Atlassian has released three key enhancements to its Forge app development platform aimed at reducing friction and unlocking richer capabilities for developers. The updates include a new native JavaScript runtime, Forge remote backend integration, and an upgraded UI kit that together promise faster apps, broader integrations, and more dynamic user interfaces.
- Native Forge JS runtime boosts app speed and library compatibility
- Forge remote allows integration with external backend services
- UI kit 2 offers new UI components and faster user interactions
What happened
Atlassian promoted three significant features to general availability on its Forge development platform: a native JavaScript runtime, Forge remote backend support, and UI kit 2. The new runtime replaces the original sandboxed environment with a secure Node.js v18 virtual machine, providing compatibility with more libraries and better performance—up to 35-40% faster app execution. Existing Forge apps can upgrade with minor manifest changes.
Forge remote introduces the capability to connect Forge apps with off-Atlassian services, such as containers, relational databases, or custom AI models, while maintaining secure communication through authentication mechanisms. This expands the scope of app functionality beyond purely Forge-hosted resources. Meanwhile, UI kit 2 enhances the frontend experience by shifting UI logic to the browser, enabling faster user interactions, more React features, and a larger set of UI components.
Why it matters
These updates address major pain points for Forge app developers by improving the speed, flexibility, and user experience of their applications. The new runtime removes compatibility barriers and increases available memory, which reduces development friction and enables more complex functionality. Integrating remote backends opens new use cases that require data or compute outside the Forge environment, making Forge more versatile for enterprise needs.
UI kit 2’s performance gains and richer component library elevate the quality of user interface design possible on Forge apps. Faster interactions improve app responsiveness, which directly contributes to better customer satisfaction. Collectively, these releases strengthen Forge as a competitive platform for developers building integrations and extensions for Atlassian products.
What to watch next
Developers and teams currently using Forge should evaluate upgrading to the native JS runtime to leverage performance and compatibility improvements. Thorough testing in development environments is recommended to identify any limitations or issues. Monitoring Atlassian’s documentation and community discussions will be important for best practices around transitioning and securing apps that leverage remote service integrations.
Looking forward, Atlassian may continue enhancing Forge’s developer experience by expanding remote backend capabilities and UI kit features. Observers should watch for further innovations that balance security with flexibility, as well as additional developer tooling that simplifies building and maintaining complex Forge apps. As Forge matures, it could become a more central tool in SaaS app development within Atlassian’s ecosystem.