Change is never easy, especially when you're dealing with apps and customizations your organization has relied on for years. If you’re planning a migration to Atlassian Cloud or your business counts on Connect apps, you may have questions about what Atlassian Connect’s EOL means for your tools. Similarly, if you’re an app developer, there’s a lot to consider as you map out a transition to Forge.
Whether you're a customer migrating to Jira or Confluence Cloud with Connect apps or a developer responsible for migrating your Connect apps to Forge, this guide will walk you through practical steps you can follow to ensure a smooth transition from Connect to Forge.
Forge isn’t just a replacement for Atlassian Connect; it’s a powerful platform for building and integrating apps within the Atlassian Cloud. By transitioning to Forge, users and developers have access to modern architecture that addresses today’s biggest needs, like security, scalability, and seamless cloud integration.
Key Advantages of Forge:
While Atlassian Connect has served its purpose well, Forge sets a new standard for extending Atlassian products in a cloud-first era.
If your organization uses Jira or Confluence Cloud, chances are you’ve installed apps from the Atlassian Marketplace. These apps could be built on Connect or could be custom solutions you’ve brought over from Server or Data Center with custom plugins (P2). Here’s how you should approach the transition:
Start by taking stock of what you’re using. Make a list of all Marketplace apps and custom solutions in your environment. Then, identify which apps are built on Connect and which ones are already on Forge.
Why does this matter? Forge-based apps align with Atlassian’s updated framework. Many vendors are actively rolling out Forge updates or dual versions of their apps to make the transition seamless.
If an app you rely on is still Connect-based, reach out to the vendor or check their documentation. Almost every major vendor is already aware of Connect's end-of-life (EOL) timeline and may have a migration plan in place or even a dual-version app (some vendors can seamlessly switch you to a Forge version via an update).
If you’re moving from a Server or Data Center environment, some of your P2 plugins (custom apps built for on-premise systems) might not have direct counterparts in Cloud. Many popular apps have Cloud versions offered by the same vendor, and those versions are often already Forge-compatible or transitioning.
However, specialized customizations, like scripts or low-level integrations, might not have off-the-shelf replacements. Ask yourself two key questions:
For highly complex migrations or cases where custom development is necessary, collaborate with an Atlassian Solution Partner. They’re well-versed in Forge development and can help create tailored solutions for your needs.
Atlassian’s phased end-of-life (EOL) timeline for Connect includes the following key dates:
If you’re planning to move to the Cloud by mid-2025, make sure the apps you depend on will either be Forge-compatible or supported through the move. A late migration in 2026 could leave you scrambling if key apps are no longer supported.
Communicate expectations early with your vendors. Ask them about their Forge migration plans and whether they’ll meet your project’s timeline. Vendors are generally receptive to hearing from customers, and you’ll minimize your risks by staying proactive.
Atlassian offers plenty of resources to help organizations prepare for the transition to Forge, including webinars, migration toolkits, and guides. If you rely on custom in-house Connect apps, reach out to Atlassian for help to ensure no critical functionality is left unsupported. You can also work with an Atlassian Solution Partner like Praecipio that has deep experience in complex migrations and Forge development.
For developers and vendors who have built Atlassian Connect apps, begin learning and embracing Forge now. Here’s how you can prepare:
The first step is simple but critical: start learning Forge. Atlassian’s documentation and training materials are a good place to begin. Understanding Forge’s architecture, capabilities, and limitations will help you plan effectively.
Forge and Connect aren’t entirely interchangeable. While Forge introduces benefits like better security, serverless computing, and built-in scaling, not all Connect features have Forge equivalents yet. Be sure to map out which of your app’s functionalities will need to be adjusted.
You don’t have to migrate everything overnight. Depending on your app, you might be able to move parts of it to Forge step by step. Take a modular approach where you refactor one functionality at a time. This is especially useful for apps that have complex integrations or advanced features.
Atlassian offers migration tools and guides to help with this process. Check out these key resources to help you gradually bring Forge into your existing Connect apps:
Forge isn’t just a replacement for Connect. It offers unique capabilities that you can use to improve your apps. For example:
These new features open up opportunities to optimize your app’s performance and deliver better experiences for your users.
For apps with deep customization or complex architecture, take this migration as an opportunity to clean up old code. Refactoring isn’t just about making your app Forge-compatible; it can also be a chance to improve performance, fix long-standing bugs, or add new features.
Make testing and quality assurance (QA) a priority. Remember, this isn’t just a technical shift. Customers use your app to achieve their business goals. Ensure that migrated features work smoothly and deliver the same (or better) performance they’re used to.
Your customers should be informed about the migration. Create a clear communication plan to explain your Forge timeline and what your users need to do. Highlight the benefits they’ll experience on Forge, whether it’s improved performance, enhanced security, or new features.
The move from Connect to Forge represents an opportunity to modernize your apps and customizations, simplify your development process, and strengthen customer trust. But don’t wait until 2026 to get started—begin discussions with your team, Atlassian, and vendors now to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Praecipio is here to help you navigate your Forge migration journey. We help you build a scalable, secure future for your apps and customizations, ensuring that nothing mission-critical for your business falls through the cracks. Whether you need support finding Cloud-equivalent apps (keeping in mind that Connect apps might not be the ideal choice) or building a custom Forge app, we’ve got you covered.
Ready to get started? Reach out to Praecipio to kick off your migration plan.