Link types and direction

Last updated 2026-09-28

How Jira link types work

Every Jira link type has one name and two labels, one per direction:

When you link ABC-1 blocks ABC-2, Jira shows "blocks ABC-2" on ABC-1 and "is blocked by ABC-1" on ABC-2. It is one link, one type, seen from two sides. Admins can add their own types (for example Depends on / is a dependency of) under Settings, Issues, Issue linking.

What LinkLens does with them

• The Link type menu lists every type as Name (outward / inward). Picking one covers both directions automatically; there is nothing else to configure.
• Arrows run from the outward end to the inward end. For Blocks, A → B means A blocks B. The legend under the canvas always restates the rule for the type you picked.
• Layout follows the arrows: the outward end sits to the left, the inward end to the right.

Picking the right type

Choose the type whose outward label means "must happen first". Blocks is the usual choice for dependencies. If your site uses a custom type such as Depends on, check which side is the outward label: in Jira's default naming "depends on" is often the outward label, which would put the dependent issue on the left. If your arrows look reversed, the type's labels are defined the other way round; ask an admin to check the type's outward and inward names.

Symmetric types such as Relates draw an arrow in the direction the link was created, which usually carries no meaning. They still work for seeing what is connected to what.

Adding a link in Jira

1. Open the issue that must finish first.
2. Select Link work item (the link icon in the issue toolbar, or the "..." menu).
3. Choose blocks, pick the issue it blocks, select Link.
4. Reload the LinkLens page or panel; the new arrow appears.

LinkLens is read-only in this version. Creating and deleting links from the canvas is on the roadmap.

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