Clients

A client is a pluggable component that connects the service's generic defect API to a specific backend — such as a file system or a project management tool. The service ships with two built-in clients and supports custom clients.

Built-in clients

Client	Data source	Extra dependencies	Best for
JSONL	.jsonl files on disk	None (included in base install)	Simple file-based setup; no external service required
Jira	Jira REST API	pip install testbench-defect-service[jira]	Teams managing defects in Jira Cloud or Jira Data Center

Choosing a client

JSONL client

Use the JSONL client when:

• You want a simple, self-contained setup without external dependencies.
• You are evaluating the service or running tests.
• Your defect data lives in plain files that other tools also read.

Get started: JSONL Client

---

Jira client

Use the Jira client when:

• You manage defects in Jira Cloud or Jira Data Center.
• You want TestBench to stay in sync with your existing Jira project.
• You need Jira-specific features like workflow transitions, issue types, and custom fields.

Get started: Jira Client

---

Custom client

None of the built-in clients fit? You can create your own by subclassing AbstractDefectClient.

Learn how: Custom Client

---

Configuring a client

Set client_class in your config.toml and provide client-specific settings under [testbench-defect-service.client_config]:

# config.toml
[testbench-defect-service]
client_class = "JsonlDefectClient"   # or JiraDefectClient

[testbench-defect-service.client_config]
# client-specific settings go here

Alternatively, keep client settings in a separate file using client_config_path:

# config.toml
[testbench-defect-service]
client_class = "JiraDefectClient"
client_config_path = "jira_config.toml"

# jira_config.toml
# client-specific settings go here

See the Configuration reference for details.