Forge Connector

Forge Connector

Builds a graph:connector Forge app that ingests external data into Atlassian's Teamwork Graph so it appears in Rovo Search and Rovo Chat.

Critical Rules

1. Must install in Jira — Apps using Teamwork Graph modules must be installed on a Jira site. Confluence-only installs will not work. 2. Never ask for credentials in chat — Direct users to run forge login in their own terminal. 3. Always run the scaffold script yourself — Do not only give manual instructions; run scripts/scaffold_connector.py to generate the boilerplate. 4. Always ask the user for their Atlassian site URL when install is needed — never discover or guess it. 5. Atlassian deletes data on disconnect — When action = 'DELETED', the app only needs to clean up local state; Atlassian removes the Teamwork Graph data automatically. 6. Handler arguments are passed directly — Forge passes the request object as the first argument to handlers, NOT nested under event.payload. Config values are at request.configProperties, NOT event.payload.config. This is the most common source of TypeError: Cannot destructure property of undefined errors. 7. Use `@forge/kvs` for storage — Import kvs from @forge/kvs. Do NOT use @forge/storage — its storage export is undefined at runtime in connector functions. 8. Use `graph` named export from `@forge/teamwork-graph` — The correct import is const { graph } = require('@forge/teamwork-graph'). Call graph.setObjects({ objects, connectionId }). Do NOT import setObjects as a named export directly. 9. `validateConnectionHandler` must return `{ success, message }` — Do NOT throw an Error. Return { success: false, message: '...' } to reject, { success: true } to accept. 10. `function` declarations belong under `modules` — In manifest.yml, function: is a key under modules:, not a top-level key. Placing it at the top level causes a lint error. 11. `formConfiguration` uses `form` array with `type: header` — Do NOT use fields: or beforeYouBegin:. The correct format uses form: [{ key, type: header, title, description, properties: [...] }]. 12. Scopes are `read/write/delete:object:jira` — Use read:object:jira, write:object:jira, delete:object:jira. The scopes read:graph:teamwork and write:graph:teamwork are invalid and will fail forge lint. 13. Set `ATL_FORGE_ATTRIBUTION_SKILL_NAME=forge-connector` on `forge` commands run for this skill — prefix forge invocations with this env var: ones you run in the shell (e.g. forge lint, forge logs, forge deploy) and the interactive `forge create` command you hand the user as a fallback. The bundled scripts set it automatically; other commands shown in this skill omit it for brevity — add it when you run them. The only exclusions are forge login and forge tunnel (user-run auth / live-dev commands).

MCP Prerequisites

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Agent Workflow — Complete Steps 0–7 in Order

Step 0: Prerequisites

Check Node.js (node -v, requires 22+), Forge CLI (forge --version), and login (forge whoami). Install missing tools:

npm install -g @forge/cli

Tell the user to run forge login in their terminal if not authenticated.

Step 1: Discover Developer Spaces

Note: forge developer-spaces list does NOT exist in Forge CLI 12.x. You cannot list developer spaces non-interactively.

forge create requires an interactive TTY to select a developer space. Ask the user to run it themselves:

Tell the user:
  cd <parent-directory>
  ATL_FORGE_ATTRIBUTION_SKILL_NAME=forge-connector forge create --template blank <app-name>

  When prompted, select a Developer Space and let it complete.
  Come back when done.

The --dev-space-id flag in the scaffold script is optional and can be omitted — the script has been updated to skip it when not provided.

Step 1.5: Discover Data & Map to Object Types

Do this before scaffolding. Ask the user the following questions to determine the correct Teamwork Graph object type(s). Do not assume or default to atlassian:document.

Questions to ask the user

1. What external system or tool are you connecting? e.g. Google Drive, ServiceNow, Salesforce, GitHub, Confluence, Slack, Figma, Zendesk

2. What kind of content do you want to make searchable in Rovo? Prompt with examples to help them identify it:

• Files, pages, wiki articles, reports, PDFs → likely atlassian:document
• Tasks, tickets, issues, bugs, stories → likely atlassian:work-item
• Chat messages, emails, comments → likely atlassian:message or atlassian:comment
• Projects, workspaces, boards → likely atlassian:project
• Code repositories → likely atlassian:repository
• Pull requests / merge requests → likely atlassian:pull-request
• Git commits → likely atlassian:commit
• Design files (Figma, Sketch) → likely atlassian:design
• Video recordings → likely atlassian:video
• Calendar events, meetings → likely atlassian:calendar-event
• Threads, channels → likely atlassian:conversation
• Customer accounts or organisations → likely atlassian:customer-organization
• Team spaces or org units → likely atlassian:space

3. Is the content a single type or a mix? If mixed (e.g. a project management tool with tasks and documents), plan to ingest each as its own object type. The scaffold supports one primary type — you can add more objectTypes entries in manifest.yml later.

4. Does the admin need to supply credentials (API key, URL, OAuth token) to connect? Yes → use --has-form-config in the scaffold command. No (data comes entirely from within Atlassian) → omit the flag.

5. How often does the source data change? Frequently (hourly) → plan a scheduledTrigger with interval: hour. Daily or less → interval: day. Static / one-off → no scheduled trigger needed.

6. Who should be able to see the ingested content in Rovo Search? This determines the permissions.accessControls on each object. Ask:

• "Is all this content publicly accessible, or does the source system restrict who can see what?"
• "Do you want Rovo Search results to respect those source-system permissions?"

Map the answer to the correct principal model:

Do NOT default to `EVERYONE` unless the user explicitly confirms content is publicly accessible. Using EVERYONE on restricted content leaks data to users who shouldn't see it in Rovo Search.

Record the chosen permission model before proceeding to Step 2. Reference it when writing the setObjects call in Step 3.

Mapping decision

Based on the answers, select the best-fit type from the Object Types table below. Only fall back to atlassian:document if the content genuinely has no better match (e.g. arbitrary file attachments). For types marked ❌ in the "Indexed in Rovo" column (atlassian:build, atlassian:deployment, atlassian:test), warn the user that those objects will not appear in Rovo Search or Rovo Chat.

Record the chosen object type(s) and permission model before proceeding to Step 2.

Step 2: Scaffold the Connector App

Run from the skill directory (the directory containing this SKILL.md). Replace <object-type> with the type determined in Step 1.5. --dev-space-id is optional:

python3 -m scripts.scaffold_connector \
  --name <app-name> \
  --connector-name "<Human Readable Name>" \
  --object-type <object-type> \
  --directory <parent-directory>

Add --dev-space-id <id> only if you have the ID from a previous step.

Object type — use the type chosen in Step 1.5. Do NOT default to atlassian:document without first completing the discovery questions above.

Form config flag — add --has-form-config if the admin must provide API credentials or connection details (determined in Step 1.5 question 4). Omit it for apps that operate entirely within Atlassian (no external credentials needed).

If scaffold fails because `forge create` needs a TTY: The scaffold script will print a manual fallback command. Have the user run forge create interactively, then continue from Step 3 — the scaffold script only needs to write manifest.yml and src/index.js after the directory exists.

Step 3: Customize the Generated Code

After scaffolding (or after the user runs forge create interactively):

cd <app-name>
npm install

The blank template generates src/index.js (JavaScript, not TypeScript). Edit it to add your API calls. The scaffold generates working handler skeletons; fill in your business logic.

Key files to edit

setObjects — ingest data into Teamwork Graph

Use the graph named export — do NOT destructure setObjects directly:

const { graph } = require('@forge/teamwork-graph');

const result = await graph.setObjects({
  connectionId,          // required — the connectionId from the handler request
  objects: [
    {
      schemaVersion: '1.0',
      id: 'unique-id-from-source',      // unique per connectionId
      updateSequenceNumber: 1,
      displayName: 'My Document Title',
      url: 'https://source-system.example.com/doc/123',
      createdAt: '2024-01-15T10:00:00Z',        // ISO 8601
      lastUpdatedAt: '2024-01-20T14:30:00Z',
      // Use the permission model chosen in Step 1.5 question 6.
      // EVERYONE only if content is confirmed publicly accessible.
      // For user-restricted content: { type: 'user', id: '<atlassian-account-id>' }
      // For group-restricted content: { type: 'group', id: '<group-id>' }
      permissions: [{
        accessControls: [{
          principals: [{ type: 'EVERYONE' }],
        }],
      }],
      'atlassian:document': {
        type: {
          category: 'DOCUMENT',   // see Document Categories table below
          mimeType: 'application/vnd.google-apps.document',
        },
        content: {
          mimeType: 'application/vnd.google-apps.document',
          text: 'document title or snippet for search indexing',
        },
      },
    },
  ],
});

if (!result.success) {
  console.error('setObjects error:', result.error);
}

• Max 100 objects per call — batch large datasets with a loop
• id must be unique per connectionId
• connectionId is required in every graph.setObjects() call

Document Categories (for atlassian:document.type.category)

getObjectByExternalId — look up a single object

const { graph } = require('@forge/teamwork-graph');

const data = await graph.getObjectByExternalId({
  externalId: 'unique-id-from-source',
  objectType: 'atlassian:document',
  connectionId,
});
if (data.success) console.log(data.object);

Step 4: Deploy and Install

You MUST run the deploy script — do not only give the user manual forge deploy commands.

The deploy script lives in the forge-app-builder skill, not in this skill. Derive its directory from the path of this SKILL.md: go up two levels (skills/forge-connector/ → skills/) then into forge-app-builder/. Run all commands below from that directory.

# Derive forge-app-builder skill dir from this SKILL.md's path:
# e.g. if this file is at /path/to/skills/forge-connector/SKILL.md
# then the deploy script dir is: /path/to/skills/forge-app-builder/

# If you have the site URL:
python3 -m scripts.deploy_forge_app \
  --app-dir <app-directory> \
  --site <site-url> \
  --product jira

# If you don't have the site URL yet, deploy first then ask:
python3 -m scripts.deploy_forge_app \
  --app-dir <app-directory> \
  --product jira \
  --deploy-only
# Ask: "What is your Atlassian site URL (e.g. yourcompany.atlassian.net)?"
python3 -m scripts.deploy_forge_app \
  --app-dir <app-directory> \
  --site <site-url> \
  --product jira \
  --skip-deps

Step 5: Connect via Atlassian Administration

After deployment, tell the user to:

1. Go to Atlassian Administration → Apps → [site] → Connected apps 2. Find the app → View app details → Connections tab 3. Click Connect under the connector 4. Fill in any configuration fields (if formConfiguration was defined) 5. Click Connect — this triggers onConnectionChange with action: CREATED and starts data ingestion

Step 6: Monitor with forge tunnel

Use forge tunnel during development to stream live logs directly to your terminal as the connector functions execute. This is the fastest way to catch errors in onConnectionChangeHandler, validateConnectionHandler, and setObjects calls without waiting for forge logs.

Tell the user to run this in their own terminal (it requires an interactive session):

cd <app-directory>
forge tunnel

With the tunnel active, any invocation of the connector functions (e.g. clicking "Connect" in Atlassian Admin, or triggering a scheduled re-ingestion) will stream output immediately. Look for:

• [connector] Fetched N items — confirms fetchExternalData() ran
• [connector] Batch 1: N accepted, 0 rejected — confirms setObjects succeeded
• Any uncaught errors or thrown exceptions from validateConnectionHandler

If the tunnel is not running, use forge logs instead to inspect past invocations:

# Most recent 50 log lines from development environment
forge logs -e development --limit 50

# Production logs for a specific site
forge logs -e production --site <your-site> --limit 50

Tunnel vs logs — when to use which:

Note: forge tunnel must be run by the user in an interactive terminal — do not attempt to run it via the agent.

Step 7: End-to-End Verification (optional)

Before running any checks, ask the user:

"Would you like to run end-to-end verification checks before deploying to production? This confirms the connection, ingestion, Rovo Search visibility, and permission boundaries are all working correctly."

If the user says no or wants to skip, move on — do not run or describe the checks. If the user says yes, work through every check below in order.

Check 1 — Connection established

In Atlassian Administration → Apps → Connected apps, the connector should show status Connected. If it shows an error or pending state, go back to Step 6 and inspect forge tunnel or forge logs output.

Check 2 — validateConnection passed (if configured)

If the app has a validateConnection function, confirm the admin saw a success message when clicking Connect. If not, check logs for the return value — it must be { success: true }, not a thrown error.

Check 3 — onConnectionChange fired and ingestion ran

In forge logs or the tunnel output, confirm:

forge logs -e development --limit 50

Look for all three signals:

• Handler was invoked: log line from onConnectionChangeHandler with action: CREATED
• Data was fetched: e.g. [connector] Fetched N items
• setObjects succeeded: e.g. [connector] Batch 1: N accepted, 0 rejected

If setObjects returned { success: false }, the error detail is in result.error — surface it to the user and fix before continuing.

Check 4 — Objects visible in Rovo Search

1. Open Rovo Search on the Jira site (allow up to 5 minutes for indexing after ingestion) 2. Search for a word that appears in at least one ingested object's displayName or content text 3. Filter by the connector's nickname (set by admin at connection time)

At least one result from the connector should appear. If nothing shows up after 5 minutes:

• Confirm setObjects logged N accepted with N > 0 (Check 3)
• Confirm the object's permissions match the logged-in user (an EVERYONE principal or a user/group principal that includes the test user)
• Re-check that write:object:jira scope is present in manifest.yml and the app was redeployed after any scope change

Check 5 — Permission boundary (skip only if EVERYONE was used)

If the connector uses user or group principals: 1. Log in as a user who should have access → confirm the object appears in Rovo Search 2. Log in as a user who should not have access → confirm the object does not appear

If a restricted object is visible to an unauthorised user, re-check the accessControls principals in setObjects and redeploy.

Check 6 — Rovo Chat references connector data

Ask Rovo Chat a question whose answer exists only in the ingested content, e.g.:

"What is the status of [title of an ingested item]?"

Rovo Chat should cite the connector as a source. If it cannot find the content, Checks 3 and 4 likely have an unresolved issue.

Check 7 — Scheduled re-ingestion fires (if configured)

If a scheduledTrigger was added: 1. Temporarily set interval: fiveMinutes in manifest.yml, redeploy, and wait one cycle 2. Confirm forge logs shows a fresh ingestion run from refreshIngestionHandler 3. Restore the original interval and redeploy before going to production

Production readiness gate

If the user chose to run verification, only proceed to a production deploy (forge deploy -e production) when all applicable checks above pass:

---

Manifest Reference

Key rules:

- Scopes are read:object:jira, write:object:jira, delete:object:jira — NOT read:graph:teamwork / write:graph:teamwork (those fail forge lint)

- function: is declared under `modules:`, not at the top level

- Egress uses address: not a bare string (run forge lint --fix to auto-correct)

- formConfiguration uses form: [{ type: header, properties: [...] }] — NOT fields: or beforeYouBegin:

Minimal connector (no admin config, no OAuth)

Use when the app operates entirely within Atlassian — no external credentials needed.

app:
  id: <generated-by-forge-create>
  runtime:
    name: nodejs24.x
    memoryMB: 256
    architecture: arm64

permissions:
  scopes:
    - read:object:jira
    - write:object:jira
    - delete:object:jira
    - storage:app

modules:
  graph:connector:
    - key: my-connector
      name: My Service
      icons:
        light: https://cdn.example.com/logo.png
        dark: https://cdn.example.com/logo.png
      objectTypes:
        - atlassian:document
      datasource:
        onConnectionChange:
          function: on-connection-change

  function:
    - key: on-connection-change
      handler: index.onConnectionChangeHandler

Connector with admin form config (API key / URL)

Use when the admin must provide credentials to connect to an external system.

app:
  id: <generated-by-forge-create>
  runtime:
    name: nodejs24.x
    memoryMB: 256
    architecture: arm64

permissions:
  scopes:
    - read:object:jira
    - write:object:jira
    - delete:object:jira
    - storage:app
  external:
    fetch:
      backend:
        - address: 'https://api.your-service.com'   # note: address: not a bare string

modules:
  graph:connector:
    - key: my-connector
      name: My Service
      icons:
        light: https://cdn.example.com/logo.png
        dark: https://cdn.example.com/logo.png
      objectTypes:
        - atlassian:document
      datasource:
        formConfiguration:
          form:                          # use form:, NOT fields: or beforeYouBegin:
            - key: connectionDetails
              type: header
              title: Connection Details
              description: >
                Provide your My Service API credentials.
                Find them in My Service → Settings → API.
              properties:
                - key: apiKey           # camelCase keys — accessed as request.configProperties.apiKey
                  label: API Key
                  type: string
                  isRequired: true
                - key: apiUrl
                  label: API URL
                  type: string
                  isRequired: true
          validateConnection:
            function: validate-connection
        onConnectionChange:
          function: on-connection-change

  function:                              # function: is under modules:, NOT top-level
    - key: on-connection-change
      handler: index.onConnectionChangeHandler
    - key: validate-connection
      handler: index.validateConnectionHandler

---

Handler Signatures

Critical: Forge passes the request directly as the first argument — it is NOT wrapped under event.payload. Config form values are at request.configProperties, not event.payload.config. Getting this wrong causes TypeError: Cannot destructure property of undefined.

onConnectionChange

const { kvs } = require('@forge/kvs');
const { graph } = require('@forge/teamwork-graph');

exports.onConnectionChangeHandler = async (request) => {
  // request.action, request.connectionId, request.configProperties
  const { action, connectionId, configProperties } = request;

  if (action === 'DELETED') {
    // Atlassian removes Teamwork Graph data automatically on disconnect.
    // Only clean up locally stored credentials.
    await kvs.deleteSecret(connectionId);
    return { success: true };
  }

  // CREATED or UPDATED — persist credentials and ingest data
  await kvs.setSecret(connectionId, configProperties);
  await ingestAllData(connectionId, configProperties);
  return { success: true };
};

validateConnection

const { fetch } = require('@forge/api');

exports.validateConnectionHandler = async (request) => {
  // request.configProperties — NOT event.payload.config
  const { configProperties } = request;

  // Return { success: false, message } to reject — do NOT throw an Error.
  // Return { success: true } to accept.
  const response = await fetch(`${configProperties['apiUrl']}/health`);
  if (!response.ok) {
    return { success: false, message: 'Invalid API credentials. Please check your settings.' };
  }
  return { success: true, message: 'Connection validated successfully.' };
};

refreshIngestion (scheduled trigger)

exports.refreshIngestionHandler = async () => {
  const activeConnections = await kvs.get('active-connections') ?? [];
  for (const connectionId of activeConnections) {
    const config = await kvs.getSecret(connectionId);
    if (config) await ingestAllData(connectionId, config);
  }
};

---

Object Types

Objects in bold are indexed in Rovo Search and Rovo Chat.

---

Rovo Search / Rovo Chat Surfacing

Once ingested:

• Objects appear in Rovo Search under a subfilter named after the connector's nickname (set by admin at connection time)
• Rovo Chat can reference and cite connector objects in responses when queried about topics related to the ingested content
• Data is not available immediately — allow a few minutes for indexing after onConnectionChange fires

To verify ingestion is working:

1. Open Rovo Search on the Jira site 2. Search for text that appears in an ingested object's name or properties 3. Filter by the connector nickname to narrow results

---

Batching Pattern for Large Datasets

const { graph } = require('@forge/teamwork-graph');

const BATCH_SIZE = 100;

async function ingestAllData(connectionId, config) {
  const items = await fetchExternalData(config);

  for (let i = 0; i < items.length; i += BATCH_SIZE) {
    const batch = items.slice(i, i + BATCH_SIZE);
    const result = await graph.setObjects({
      connectionId,          // required in every call
      objects: batch.map(item => ({
        schemaVersion: '1.0',
        id: item.id,                      // unique per connectionId
        updateSequenceNumber: 1,
        displayName: item.title,
        url: item.url,
        createdAt: item.createdAt,
        lastUpdatedAt: item.updatedAt,
        // Replace with user/group principals if source system has access controls.
        permissions: [{
          accessControls: [{ principals: [{ type: 'EVERYONE' }] }],
        }],
        'atlassian:document': {
          type: { category: 'DOCUMENT', mimeType: item.mimeType },
          content: { mimeType: item.mimeType, text: item.title },
        },
      })),
    });
    if (!result.success) {
      console.error(`[connector] setObjects error in batch ${Math.floor(i / BATCH_SIZE) + 1}:`, result.error);
    }
  }
}

---

Scheduled Re-Ingestion (optional)

To keep data fresh, add a scheduled trigger that re-runs ingestion periodically:

# In manifest.yml — under modules:
scheduledTrigger:
  - key: refresh-trigger
    function: refresh-ingestion
    interval: day   # prefer 'day' or 'hour'; avoid 'fiveMinutes'

# Under function:
  - key: refresh-ingestion
    handler: index.refreshIngestionHandler

const { kvs } = require('@forge/kvs');

// Track active connections in onConnectionChangeHandler:
//   await kvs.set('active-connections', [...activeConnections, connectionId]);
//   await kvs.setSecret(connectionId, configProperties);  // store credentials securely

exports.refreshIngestionHandler = async () => {
  const activeConnections = await kvs.get('active-connections') ?? [];
  for (const connectionId of activeConnections) {
    const config = await kvs.getSecret(connectionId);  // retrieve stored credentials
    if (config) await ingestAllData(connectionId, config);
  }
};

---

Scripts

The scaffold script is in this skill's directory. The deploy script is in the forge-app-builder skill directory — always cd there (or derive the path from this SKILL.md's location) before running it.

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Troubleshooting

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Naming and Logo Guidelines

• Use the official service name as the connector name (e.g. Google Drive, not Drive Connector by Acme)
• Use the official service logo for icons — do not modify or combine with your own branding
• These guidelines apply only to the graph:connector module; your Forge app itself may use your own branding

Forge Connector Skill

Build Atlassian Forge apps that ingest external data into the Teamwork Graph, making it searchable in Rovo Search and referenceable in Rovo Chat.

What This Skill Does

Guides the agent through the full connector workflow:

1. Scaffold a graph:connector Forge app from scratch 2. Configure manifest.yml with correct module structure, scopes, and function keys 3. Implement onConnectionChangeHandler and validateConnectionHandler using @forge/teamwork-graph 4. Deploy and install on a Jira site 5. Connect via Atlassian Administration → Connected apps 6. Verify ingested data appears in Rovo Search

Prerequisites

• Node.js 22+ — node -v
• Forge CLI — npm install -g @forge/cli
• Forge login — forge login
• Jira site — connector apps must be installed in Jira (not Confluence-only)

Quick Start

# From the forge-connector skill directory:
python3 -m scripts.scaffold_connector \
  --name my-service-connector \
  --connector-name "My Service" \
  --object-type atlassian:document \
  --dev-space-id <your-dev-space-id> \
  --directory ~/projects \
  --has-form-config \
  --api-url https://api.myservice.com

Then deploy (using the forge-app-builder deploy script):

python3 -m scripts.deploy_forge_app \
  --app-dir ~/projects/my-service-connector \
  --site yourcompany.atlassian.net \
  --product jira

Object Types Indexed in Rovo Search

atlassian:document · atlassian:message · atlassian:work-item · atlassian:project · atlassian:space · atlassian:design · atlassian:repository · atlassian:pull-request · atlassian:commit · atlassian:branch · atlassian:conversation · atlassian:video · atlassian:calendar-event · atlassian:comment · atlassian:customer-organization

SDK Reference

import { setObjects, deleteObjectsByExternalId, getObjectByExternalId } from '@forge/teamwork-graph';

// Ingest (up to 100 objects per call)
await setObjects({ objects: [...] });

// Delete
await deleteObjectsByExternalId({ objectType: 'atlassian:document', externalIds: ['id-1'] });

// Fetch single object
const obj = await getObjectByExternalId({ externalId: 'id-1', objectType: 'atlassian:document' });

Scripts

Further Reading

• graph:connector manifest reference
• Build a Teamwork Graph connector tutorial
• Teamwork Graph object types
• Forge documentation