What is Jira hosting?
Jira hosting is where your Jira runs and who manages the infrastructure behind it. There are two hosting options today: Jira Cloud, fully hosted and managed by Atlassian, and Jira Data Center, self-managed on infrastructure you control.
Cloud is Atlassian's recommended option for almost every team. Data Center remains for organizations that need to self-host, but it is winding down: Atlassian has set its end of life for March 2029.
The third option, Server, reached end of support on February 15, 2024, and is no longer available.
Choose Cloud for almost every team. Atlassian hosts, secures, updates, and scales Jira for you, and Cloud is the only option that gets new features and Rovo AI.
Consider Data Center only if you must self-host. It runs on your own infrastructure for full control, but it reaches end of life on March 28, 2029.
Server is no longer an option. It ended on February 15, 2024, with no more updates, security patches, or support.
For strict compliance, Cloud has specialized options. Government Cloud and Isolated Cloud meet stricter regulatory and data-isolation needs without self-hosting.
What are the Jira hosting options?
Jira has one actively recommended hosting model, Cloud, and one remaining self-hosted model, Data Center, that is being retired. Server, the original self-hosted model, has already ended.
The right choice comes down to whether you want Atlassian to run Jira for you or you need to run it on infrastructure you control.
What is Jira Cloud?
Jira Cloud is Jira hosted and fully managed by Atlassian. You sign in through the browser or mobile app, and Atlassian handles the servers, upgrades, backups, security, and scaling.
It runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS), so your instance inherits AWS reliability and global infrastructure without any hardware for you to buy or maintain. Cloud is where Jira is actively developed.
This means it is the only hosting option that receives new features, continuous updates, and Rovo AI. It also includes built-in security and compliance, no-code automation, analytics, and a choice of plans (Free, Standard, Premium, and Enterprise) so you can match capacity and controls to your team.
For almost every team, from a handful of people to tens of thousands, Cloud is the recommended path.
What is Jira Data Center?
Jira Data Center is the self-managed option: you install and run Jira on your own infrastructure, whether in your own data center or in a public cloud you administer (such as AWS or Azure). Your team owns the servers, upgrades, backups, security, and scaling.
This gives you full control over the environment and where data lives.
Data Center is built to run across multiple nodes in a cluster for high availability and to scale for large, self-hosted deployments. It has historically been the choice for organizations with strict data-residency, compliance, or customization requirements that they wanted to satisfy on infrastructure they control.
Note that Data Center is being retired: Atlassian has announced Data Center end of life on March 28, 2029, after which licenses expire and instances become read-only.
New sales and license expansions end earlier, on March 30, 2028. Teams on Data Center should plan a move to Cloud before then.
Jira Cloud vs. Data Center: how do they compare?
Here is how the two current hosting options compare across the factors that usually drive the decision.
Factor | Jira Cloud | Jira Data Center |
Who manages it | Atlassian hosts and manages everything | Your team hosts and manages it |
Where it runs | Atlassian's cloud on AWS | Your own data center or public cloud |
Setup and maintenance | No infrastructure to manage; updates are automatic | You install, upgrade, back up, and secure it |
New features and AI | Continuous updates and Rovo AI | No new feature development; no Rovo AI |
Scaling | Scales automatically as you add users | You add nodes and resources yourself |
Control over data location | Data residency options within Atlassian's cloud | Full control over where data is hosted |
Long-term availability | Atlassian's primary, actively developed platform | End of life on March 28, 2029 |
What specialized Cloud options does Jira offer?
For organizations with strict regulatory or data-isolation requirements, Cloud offers specialized options so you can meet those needs without self-hosting:
Atlassian Government Cloud is a Cloud environment built for the compliance needs of US government customers and the organizations that work with them. It became generally available in October 2025.
Isolated Cloud is a planned option that provides a single-tenant, isolated Cloud environment for organizations that need stronger separation than standard multi-tenant Cloud. It is planned for 2026.
How do you choose a Jira hosting option?
For nearly every team, the answer is Cloud. Choose Data Center only when a hard requirement forces you to self-host.
Choose Cloud if you want Atlassian to manage the infrastructure, you want new features and Rovo AI, and you want to scale without managing servers. This fits the large majority of teams.
Consider Data Center if you have a strict requirement to run Jira on infrastructure you fully control, and you can plan around its March 28, 2029 end of life.
Look at a specialized Cloud option (Government Cloud or Isolated Cloud) if you have regulatory or data-isolation needs that standard Cloud doesn't meet but you'd rather not self-host.
How do you move from Server or Data Center to Cloud?
Atlassian provides free tools and guidance to move your data to Cloud through the Atlassian Migration Program. The Jira Cloud Migration Assistant (JCMA) is a free app you install in your existing instance to plan and transfer projects, users, and data to Cloud.
Most teams follow one of three approaches: a lift-and-shift in a single window, a fresh start that brings over only selected data, or a phased migration for larger, more complex deployments.
Because Server has ended and Data Center is winding down, moving to Cloud is the recommended long-term path.
Frequently asked questions about Jira hosting
Is Jira cloud-based or on-premise?
Jira is both, but Cloud is the recommended and actively developed option. Jira Cloud is hosted and managed by Atlassian, while Jira Data Center is self-hosted on your own infrastructure. Data Center reaches end of life on March 28, 2029, and the older Server option ended in February 2024.
Is Jira Server still supported?
No. Jira Server reached end of support on February 15, 2024, and no longer receives updates, security patches, bug fixes, or technical support. Teams still on Server should migrate to Cloud or upgrade to Data Center as an interim step.
When does Jira Data Center reach end of life?
Jira Data Center is scheduled to reach end of life on March 28, 2029, after which licenses expire and instances become read-only. Existing customers can renew until then, but new sales and license expansions end on March 30, 2028. Teams on Data Center should plan a migration to Cloud before then.
Is Jira Cloud secure?
Yes. Jira Cloud runs on AWS and includes built-in security, privacy, and compliance, with encryption in transit and at rest and a range of industry certifications. For stricter needs, Government Cloud and Isolated Cloud provide additional compliance and data-isolation options.
Does Jira Data Center get AI features?
No. Rovo AI and ongoing feature development are exclusive to Jira Cloud. Data Center does not receive new feature development, which is one of the main reasons Atlassian recommends moving to Cloud.
Where is Jira Cloud data hosted?
Jira Cloud is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS). Paid plans include data residency options, so you can choose the region where your data is stored within Atlassian's cloud.
Get started with Jira
The simplest way to see which hosting option fits is to start on Cloud. You can try Jira for free, compare plans and pricing, or explore the Atlassian Migration Program if you're moving from Server or Data Center.