XML file order rules

The exported XML file is always ordered following the same rules. The goal is to facilitate a comparison of configuration files so they can be used for detecting changes to configurations in Jira.

Rules for ordering

When an XML element has children of different types, their relative order is defined by the schema in the projectConfig.xsd file. This file is included in the app jar file.
When an XML element has children with the same types, for example, <customField> elements under a <customFields> page, the children are ordered by the value in one or more sub-elements, as explained in the table below. If a child element does not have one of the sub-elements, it is ordered later than a child that does have a specific sub-element. When child elements are ordered by their own value, they appear in the Order By column as "own value."

Parent Element	Children Elements	Order By

Parent Element	Children Elements	Order By
projectRoleMembers	projectRoleMembership	name
versions	version	sequence
components	component	name
projectRoleMembership	memberUser	own value
projectRoleMembership	memberGroup	own value
users	user	username
groups	group	name
projectRoles	projectRole	name
issueTypes	issueType	name
customFields	customField	type, name
fieldConfigurations	fieldConfiguration	name
screens	screen	name
screenSchemes	screenScheme	name
priorityConfiguration	priority	sequence, name
resolutionConfiguration	resolution	sequence, name
statusConfiguration	status	name
issueLinkConfiguration	issueLink	name, style
eventTypes	eventType	name
workflowEntries	workflowEntry	name
permissionScheme	permissionHolder	permission, holder.assignee, holder.group, holder.groupField, holder.projectLead, holder.projectRole, holder.reporter, holder.user, holder.userField
issueSecurityScheme	issueSecurityLevel	name
issueSecurityScheme	permission	level, permittedTo.assignee, permittedTo.group, permittedTo.groupField, permittedTo.projectLead, permittedTo.projectRole, permittedTo.reporter, permittedTo.user, permittedTo.userField
notificationSchemeType	notificationReceiver	event, receiver.allWatchers, receiver.assignee, receiver.componentLead, receiver.currentUser, receiver.emailAddress, receiver.group, receiver.groupField, receiver.projectLead, receiver.projectRole, receiver.reporter, receiver.user, receiver.userField
projectRole	defaultUser	own value
projectRole	defaultGroup	own value
screen	screenTab	position
screenTab	fieldScreenLayoutItem	position
issueTypeScreenScheme	mappingScreenSchemesIssue	issueType
screenScheme	mappingOperationsScreens	operation
fieldConfigurationScheme	mappingFieldConfigIssueTypes	issueType
workflowScheme	mappingIssueTypes	issueType
fieldConfiguration	individualFieldConfig	fieldName
customField	customFieldConfigScheme	name
customFieldConfigScheme	context	projectContext, projectCategoryContext
customFieldConfigScheme	applicableIssueType	issueType
customFieldConfigScheme	config	name
config	option	parentOption, sequence
defaultValue	singularValue	EXCEPTION: <singularValue> is not guaranteed to be ordered; instead, they maintain the order they have in Jira, as it is relevant in some cases (for example, in cascade select custom fields)
user	property	key
group	memberUser	own value
group	memberGroup	own value
issueTypeScheme	issueType	own value
filters	filter	author, name
filter	sharedWith	type, name
columns (inside a filter)	field	EXCEPTION: <field> elements maintain the order they have in Jira, as that order represents the order of columns shown when the filter results are displayed in the issue navigator
scrumKanbanBoards	scrumKanbanBoard	name, type, mainFilter
scrumKanbanBoard	administratorUser	own value
scrumKanbanBoard	administratorGroup	own value
workingDays	workingDay	Natural order of weekdays, starting from Monday
workingDays	nonWorkingDay	Increasing date order

All other child elements that are part of exported boards (e.g., quick filters, columns, etc.) maintain the order they had in Jira, as that represents the order configured by the board administrator.