To determine the key technical parameters for cutting and roof retention in medium-thick coal seams with hard roof conditions, this study takes the transport roadway of the 1026 working face in the Jiegou Coal Mine in Suzhou, Anhui, as the engineering context. A mechanical model for cutting and roof retention in hard roof conditions is established. Through theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and on-site experiments, the study elucidates the influence patterns of cutting height, cutting angle, and borehole spacing on the cutting and roof retention effects. Key technical parameters for cutting and roof retention in the transport roadway of the 1026 working face are defined as follows: a cutting height of 10m, a cutting angle of 0°, and a borehole spacing of 0.5m. Field measurements demonstrate that the cumulative roof subsidence in the retained section of the transport roadway ranges from 170mm to 250mm. The hydraulic supports on both the goaf side and the solid coal side remain stable for a distance of 180-200m behind the advancing face, and the anchor bolts exhibit sufficient anchoring force, resulting in a satisfactory cutting and roof retention effect. The findings of this study can provide valuable reference for determining key technical parameters for cutting and roof retention in mines with similar geological conditions.