FirstDraft Console
AI workers that claim Jira tickets and open PRs
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What is FirstDraft Console?
FirstDraft Console is an autonomous Jira-to-PR worker system designed for teams experimenting with AI coding agents while still managing real work through Jira and pull requests. It runs Codex or Claude Code locally where your code already lives, enabling AI workers to claim Jira tickets, implement them locally, open draft pull requests, and report progress back for human review.
The system operates on a backlog-first workflow where developers put work into Jira instead of manually starting every AI session. Workers run continuously on your own machine or infrastructure with access to your repos, build tools, GitHub auth, Jira credentials, and network access. Once a ticket hits the configured ready status, the worker locks it before any work begins, moves it to processing, prepares the repository, runs the AI coding agent in a local worktree, commits and pushes a branch, opens a draft pull request, and comments the result back to Jira.
FirstDraft is built specifically for repository-backed Jira work where AI workers need to claim tasks safely and produce reviewable pull requests. It differs from typical AI coding tools by starting from Jira tickets rather than chat prompts, using workers that claim tasks before execution rather than requiring manual session starts, running continuously against a board rather than as one-off assistants, and producing draft PRs for review rather than code that still needs wiring into workflow.
The tool is ideal for development teams who want to automate Jira ticket implementation using AI coding agents while maintaining human review through the draft PR process. It supports self-hosting via Docker Compose and can be installed via Homebrew on macOS, making it accessible for teams with existing Codex or Claude Code setups.
FirstDraft Console pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
The website does not disclose specific pricing details. FirstDraft appears to be self-hosted software available via Homebrew (macOS) and Docker Compose. The GitHub repository is publicly accessible at https://github.com/gmarland/FirstDraft.git, suggesting it may be free/open-source, but no explicit free tier, paid plans, or pricing information is provided on the website.
FirstDraft Console pros
- Autonomous Jira-to-PR workflow eliminates manual AI session starts
- Workers claim and lock tickets before execution to prevent conflicts
- Runs locally where code already lives with full repo access
- Supports both Codex and Claude Code AI agents
- Produces draft pull requests ready for human review
- Continuous polling against Jira boards instead of one-off sessions
- Self-hosted via Docker Compose for full infrastructure control
- Homebrew installation available for macOS users
- Optional assignee-based intake restriction for targeted work distribution
- Configurable Jira status mapping for ready, processing, and done states
- Local worktree execution with existing build tools and credentials
- Automatic Jira comment updates linking PR back to ticket
- No chat prompt engineering required - ticket is source of work
- Repository matching ensures tickets only picked when repo is accessible
- Built for teams transitionng to AI coding while keeping Jira workflow
FirstDraft Console cons
- Requires existing Codex or Claude Code installation on worker machine
- Self-hosting demands Docker Compose knowledge and infrastructure setup
- Only works with Jira - no support for other ticketing systems
- Requires local repository access and GitHub auth configuration
- Must run on trusted machine with full network and credentials access
- Limited to draft PRs - doesn't create merged or approved PRs automatically
- Homebrew installation only supports macOS, no Windows installer mentioned
- No cloud-hosted option - entirely self-hosted deployment required
Frequently asked questions about FirstDraft Console
What is FirstDraft Console?
FirstDraft Console is an autonomous Jira-to-PR worker system that runs Codex or Claude Code locally to claim Jira tickets, implement them, open draft pull requests, and report progress back for human review. It is built for teams experimenting with AI coding agents while still managing real work through Jira and pull requests.
How does the worker claim a Jira ticket?
When a Jira issue hits the configured ready status, the FirstDraft worker locks the ticket before any work begins. This prevents other workers from claiming the same ticket. The worker then moves the ticket to processing status and begins implementation.
Which AI coding agents does FirstDraft support?
FirstDraft supports Codex and Claude Code. During the init process, you choose which AI coding agent to use. The worker runs this agent locally in the target repository worktree.
Where does the worker run?
Workers run on your own trusted machine or infrastructure where you already have Codex or Claude Code installed, your repositories, build tools, GitHub auth, Jira credentials, and network access. It does not run in a separate sandbox like some AI coding tools.
How do I install FirstDraft?
You can install via Homebrew on macOS by running: brew tap gmarland/firstdraft, brew install firstdraft, firstdraft init, firstdraft repos add, firstdraft integrations add jira, and firstdraft run. For self-hosting, clone the GitHub repository and run docker compose up -d.
What happens after the AI implements a ticket?
After implementation, the worker commits and pushes a branch, opens a draft pull request on GitHub, and comments the result back to the Jira ticket with a link to the PR. The draft PR is then available for a developer to inspect and review.
Can I restrict which tickets the worker picks up?
Yes, you can optionally restrict intake by assignee when connecting Jira. Additionally, tickets are only picked up when they match a repository that this specific worker can access, based on the repos you register.
How is FirstDraft different from typical AI coding tools?
FirstDraft starts from Jira tickets instead of chat prompts, uses workers that claim tasks before execution instead of manual session starts, runs continuously against a board instead of as one-off assistants, uses local repos and credentials instead of separate sandboxes, and produces draft PRs for review instead of code needing workflow wiring.
What is the Docker Compose setup?
Clone the FirstDraft repository from GitHub, cd into the directory, and run docker compose up -d. The Compose file pulls the published app and API images plus Postgres and MinIO. You can override environment variables like JWT_SECRET, WORKER_JWT_SECRET, TENANT_ADMIN_KEY, VITE_API_BASE_URL, API_HOST_PORT, or APP_HOST_PORT from a root .env file.
What configuration is needed during firstdraft init?
During init, you set the external API URL, sign in or create a user, choose between Codex or Claude Code, and select the paths and skills this worker should advertise. After init, you must add a repository using firstdraft repos add and connect Jira using firstdraft integrations add jira before starting the worker with firstdraft run.