DebtCollector

Turn code comments into actionable Jira tickets automatically. Built for Atlassian Codegeist 2025

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The Problem

We have all been there. You are rushing to meet a deadline, the code is messy, so you leave a comment: // TODO: Refactor this later.

But "later" never comes. The comments pile up, the tech debt grows, and your backlog has no record of it.

The Solution

DebtCollector bridges the gap between your code and your project management. It lives in your Bitbucket repository and watches for new Pull Requests.

The moment you commit a TODO, FIXME, or HACK, DebtCollector parses the diff and instantly creates a Jira ticket for it.

How it Works

1. Trigger: The app wakes up on avi:bitbucket:created:pullrequest.
2. Scan: It fetches the raw code diff and uses a Regex pattern to find added lines starting with + that contain comment markers.
3. Action: It hits the Jira REST API to create a Task linked back to the specific PR.

Tech Stack

• Atlassian Forge (Node.js)
• Bitbucket API (v2.0)
• Jira REST API (v3)
• Regex (The real hero here)

Installation

Prerequisites

• Atlassian Forge CLI
• A Bitbucket Workspace
• A Jira Cloud Project

Setup Guide

1. Clone the repo

   git clone [https://github.com/your-username/debt-collector.git](https://github.com/your-username/debt-collector.git)
   cd debt-collector

2. Install dependencies

   npm install

3. Configure Secrets Because we bridge two different products, we need an API token to handle the permissions securely.

   forge variables set JIRA_EMAIL <your-email>
   forge variables set JIRA_TOKEN <your-api-token>
   forge variables set JIRA_DOMAIN <your-site.atlassian.net>

4. Deploy

   forge deploy
   forge install

Workflow Demo

1. Open a PR with // TODO: Fix the login bug.
2. DebtCollector scans it.
3. Refresh Jira... and it's there.

Future Improvements

• Grouping multiple TODOs from one PR into a single "Cleanup" ticket.
• Assigning the ticket to the developer who wrote the comment.
• Adding a "Debt Scoreboard" to the Jira dashboard.