Forge vs Connect: What Atlassian Admins Need to Know in 2026
Forge and Connect are the two frameworks Atlassian Marketplace apps can be built on. Forge runs on Atlassian's own infrastructure; Connect runs on vendor-hosted servers. Starting January 1, 2026, Atlassian applies a penalty to Connect apps in Marketplace rankings and requires Forge for new Cloud Fortified status. For admins evaluating apps in 2026, Forge is the safer, more future-proof choice where a capable option exists.
- The real architectural difference between Forge and Connect
- What the 2026 Connect penalty changes for app discovery and trust
- How to tell which framework an app uses before you install it
- A practical decision framework for evaluating apps in 2026
If you administer Jira or Confluence Cloud, every app you install from the Marketplace runs on one of two frameworks: Forge or Connect. For years the difference was mostly an implementation detail that admins could ignore. In 2026 that changed. The Connect penalty, the Cloud Fortified requirement, and Atlassian's clear strategic direction mean the framework an app uses now affects its security posture, its discoverability, and how long it will keep working. This guide explains what changed, why it matters, and how to make better app decisions because of it.
The core difference: who hosts the app
The simplest way to understand the split is to ask where the app's code runs and where its data lives.
Connect is the older framework, introduced in 2014. A Connect app is built by the vendor and hosted on the vendor's own servers — AWS, GCP, a private datacenter, or a Platform-as-a-Service like Heroku. The app integrates with Atlassian Cloud through REST APIs, webhooks, JWT-signed requests, and an iframe UI that Atlassian embeds inside Jira or Confluence. The vendor is responsible for the app's uptime, scaling, security patching, and data storage.
Forge is the newer framework, generally available since 2021. A Forge app runs on Atlassian-managed infrastructure — compute, storage, and a hosted UI layer (UI Kit or Custom UI) all provided by Atlassian's platform. The vendor writes the app logic and deploys it with the Forge CLI, but Atlassian operates the runtime. Permissions are declared up front in a manifest and enforced by the platform, so an app cannot access data it has not explicitly requested.
| Aspect | Connect | Forge |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Vendor's own servers | Atlassian-managed infrastructure |
| Compute | Vendor-managed (any language) | Atlassian runtime (Node.js) |
| Storage | Vendor's database | Atlassian Forge storage |
| Auth | JWT (vendor-issued) | Forge Invocation Token (FIT) |
| Permissions | Granted implicitly at install | Declared in manifest, enforced by platform |
| Data egress | Vendor controls it | Governed by declared scopes |
| UI | iframe (any web stack) | UI Kit or Custom UI |
| Scaling | Vendor's responsibility | Automatic, Atlassian-managed |
| Atlassian's direction | Legacy, being phased down | The platform of record |
The architectural shift is significant: Connect apps process customer data on infrastructure the admin cannot inspect, while Forge apps process it inside the Atlassian tenant they already trust. For regulated industries, government, and security-conscious enterprises, that distinction is the whole story.
What changed in 2026: the Connect penalty
The most time-sensitive development is the Connect ranking penalty, which took effect on January 1, 2026. This is not a deprecation — Connect apps still work — but it changes the economics of the Marketplace for vendors and the discovery experience for customers.
What the penalty means in practice:
- Marketplace search and recommendations. Connect apps rank lower in Marketplace search results and in the "recommended apps" surfaces inside Jira and Confluence, all else being equal. A Forge app and a Connect app with similar ratings and install counts no longer compete on even footing.
- Cloud Fortified requires Forge. The Cloud Fortified program — Atlassian's trust tier that signals an app meets security, reliability, and support standards — now requires Forge. New Cloud Fortified designations are Forge-only, so Connect apps cannot earn the badge going forward.
- Vendor incentives. Because discovery and trust signals now favor Forge, vendors have a strong commercial reason to migrate. Many are mid-migration, which means the Connect app you install today may be replaced by a Forge successor tomorrow.
The penalty is the clearest signal yet that Atlassian is consolidating the ecosystem on Forge. Connect is not being killed overnight, but its strategic position is eroding, and the trajectory is unambiguous.
Why Forge is more secure by default
Security is where the framework choice matters most for admins. The difference is not theoretical — it is structural.
Connect's security depends on the vendor. A Connect app runs on the vendor's infrastructure, stores data in the vendor's database, and makes outbound network calls the admin cannot see. The vendor is responsible for encryption at rest, TLS in transit, access control, vulnerability patching, and breach response. Atlassian reviews Connect apps at submission, but ongoing security is the vendor's job — and vendors vary wildly in maturity. A Connect app could be running an unpatched dependency, storing data in an unencrypted bucket, or making unexpected egress calls, and the admin has no visibility into any of it.
Forge's security is enforced by the platform. A Forge app declares its required permissions and egress destinations in a manifest that is reviewed and enforced by Atlassian. The app cannot access product data outside its declared scopes, cannot make network calls to undeclared endpoints, and runs on infrastructure that inherits Atlassian's own security controls — encryption, access management, audit logging. There is no vendor-controlled server to compromise or that can go offline independently of Atlassian. For admins, this collapses the security review from "audit the vendor's entire hosting setup" to "read the declared permission scopes."
This is why regulated industries, government customers evaluating Atlassian Isolated Cloud, and security teams doing app reviews increasingly treat Forge as the default and Connect as the exception that requires justification.
How to tell which framework an app uses
Before you install an app, you can identify its framework in a few seconds:
- On the Marketplace listing, look for the "Built on Forge" badge or a hosting line in the technical details. Forge apps display this prominently; Connect apps reference external hosting or make no framework claim.
- Check the permissions dialog at install time. Forge apps show a scoped permission list (e.g. "read jira:issue", "write confluence:content") that the platform enforces. Connect apps typically present a broader, less granular consent.
- Look for "Cloud Fortified." If an app earned Cloud Fortified in 2025 or later, it is Forge. Connect apps can no longer receive the designation.
- Ask the vendor. A reputable vendor will state plainly which framework their app uses and what their migration plans are.
When an app offers both a Connect and a Forge version, prefer the Forge version — it is the one receiving investment and the one that will keep ranking well.
A decision framework for 2026
For admins evaluating apps this year, a practical framework:
- Prefer Forge where a capable option exists. It is more secure by default, better governed, and aligned with Atlassian's direction. The Connect penalty means Forge apps will increasingly dominate search and recommendation surfaces.
- Do not panic-uninstall working Connect apps. Established Connect apps continue to function, and ripping out a working integration creates more risk than the penalty creates. Plan to migrate at the vendor's pace, not under self-imposed pressure.
- Be cautious with new Connect purchases. If you are buying fresh in 2026, ask why a Forge equivalent does not exist. In categories where Forge options are mature (diagraming, content formatting, export tools, templates), there is rarely a good reason to choose Connect.
- Scrutinize Connect apps that handle sensitive data. For apps touching compliance-relevant data — audit logs, security flags, customer PII — the vendor-hosted model of Connect adds real review burden. Forge removes most of it.
- Watch vendor migration signals. Vendors openly migrating to Forge are investing in the future; vendors silent on the topic may be stuck. A vendor's posture on Forge vs Connect tells you something about their long-term commitment to the Cloud ecosystem.
What this means for the NGPILOT catalog
Every NGPILOT app — all 30-plus of them across Confluence and Jira — is built exclusively on Forge. That was a deliberate decision made for three reasons: Forge's platform-enforced security model means no NGPILOT customer data ever leaves the Atlassian tenant; Atlassian-managed compute means apps scale automatically with zero operational burden on either side; and Forge is the framework Atlassian is investing in, so NGPILOT apps stay aligned with the platform's direction rather than fighting it.
If you are evaluating NGPILOT apps against Connect alternatives, the framework difference is one more data point in the comparison — alongside features, pricing, and support. Browse the full app catalog or explore solutions by scenario to see which apps fit the problems your team is trying to solve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Connect being discontinued?
No. Atlassian has not announced an end-of-life date for Connect, and existing Connect apps continue to work. But the 2026 ranking penalty, the Cloud Fortified requirement, and Atlassian's investment pattern make the direction clear: Forge is the future, and Connect's role is shrinking. Treat Connect as supported-but-declining rather than stable.
Do Forge apps have any limitations compared to Connect?
Yes, in some edge cases. Forge's runtime and permission model are more constrained than Connect's "run anything on your own servers" approach, so a handful of apps that need deep custom integrations, exotic runtime languages, or heavy background processing still lean on Connect. The gap is closing as Forge matures, but it has not fully closed. For the vast majority of app categories — content, diagrams, templates, export, admin tools — Forge is now fully capable.
How does the Connect penalty affect apps I already installed?
It does not break them. Installed Connect apps keep working. The penalty affects discoverability — how easily new customers find the app in Marketplace search and recommendations — not the function of apps you already use. Your existing Connect installs are safe until you choose to migrate or the vendor does.
Are Forge apps slower than Connect apps?
Not in practice. Forge compute runs on Atlassian infrastructure close to the product data, which often makes data access faster than a Connect app calling APIs over the public internet from a vendor's region. Cold-start latency on Forge was a concern early in the platform's life; it has largely been addressed. For interactive apps — macros, panels, issue views — Forge performance is competitive.
Where can I read Atlassian's official guidance?
Atlassian's developer documentation covers the differences between Forge and Connect and the Forge platform overview. The Cloud Fortified program requirements and the Connect penalty timeline are documented in Atlassian's partner and Marketplace resources.
NGPILOT builds exclusively on Forge. Browse the app catalog or read more about how NGPILOT apps handle security and data.