Atlassian’s cloud platform is highly customizable—and many organizations have built their own apps using the Connect framework to meet unique workflows and business requirements. These custom apps, whether internal tools or specialized integrations, have served teams well over the years.
However, in 2025, Atlassian announced that support for the Connect framework will officially end by the end of 2026. This decision affects not only Marketplace apps, but also custom Connect apps built by customers or Solution Partners.
The replacement? Forge—Atlassian’s modern app development platform designed for secure, scalable, and native cloud app experiences.
This post will help you:
Identify whether your organization is using a custom Connect app
Understand what the end-of-support means for your tools
Plan your migration to Forge
What Is a Custom App?
Custom apps are developed by or for a specific organization and are not listed on the Atlassian Marketplace.
You may be using a custom app if:
It was installed manually or via developer mode
It’s not searchable on the Marketplace
You or your vendor maintain the source code
You are the only organization using it
It doesn’t show the standard Marketplace sidebar in the “Connected Apps” screen
Most custom Connect apps are hosted externally on platforms like Heroku, AWS, GCP, or Azure, unlike Forge apps, which are hosted by Atlassian.
What Does End of Support Mean for Custom Connect Apps?
Custom Connect apps are maintained by the organization—not by Atlassian or a Marketplace vendor. This means the burden of updates, security patches, and platform compatibility falls entirely on your team.
Here’s what will happen:
March 31, 2026: You will no longer be able to publish or update Connect apps
End of 2026: Atlassian will officially end support for Connect
Once support ends:
There will be no more security patches
New Atlassian platform features may break your app
You may fail compliance reviews if your app becomes outdated or insecure
Key Differences: Connect vs. Forge
In short, Forge is not just a new hosting option—it’s a completely new way of building apps.
How to Start the Migration to Forge
1. Identify Custom Apps
Check the Connected Apps screen in your Jira or Confluence admin panel to list apps currently installed.
2. Confirm Source Code Ownership
You will need full access to the app’s source code to refactor or rebuild on Forge. If the original vendor is unavailable or the code is lost, you may need to rebuild from scratch.
3. Audit the Functionality
Before migrating, assess:
Which features are still actively used?
Can some functionality be replaced by native Atlassian Cloud features or existing Marketplace apps?
Can certain parts be dropped entirely?
Focus on migrating only what still provides value.
4. Create a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) on Forge
Even if your app is simple, Forge’s development model is different:
No backend server
No long-running background tasks (e.g. cron jobs)
Limited outbound API calls (e.g. 10s timeouts)
Start testing with a PoC app using Forge CLI to get familiar with its modules and architecture.
Read more: https://developer.atlassian.com/platform/adopting-forge-from-connect/how-to-adopt/
Modernization Opportunity, Not Just Migration
Moving from Connect to Forge is more than a technical task—it’s a chance to redesign and modernize your internal tooling:
✅ Streamline business logic
✅ Improve performance and user experience
✅ Eliminate server maintenance and DevOps overhead
✅ Ensure future compatibility and compliance
How DS Solution Vietnam Can Help
We’ve helped clients across Asia, Europe, and the US migrate and modernize their Atlassian apps using Forge.
Our services include:
Custom app auditing & feasibility analysis
Effort estimation and migration strategy
Rewriting Connect apps to Forge (Jira or Confluence)
Forge Marketplace publishing & support
🎁 Free consultation available – share your app description or source repo, and we’ll provide a migration plan.
📩 Contact: sales@dssolution.jp
