Migration from Connect to Forge
Optics now runs fully on Atlassian Forge, Atlassian’s next-generation platform for building apps for Cloud apps. This page provides additional background on the platform migration, why the change was made, and what feature adjustments were necessary as part of the transition.
Forge is Atlassian’s strategic platform for cloud apps and provides stronger security, improved reliability, and deeper integration with Atlassian products. Moving Optics to Forge ensures the app remains aligned with Atlassian’s platform architecture and allows us to continue delivering improvements and new capabilities.
If you are looking for instructions on how to update the app, please refer to this page.
Connect vs. Forge
Atlassian Connect and Atlassian Forge are two different app platforms for building apps on Atlassian Cloud. While both are supported today, Forge is Atlassian’s strategic platform for the future.
Area | Connect | Forge |
|---|---|---|
Hosting | Runs on vendor infrastructure | Runs on Atlassian infrastructure |
Security controls | Vendor-managed auth and hosting | Atlassian-managed auth, scoped permissions, isolated runtime |
Data access | Access via externally hosted services | Access via Atlassian-controlled APIs with explicit scopes |
Reliability and performance | Depends on vendor hosting and network | Fewer external dependencies and more predictable operation |
Platform direction | Supported, but less platform investment | Atlassian’s long-term platform for Marketplace apps |
Key Outcomes
Running Optics on Forge means the app now operates fully within Atlassian’s infrastructure. Execution, permissions, and data access follow Atlassian’s platform controls rather than external hosting models. This provides stronger isolation and a more standardized approach to operating apps in Atlassian Cloud environments.
Stronger security and clearer data access boundaries
Improved reliability through execution within Atlassian infrastructure
Better alignment with Atlassian’s cloud architecture and roadmap
A foundation for faster delivery of future improvements
During the migration, existing functionality was preserved wherever technically possible. However, Forge introduces different architectural constraints and capabilities compared to Connect, so some internal behavior, performance characteristics, or configuration flows may differ from the previous Connect-based implementation.
Forge Release
By the end of March, a new version of Optics will be released that migrates all Connect modules to Forge.
This update requires manual update by administrators in the manage apps section. Atlassian does not automatically migrate apps from Connect to Forge. Once the app is manually updated, Optics will begin running on the Forge platform and will no longer be hosted on the previous Connect-based infrastructure.
Forge introduces several platform limitations and changes that affect how certain parts of the app work. Because of these constraints, some features in Optics need to be adjusted, replaced, or temporarily removed to ensure the app remains stable and fully compatible with Forge.
Cards AI
The current AI-based card creation feature is not compatible with Atlassian Forge and will be temporarily removed. A new version is planned and will be rebuilt to align with Forge and Atlassian-supported LLM technologies.
Details about the new AI approach, along with timelines and delivery dates, will be communicated separately once they are finalized.
Designer Macro (Deprecated)
The Designer macro is deprecated and will no longer be supported going forward.
Designer was originally created as a flexible page builder for Confluence, allowing users to build pages with sections, layouts, and visual components. While powerful, this level of flexibility often made it difficult to maintain consistent and visually engaging pages across teams.
As the product evolved, a more structured approach to page creation proved to better support most Confluence use cases and help teams create high-quality pages more quickly and consistently.
Starting April 1, pages that were previously created with the Designer macro will remain accessible in read-only mode. It will no longer be possible to edit existing Designer pages or create new ones using the Designer macro. That’s where Dex comes in, you can find more information about Dex here.
If you used Designer to create your Confluence pages and notice limitations when recreating them with Dex, please reach out to us. We are continuously expanding Dex templates and are happy to collaborate with customers on new layouts and use cases to help you bring your ideas to life with Dex.
Dex: The next generation of content creation
Dex is the next generation of content creation in Optics. It is designed to replace what Designer was originally meant to do, but in a more structured, scalable, and user-friendly way.
While Designer focused on maximum flexibility, Dex focuses on template-driven content creation. Instead of building pages from scratch, users can create content using ready-to-use templates and blocks designed to ensure consistent and engaging results. This approach provides structured flexibility, helping you create beautiful, presentation-ready pages faster while maintaining a consistent design.
Dex provides:
Ready-to-use templates for common Confluence use cases
Better design and layout options
Easier configuration and usage
Presentation-ready content
Ongoing improvements and long-term support
Full alignment with Forge and Atlassian’s cloud platform
This approach helps teams create structured and visually engaging pages faster, without needing to spend time adjusting layouts or design details.
Nested Macros (Tabs and Panels)
Optics includes the Nested Macros feature (Tabs and Panels).
Forge limitation: Atlassian Forge currently does not support third-party macros inside nested macro containers. This also affects Caelor macros, such as Cards, Buttons, and other Optics modules, when placed inside Tabs or Panels.
During the migration to Forge, different approaches were explored to preserve this capability. One option was to provide a separate Connect-based private app that would allow customers to continue using nested macros with third-party components. However, Atlassian confirmed that this approach will not be possible, as private Connect apps will no longer be installable after April 1.
Because of these platform limitations, the Forge version of Nested Macros does not support third-party macros inside nested containers.
Previously created pages will continue to work as expected. However, third-party macros will display an error indicating that they are not supported inside panels or tabs. The content is not lost and will function normally once the macro is moved outside of the panel or tab.
If your current setup relies heavily on nested macros, please reach out to our team so we can help evaluate alternative approaches or layouts that achieve similar results.
Need Help or Have Questions?
If there are any questions about the Forge migration, feature changes, or upcoming milestones, the support team is available to help.