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.