Atlassian Forge is rapidly becoming a game-changer for developers building apps within the Atlassian ecosystem. With the growing adoption of cloud-based tools like Jira Software, Confluence, and Jira Service Management, there's a pressing need for scalable, secure, and efficient ways to customize and extend Atlassian products. That's where Forge comes in.

If you're working with Atlassian tools and want to create tailored apps without the overhead of managing your own infrastructure, Forge might be exactly what you need. In this post, we'll break down what Atlassian Forge is, why it matters, and how it's transforming cloud app development. We'll also point you to some great resources like Sparxsys Solutions and Ravi Sagar's blog for further insights.

What is Atlassian Forge?

Atlassian Forge is a serverless cloud development platform designed specifically for building apps for Atlassian Cloud products. Introduced to address the limitations of Atlassian Connect (the earlier framework), Forge provides a more secure, modern, and integrated development experience.

With Forge, developers can:

  • Write apps in TypeScript or JavaScript using a declarative syntax.

  • Host the app on Atlassian's infrastructure (no need to worry about AWS, Google Cloud, or Heroku).

  • Access APIs and UI components natively through a seamless development framework.

  • Ensure compliance and security thanks to Forge's isolated runtime and Atlassian-managed permissions.

Key Components of Forge

  1. Forge Runtime

    Apps run in a secure sandbox within Atlassian's cloud, offering better performance and protection compared to traditional external hosting.

  2. Custom UI & UI Kit

    Developers can build intuitive front-ends using Atlassian's design system, ensuring that apps look and feel native.

  3. Forge CLI

    A command-line tool for building, deploying, and managing apps, the Forge CLI simplifies the development lifecycle.

  4. Functions as a Service (FaaS)

    Instead of deploying a server, you define specific functions that are triggered by events—e.g., issue creation, workflow transitions, or user interactions.

Why Choose Forge Over Atlassian Connect?

Before Forge, Atlassian Connect was the primary option for building cloud apps. While powerful, Connect required developers to host their own backend, manage authentication manually, and deal with cross-origin communication issues.

Forge, on the other hand, offers several advantages:

  • Simplified Hosting: No more worrying about server uptime, scaling, or patching—Atlassian handles it.

  • Security by Design: Forge's permission model and secure sandbox reduce exposure to vulnerabilities.

  • Deep Integration: With Forge, you can build apps that are more tightly integrated into the Atlassian Cloud UI and lifecycle events.

  • Better Developer Experience: The tooling and SDKs available through Forge are intuitive, well-documented, and easy to work with.

Real-World Use Cases for Forge

  1. Workflow Automation

    Automatically assign issues, trigger email notifications, or update custom fields when an issue is moved across statuses.

  2. Custom Dashboards

    Build personalized Jira or Confluence dashboards that pull in data from multiple sources using Forge's APIs.

  3. Data Validation

    Prevent users from making mistakes (e.g., entering wrong formats or invalid combinations of values) during issue creation or updates.

  4. Reporting and Analytics

    Extend reporting capabilities by adding custom logic or pulling in third-party data for richer insights.

Learning Resources for Forge

If you're getting started with Forge, a few community-driven platforms offer fantastic insights, real-world examples, and tutorials:

  • Sparxsys Solutions

    Sparxsys, a leading Atlassian consulting company, shares a wealth of knowledge on customizing Jira and Confluence. Their team provides training and implementation support, and they have a dedicated focus on Forge app development. Their blog often covers practical use cases, app deployment tips, and tutorials that are beginner-friendly.

  • Ravi Sagar's Blog

    Ravi Sagar is a renowned Atlassian expert and author who regularly writes about Jira automation, scripting, and Forge. His blog is packed with hands-on guides, video tutorials, and examples of real-world use cases. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced admin, Ravi's content is an invaluable resource for understanding Forge in depth.

Getting Started with Forge

  1. Install the Forge CLI:

    nginx
    npm install -g @forge/cli

  2. Log in and create your app:

    pgsql
    forge login forge create

  3. Define your app logic and permissions in the manifest.yml file.

  4. Deploy and test your app in a staging or production environment:

    nginx
    forge deploy forge install

  5. Iterate and monitor using Forge's logging tools and error monitoring features.

Final Thoughts

Atlassian Forge is more than just a new way to build apps—it's a paradigm shift for how developers think about customization on the cloud. It reduces friction, increases security, and empowers teams to create tailored solutions faster and more reliably.

Whether you're an Atlassian partner, in-house admin, or freelance developer, learning Forge is a worthwhile investment. And with excellent community support from platforms like Sparxsys and Ravi Sagar's blog, there's no shortage of help as you explore this new frontier.