Virtual Session 2: The Toolbox – From "Hello World" to Useful App 🧰✨
📅 Date: March 4th, 2026
⏰ Time: 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM
📍 Hosted by: Atlassian Community Meru
✨ Event Description:
You’ve deployed your first Forge app—now it’s time to make it useful.
In this 1.5-hour hands-on session, we move beyond the basics and explore the essential tools that power real Atlassian apps: UI Kit (frontend), Triggers (backend logic), and Storage (database).
You’ll learn how to build interactive apps that respond to Jira context and persist data—turning simple panels into functional, value-driven tools. By the end of this session, you’ll understand how to structure your hackathon project and form teams around meaningful ideas.
🕒 Agenda (1.5 Hours)
8:00 – 8:20 PM | UI Kit vs. Custom UI 🎨
Understanding your frontend options in Forge:
• Why UI Kit?
React-like syntax
Native Atlassian look and feel
Faster to build and easier to maintain
• What is Custom UI?
Runs in an iframe
More flexibility, but more complexity
Hackathon Advice: Stick to UI Kit. Build fast. Ship smart. 🚀
8:20 – 9:00 PM | Live Demo: “The Ticket Counter” 🔢
We build a practical app together—an app that stores and displays a count on a Jira ticket.
Key Concepts Covered:
• useProductContext
How your app knows which Jira issue it’s currently viewing
Accessing contextual data inside your component
• Storage API
storage.set → Save data
storage.get → Retrieve data
How to persist values per ticket
By the end of this segment, you’ll understand how frontend + context + storage work together to create dynamic apps.
9:00 – 9:30 PM | Ideation & Team Formation 💡👥
• Understanding Extension Points
Where can your app live?
Issue Panels
Context Menus
Admin Pages
Workflow Validators
Confluence Macros
• Team Formation
Form teams based on interest
Choose your focus: Jira or Confluence
Start shaping your hackathon idea
🏆 Outcome:
You’ll move from a static demo app to understanding how to build something practical, contextual, and persistent.
👉 Why Attend?
• Learn how to build interactive Forge apps with real data
• Understand how storage works inside Atlassian Cloud
• Get clarity on UI Kit vs. Custom UI before the hackathon
• Form a team and refine your project idea
• Build with confidence—not guesswork
This session equips you with the core toolbox you need to build something that actually solves a problem. 🔧🔥
Agenda
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Speaker
Deluxe Sande
Moderator
Kevin Tuei - Atlassian Meru (Cloud Consultant/Community Leader)
A passionate Atlassian Community Leader - Meru ACE, Atlassian Creator and AWS Community Builder - Build Tools. Kevin has helped grow tech communities in the Eastern Region of Kenya and provided opportunities for Developers, Startup Owners, Product Managers and Business Executives to interact and leverage Atlassian tool to further their technical goals and business needs. He is also Certified e…
Hosted By
Kevin Tuei, Atlassian Community Leader - AC Meru
My mission is to make the world a better place through technology by leading IIT Projects that deliver solutions to customer problems through high-performing teams. I also train in Cloud and Cybersecurity to empower people with skills for the future.
A self-confident and principle-driven winner, I take on challenges with optimism and able to engage cohesively in a team to achieve set goals in quality and timely fashion.
I take critical interest in missions and visions that drive me to completing my personal milestones. A good communicator, quick thinker with an analytical mind and also possess a good sense of humour.
Nimrod Nyongesa, Project manager
To whom much is given much is required..
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Global Partner
Atlassian (http://atlassian.com)
Millions of users globally rely on Atlassian products every day for improving software development, project management, collaboration, and code quality.
For over a decade, Atlassian customers have come together to network, share ideas, solve problems, and find new ways to use Atlassian products. Today, more than 15,000 people take part in Atlassian community events in more than 30 countries.
Complete your event RSVP here: https://ace.atlassian.com/events/details/atlassian-meru-presents-the-toolbox-from-hello-world-to-useful-app/.
