Update GitLab for Jira Cloud docs to announce Forge version on Atlassian Marketplace

Summary

Update the GitLab for Jira Cloud app documentation to announce the availability of the new Forge-based version of the app on the Atlassian Marketplace.

This is needed because the app has been migrated from Atlassian Connect to Atlassian Forge, following Atlassian's end-of-support timeline for Connect apps. Customers need clear communication about what this means for them.

Background

Atlassian announced that Connect apps are reaching end of support, with key milestones:

• September 16, 2025: Last day new Connect apps may be submitted to the Marketplace
• March 31, 2026: Connect app updates blocked; private Connect app installs blocked (Phase 2)

The GitLab for Jira Cloud app has been rebuilt as a Forge app and is being published to the Atlassian Marketplace as a major upgrade of the existing listing.

Key facts to communicate (from staging reviews #4 (closed) and #6)

1. Upgrade mechanism: Existing Marketplace users will see a major upgrade requiring admin approval
2. Data preservation: Already-synced development data is automatically inherited (same app ID: gitlab-jira-connect-gitlab.com)
3. Feature parity: All existing features verified working (branches, commits, MRs, deployments, pipelines, feature flags, smart commits, branch creation from Jira)
4. Works with SaaS and Self-Managed: Tested against both GitLab.com and GitLab Self-Managed instances (#4 (closed), #6)
5. No action required beyond approving the upgrade in Jira

Docs MR

The actual docs change will be an MR in gitlab-org/gitlab, tracked in: gitlab#592890 (closed)

Proposed docs change

Add a new section in doc/integration/jira/connect-app.md, after the existing "Update the GitLab for Jira Cloud app" section. Suggested title: "Migration from Atlassian Connect to Forge".

The section should cover:

• What changed and why (Atlassian's Connect end-of-support)
• What users will see (major upgrade prompt in Jira admin)
• That synced data is preserved
• That all features remain the same
• Links to relevant Atlassian documentation

Tasks

• Create docs MR in gitlab-org/gitlab with new section in doc/integration/jira/connect-app.md
• Create Support Preparedness issue in gitlab-com/support/support-team-meta (per @anton's recommendation in #6)
• Coordinate with PM on release post mention (cc @gweaver per @acroitor's comment)
• Review and merge docs MR

Related

• Parent epic: &21004
• Docs issue: gitlab#592890 (closed)
• Staging review (Ben): #4 (closed)
• Staging review (Anton): #6
• Atlassian Connect end-of-support: https://www.atlassian.com/blog/developer/announcing-connect-end-of-support-timeline-and-next-steps
• Forge migration guide: https://developer.atlassian.com/platform/adopting-forge-from-connect/how-to-adopt/
• Forge migration for custom apps: https://www.atlassian.com/blog/developer/connect-end-of-support-what-it-means-for-custom-apps-and-how-to-migrate-to-forge