A regular Jira Cloud user can already see a nested tree in the list view, which shows parents, children and subtasks. The tree breaks when you filter. A Chrome extension such as Cascade keeps the tree while you filter and needs no Jira admin, though your company’s browser policy can block it. Adding new hierarchy levels always needs a Jira administrator.
What you can use without an admin
Atlassian now calls issues “work items” and projects “spaces”. This table uses the current names, and it comes from Atlassian’s documentation.
| Route | What you see | Admin needed? | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| List view | You see: Parents, children and subtasks, nested | Admin needed: No | The catch: Filtering removes the nesting |
| Timeline | You see: Two nested levels | Admin needed: Usually no. If children don’t appear, child planning may be off in board settings | The catch: One space at a time |
| Child work items panel | You see: One level under the work item you opened | Admin needed: No | The catch: You open one parent at a time |
| Backlog epic panel | You see: Epics, then the work in the epic you select | Admin needed: No | The catch: A filter on the backlog, not a tree |
| JQL search | You see: Every level you ask for, as a flat list | Admin needed: No | The catch: No nesting in the results |
| Epic swimlanes | You see: Epics as rows, one level | Admin needed: Board admin or space admin | The catch: Needs board settings |
| Plans | You see: Every level, across spaces | Admin needed: No admin, but it needs Premium or Enterprise | The catch: You need Plans access |
| Marketplace app | You see: Depends on the app | Admin needed: Usually a site admin | The catch: Often paid |
| Cascade (Chrome extension) | You see: Epics, stories, tasks and subtasks, also while filtering | Admin needed: No | The catch: Chrome on Jira Cloud only |
Start with the list view
The list view is the closest thing Jira has to a built-in tree, and everyone with access to the space can use it.
- Open your space and select List. On some sites it appears as All work.
- Expand an epic to see its stories and tasks, then expand those to see their subtasks.
- Sort by any column. Children stay with their parent when you sort.
It covers one space, and filtering removes the nesting. Filter by assignee and you get a flat list. Group in the list view is personal to you, but Atlassian’s list of grouping options doesn’t include Epic or Parent.
The timeline is the other option. In View settings, turn on Show inline hierarchy to nest two levels. Turn it off to see subtasks, listed flat.
When you need every level in one search
JQL is Jira’s search language. Go to Filters > Search work items, switch to JQL and paste a search below. Your epic’s key is the code on the epic, such as SHOP-12. Results are a flat list.
parent = SHOP-12finds the direct children only, in any space.parentEpic = SHOP-12also finds the subtasks. Atlassian’s JQL functions page says this works in company-managed spaces only. If you’re in a team-managed space, use the search in my epic guide.
Save the search as a filter so you can reopen it. A saved filter stays flat, but it needs no admin.
What needs an admin
- Marketplace apps. Atlassian lists Marketplace installs under the organization admin and site admin roles. You can request an app from Apps > Find new apps, and a site admin reviews it.
- New hierarchy levels. Changing the work type hierarchy needs a Jira administrator, and custom levels need Premium or Enterprise.
- Board settings. Epic swimlanes need a space admin or board admin.
The person who creates a board is its admin by default. If your permissions let you create one, you can set Epic swimlanes on your own board without touching your team’s.
Keep the tree while you filter
Cascade is my Chrome extension, so weigh this accordingly. You install it in your own browser, with no Jira app to approve and no API token to create.
Cascade opens inside your Jira Cloud tab and uses your existing session, so it shows only what you can already see. Filter by assignee or status and matching work stays inside its parents. To get a flat list, choose Matches only.
It works in Chrome on Jira Cloud sites at atlassian.net, it shows epics down to subtasks, and each person installs it separately.
Install it, open Jira Cloud and click the Cascade button on the right edge of the page. The tree is free today, and indented export is free during early access.
Add to Chrome (Chrome Web Store, opens in a new tab)Cascade runs in Chrome on a computer.If your company blocks extensions
Your IT team can block all extensions or allow only approved ones. Open Chrome’s three-dot menu: if it says Managed by your organization, your company controls Chrome. Then open chrome://policy and look for ExtensionInstallBlocklist, ExtensionInstallAllowlist or ExtensionSettings. Those are the rules that can block extensions.
If you’re blocked, ask rather than work around it.
I’d like to use Cascade for Jira, a Chrome extension that shows Jira work as a tree. Extension ID: fjmoolgncjkbnjdecpjpikjeambkihfg. Publisher on the store: ahmedfiazjan (Ahmad Fiaz Jan). It asks for two permissions: storage, and access to atlassian.net. Its privacy policy is at cascadeforjira.com/privacy. Could you review it for the allowlist?
My guide to whether Jira browser extensions are safe covers what your IT team is likely to ask.
Tree view without admin FAQ
Can I add a tree view to Jira without admin rights?
Yes. Open the list view of your space: it nests work items under their parents, and you need no extra permission. To keep the tree while filtering, use a browser extension or ask an admin about an app.
Why does my Jira list stop being a tree when I filter?
Jira does this by design. Atlassian’s documentation says that with a filter on, child work items will not be nested under their parent. Sorting keeps the nesting.
Can a regular user install a Jira Marketplace app?
Plan on asking a site admin. Atlassian lists Marketplace installs under the organization admin and site admin roles, and other users can send a request from the app’s listing. Some apps can be connected by users on sites that allow it, so check with your admin.
Can a regular user add hierarchy levels such as Initiative?
No. Changing the work type hierarchy needs a Jira administrator, and custom levels need Jira Premium or Enterprise.
What if my company blocks Chrome extensions?
Open Chrome’s three-dot menu. If it says Managed by your organization, your IT team decides. Use the list view and JQL in the meantime, and send IT the extension’s name and its permissions.
I’m Ahmad Fiaz Jan, and I build Cascade for Jira on my own. I write these guides from Atlassian’s own documentation and link every source. More about me at ahmadfiaz.me and on LinkedIn.