole chain. If F1 blocks F2, F2 blocks F3 and F3 blocks F4, you see all four in a row. The issue panel follows up to 5 hops in each direction; the project page shows every chain in the scope.
Which direction do the arrows point?
From the outward end to the inward end of the link. For Blocks, A → B means A blocks B. The legend under the canvas restates this for whichever type you picked, and one pick covers both directions automatically.
Can I see dependencies across projects?
Yes. Issues in other projects that are linked to issues in your scope appear as dimmed outside-scope cards. To expand their chains too, widen the JQL scope, for example project in (ABC, XYZ).
Does it detect circular dependencies?
Yes. Loops such as A blocks B, B blocks C, C blocks A are drawn with a red dashed closing arrow and listed under the canvas as keys.
Can I create or delete links from the graph?
Not in this version; LinkLens is read-only, which keeps it simple to approve. Editing links from the canvas is on the roadmap. Use Jira's Link work item action for now.
Does any data leave my Atlassian site?
No. LinkLens runs entirely on Atlassian's Forge platform with no external servers. It stores only each project's chosen link type, JQL scope and Hide Done setting inside your Atlassian site. Issue data is read as the person viewing it, so Jira permissions are always respected.
How much does LinkLens cost?
Free for sites with up to 10 users. Above that, about USD 0.20 per user per month (roughly USD 10 for a 50-user site, USD 20 for 100 users, and USD 25-100 for larger sites) billed by Atlassian with your Jira subscription. A 30-day free trial starts automatically.
Known limitations. Read-only in this version, issue links only (no parent/child edges yet), 2,000 issues per project graph. Everything else is on the limitations page.
Related reading
Real problems from Jira teams, worked through with sources.
LinkLens for JiraLinkLens for JiraCircular dependencies in Jira: how loops of blocked-by links form, how to find them, and how to break them
Jira lets A block B, B block C and C block A without a warning. How the loops form, why Atlassian's own detection needs database access, and a faster way.
See what is really blocking your project
Free for 10 users. Installs in under a minute. Runs on Atlassian.
Get LinkLens on the Atlassian Marketplace