#Integrations Best Practices
Integrations connect Hawzu with external tools like Jira, GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps, Slack, and Linear.
This guide outlines best practices to help you design clean, reliable, and maintainable integration setups.
#Treat Hawzu as the Source of Truth
Hawzu is designed to own testing data such as:
- Test cases
- Executions and results
- Defects (core fields)
- Requirements and traceability
Best practice:
- Use integrations to link and reference external entities
- Avoid relying on external tools as the primary system for test management
This prevents:
- Conflicting updates
- Duplicate data
- Sync loops
You can create multiple integrations for the same tool (e.g., multiple Jira connections).
Recommended patterns:
- Separate integrations by environment (e.g., Jira – Prod, Jira – Staging)
- Separate integrations by workflow (e.g., Bug tracking vs notifications)
Avoid:
- Reusing one integration for unrelated workflows
- Overloading a single integration with conflicting expectations
#Use Project Scope Intentionally
Integrations can apply to:
- All projects
- Selected projects only
Best practice:
- Use All Projects only when behavior is consistent across the workspace
- Use Selected Projects when:
- Projects use different workflows
- External systems differ by team or product
This reduces accidental cross-project effects.
#Keep External Linking Explicit
Hawzu allows linking multiple external entities to a single defect or execution.
Best practice:
- Link only relevant external issues
- Avoid linking the same Hawzu entity to multiple external systems unnecessarily
Clear linking improves:
- Traceability
- Auditability
- Debugging during investigations
#Avoid Bi‑Directional Expectations
Hawzu integrations are designed to pull metadata and create links, not to mirror full workflows.
Do not assume:
- Status changes will sync automatically
- Field updates will propagate back and forth
- Workflow transitions are mirrored
If you need workflow automation:
- Handle it in the external tool
- Or explicitly design it outside Hawzu
#Test Connections After Configuration Changes
Whenever you:
- Update credentials
- Change project scope
- Modify default project or issue type
Always:
- Use the Test Connection option
- Verify permissions before saving
This avoids silent failures later.
#Rotate Credentials Periodically
Integration credentials (API tokens, secrets) should be treated as sensitive assets.
Best practices:
- Rotate tokens periodically
- Remove unused integrations
- Avoid sharing credentials across tools or teams
If a token is compromised:
- Update credentials immediately
- Re-test the integration
#Use Integrations for Visibility, Not Control
Integrations shine when used for:
- Visibility
- Traceability
- Context
Examples:
- Viewing Jira issue status inside Hawzu
- Linking defects to GitHub issues
- Sending execution notifications to Slack
They are not meant to replace:
- Project management tools
- Code review systems
- CI orchestration
#Document Integration Intent Internally
Use the integration name and description fields meaningfully.
Good examples:
- “Jira – Payments Team (Bugs only)”
- “Slack – Release Notifications”
This helps:
- New admins understand setup
- Audits and handovers
- Long-term maintenance
#Clean Up Regularly
Periodically review:
- Unused integrations
- Deprecated credentials
- Integrations with no linked entities
Removing unused integrations:
- Reduces risk
- Simplifies the system
- Improves clarity
#Summary
Well-designed integrations:
- Enhance visibility
- Preserve data ownership
- Scale cleanly across teams
Poorly designed integrations:
- Create sync confusion
- Increase maintenance cost
- Reduce trust in the system
Design integrations intentionally, and Hawzu will stay fast, predictable, and reliable.
#Next Steps