Atlassian has introduced Forge, a serverless development platform to help Jira administrators create tailored project custom fields without managing infrastructure. The new solution empowers teams to enhance Jira’s flexibility and meet unique workflow needs securely and efficiently.
- Forge is a serverless platform custom-built for Jira app development.
- Admins can create project-specific custom fields using Forge APIs.
- The platform handles hosting, scaling, and security by default.
What happened
Atlassian released Forge, a new serverless platform designed to streamline the creation of custom Jira applications. This platform enables Jira administrators to develop and deploy project-specific custom fields without managing the complexities of hosting or infrastructure. By following Atlassian's documentation and utilizing Forge’s development tools, users can produce fully functioning apps that integrate seamlessly into Jira Cloud environments.
A featured example demonstrated how Forge can be used to add a numerical custom field—such as 'Team Size'—to Jira project settings. This solution supports organizational KPIs by enabling project teams to input key metrics directly where they manage issues and workflows, enhancing the flexibility and value of Jira in agile project management.
Why it matters
Jira is widely adopted for agile project tracking, but its standard configuration sometimes limits the ability to capture bespoke project data that teams require. Forge addresses this gap by empowering administrators to build customizations that align precisely with their organization’s reporting and operational needs, eliminating reliance on third-party apps or workarounds.
Furthermore, Forge’s secure-by-design architecture automatically handles authentication, data controls, multi-tenancy, and environment management. This reduces risks associated with app hosting, simplifies app lifecycle management, and ensures compliance with Atlassian’s cloud security standards, providing confidence for administrators deploying custom solutions.
What to watch next
As Atlassian continues to develop Forge, it will be important to monitor the expansion of its API capabilities, UI components, and permission scopes to accommodate increasingly complex use cases. Admins and developers should also watch for enhancements that improve developer experience, such as testing tools, versioning support, and marketplace integration.
Additionally, gathering real-world feedback from early Forge app adopters will provide insights into best practices and potential improvements. Observing how organizations leverage Forge to customize Jira projects and workflows uniquely will guide future product priorities and establish Forge as a pivotal tool within the Atlassian ecosystem.