Mid-Year Marketplace Pulse: What Atlassian's Vision Means for the Rest of Us

We’re cruising through Q3. That came quick!

After sharing our interview with Atlassian’s Chris Hemphill earlier this summer, I’ve had time to reflect on what was shared and think through what it all means. Chris laid out a clear vision, but if you’re in the business of building Marketplace apps (like we are), what do we do with all of that?

Here’s what I’ve been chewing on, and where I think we should focus our energy for the rest of 2025.

Forge Isn’t Just a Migration Platform - It’s a Launchpad

Forge has moved beyond “the new thing.” It’s the expected thing. That “Runs on Atlassian” badge isn’t just decorative, it’s a signal to enterprise buyers that your app plays by the same rules as Atlassian’s own tools.

If you’re still on Connect or stuck in hybrid, now’s the time to ask: is that going to get you where you want to go? With Forge, we’re unlocking cross-product apps, AI capabilities, and serious performance and security perks. It’s less about tech debt now, and more about opportunity cost.

System of Work: It’s Not Just Buzz

Chris talked about a shift away from apps “for Jira” or “for Confluence” and toward apps that support the system of work, and it’s not just wordplay.

We are thinking bigger. . The users installing our apps might not be developers anymore. They might be in marketing, HR, legal, or ops. If you’re only speaking to product teams, you might be missing your fastest-growing audience.

Build horizontally. Think cross-product. Start designing for the flow of work, not just the platform.

Enterprise Standards Are the New Normal

SOC 2, ISO, data residency… these aren’t extras anymore. They’re expected. And honestly? That’s a good thing. We know that you (the user) are more educated. Marketplace search is tighter. Trust signals like "Runs on Atlassian" and integrations with tools like Vanta are leveling the playing field.

If your docs, onboarding, or support still feel like an afterthought, consider this your wake-up call. Enterprises don’t just buy features -- they buy confidence.

Marketplace Discovery Is Smarter - So Be Sharper

Machine learning is coming to Marketplace search. App listings are getting ranked based on actual usefulness. Peer reviews are influencing purchase behavior more than ever (16% of purchases now start in Community forums!).

So what’s your app listing doing?

• Is your app title SEO-smart?

• Are your screenshots real and recent?

• Do your editions make sense at a glance?

• Are customers leaving reviews -- or just leaving?

If it’s been a while since you gave your listing a glow-up, now’s the time.

Branding Isn’t Fluff - It’s Function

Earlier this year, we rebranded one of our most-used apps to Just Add+. Not because we were bored, but because users needed a clearer way to get help, understand value, and give feedback.

Chris backed this up in our chat: a strong brand isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s how people find you, trust you, and remember you. The same goes for onboarding docs, support workflows, and feature education. None of it is extra. It’s all part of the product.

What Now?

The Ecosystem is heading in the right direction. Forge is solid. AI is finally finding its way into real workflows. Buyers are sharper. And the line between “app” and “solution” keeps getting blurrier.

The ones who win in this next phase? They’re not just good developers. They’re good communicators. Good educators. Good collaborators.

We’re not just shipping features -- we’re building trust.

If you’re doing something interesting with Forge, experimenting with cross-product use cases, or trying out AI in your app, I’d love to hear about it. Drop a comment or message me. Always happy to swap notes.

From Jerry Nettles ☝️