Atlassian Connect Is Being Retired: What Customers Need to Know
Atlassian is ending support for Connect, the framework behind many Jira and Confluence Cloud apps. Apps that still run on Connect will no longer be supported after late 2026. If you manage an Atlassian instance, now is the time to check which of your apps are affected.
A year ago, we covered the initial announcement and what it means for your app portfolio. This post is an update on where things stand now.
The timeline
Atlassian announced the phase-out on March 17, 2025. It rolls out in three stages:
| Phase | Enforcement | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| No new Connect apps | September 2025 | New apps can only be listed on the Marketplace as Forge apps. Existing Connect apps remain available. |
| No Connect descriptor updates | End of March 2026 | Connect apps can no longer update their descriptor (the manifest that defines modules, scopes, and permissions) through the Marketplace. Private app installation via “Connected Apps” is also discontinued. |
| End of support | Q4 2026 | Connect enters “use at your own risk” status. Only critical or security-related bugs will be patched. New app versions cannot be delivered on Connect. |
Where we are now
Phase 2 is active since end of March 2026. Connect apps can no longer update their descriptors through the Marketplace, meaning vendors cannot add new permissions, modules, or integration points. While basic backend fixes are still possible since Connect code runs on the vendor’s servers, any meaningful feature development is effectively blocked. Phase 3 (full end of support) is less than 10 months away.
What this means for you as a customer
Your Marketplace apps may be affected
Many apps in your Jira or Confluence still run on Connect. After Q4 2026, these apps will no longer receive updates, bug fixes, or new features (except critical or security-related bugs). Long-term, there is a risk they stop working entirely.
How to check if an app runs on Connect
On forge-apps.com, you can look up any Marketplace app and immediately see its platform status: Connect, Forge, or Connect to Forge (with a percentage showing how far the migration has progressed). This makes it easy to assess which of your apps are already safe and which ones need attention.
Alternatively, check the app’s Marketplace page for the “Forge” or “Runs on Atlassian” label. If that label is missing, the app likely still runs on Connect.
What you should do now
- Take inventory. List the Marketplace apps and custom apps in your instance. Use forge-apps.com to check each app’s platform status at a glance.
- Contact your vendors. For apps still on Connect, ask your vendor about their migration timeline. Reputable vendors are communicating this proactively.
- Check custom apps. If your organization runs custom-built Connect apps (internally or through a partner), migration planning needs to start now. Connect apps can no longer receive updates since March 2026.
- Plan for the transition. Even with Atlassian providing migration tooling, testing and rollout take time. Do not wait until Q4.
Why Forge is better for customers
The move to Forge is not just a technical requirement. It brings real benefits:
- Security. Forge apps run on Atlassian’s own infrastructure. Your data does not leave the Atlassian platform.
- Automatic updates. When permissions do not change, Forge apps update automatically. No manual admin action required.
- Reliability. Forge apps benefit from Atlassian’s hosting, monitoring, and scaling.
Background: Why is Connect being retired?
Connect was introduced in 2013. It allows app vendors to run their own servers that communicate with Jira and Confluence via iframes and webhooks. The model is flexible, but it also means customer data is sent to external servers, security depends on each individual vendor, and Atlassian has limited control over availability and performance.
Forge solves this by running app code directly on the Atlassian platform. This lets Atlassian guarantee security, data residency, and availability centrally. That is the core of the “Runs on Atlassian” program.
The transition affects the entire ecosystem: over 1,000 Marketplace apps need to migrate. Atlassian is actively working with vendors to close the remaining gaps between Connect and Forge, but the timeline is set.
Check your apps today on forge-apps.com. You can see at a glance whether each app runs on Connect, Forge, or is mid-migration.