Atlassian Certification Badges: What the New Framework Makes Clear
Atlassian certification badges have a refreshed look, but the change is more than visual. The new badge framework is designed to make Atlassian credentials easier to recognize, explain, trust, and share across LinkedIn, résumés, email signatures, portfolios, and Community profiles.
Previously, many certification badges looked similar at a glance. If someone earned multiple credentials, their profile could show a row of badges that did not clearly communicate the level of each achievement or the skill area it represented. The updated framework gives each badge more context: the Atlassian mark, the credential level, and the credential topic are now visible in the badge artwork.
A clearer skills journey
The new framework supports a progression from foundational knowledge through advanced expertise:
- ACH certificates validate foundational knowledge of Atlassian apps or solutions. These credentials are often quick, approachable, and a strong starting point for someone beginning their Atlassian credential journey.
- ACA certifications recognize role- and solution-based skills for people who use Atlassian apps in their day-to-day work.
- ACP certifications validate deeper expertise for people who administer, design, manage, and scale Atlassian solutions.
- Atlassian Certified Designations recognize broader mastery earned by combining multiple related credentials. Specialist and Expert designations sit above individual exams and help tell a bigger story of achievement.
Shapes now signal the credential tier
One of the most useful changes is that badge shape now helps communicate tier. Certificate, Associate, Professional, and Designation badges each use a distinct visual form, making the level easier to identify at a glance. That means a recruiter, hiring manager, customer, or teammate can quickly understand whether someone has earned a foundational certificate, an associate-level certification, a professional certification, or a broader designation.
This is a practical improvement over the previous badge set. Instead of relying only on small details or a catalog lookup, the badge itself carries more meaning.
This is a practical improvement over the previous badge set. Instead of relying only on small details or a catalog lookup, the badge itself carries more meaning.
Badge text makes the accomplishment easier to understand
The updated badges also include clearer text describing the credential level and topic. This matters because credentials often travel outside Atlassian-owned spaces. When a badge appears on LinkedIn, a CV, a conference bio, or an email signature, the viewer should not need deep program knowledge to understand what the earner accomplished.
By combining the Atlassian logo, credential tier, and credential topic, the new badges better communicate that each credential is evidence of validated Atlassian skill and impact.
By combining the Atlassian logo, credential tier, and credential topic, the new badges better communicate that each credential is evidence of validated Atlassian skill and impact.
Colors help organize related credentials
Color also plays a role in the new system, but it is not a direct map to Atlassian Collections. Instead, badge colors are drawn from Atlassian’s broader visual palette and help group related credential families. The goal is to create a badge set that feels cohesive and recognizable while still allowing different credentials to stand apart.
Some badges may use distinct treatments when the credential represents a special context. For example, the Team ’26 certificate badge uses a multicolor gradient on the certificate shape to reflect an event credential that spans multiple Atlassian apps and themes.
Some badges may use distinct treatments when the credential represents a special context. For example, the Team ’26 certificate badge uses a multicolor gradient on the certificate shape to reflect an event credential that spans multiple Atlassian apps and themes.
Designations stand apart from individual credentials
Designations are intentionally differentiated from certificates and certifications. Specialist badges use a silver treatment, while Expert badges use a gold treatment. Those colors communicate rank and recognition rather than product family. That distinction is important because a designation is not a single exam badge; it represents a broader achievement across multiple related credentials.
What may still look familiar
Some badges may continue to use older artwork during the transition, especially retired or soon-to-retire credentials and certain program recognition badges. For a period of time, credential profiles may show a mix of legacy and refreshed badge designs.
Why the new framework matters
The real value of the new badge framework is clarity. Atlassian credentials are not just icons; they are verifiable signals of skill, learning, and real-world impact with Atlassian tools. The refreshed badge system makes those signals easier to understand wherever they appear.
For earners, the badges are easier to share and explain. For employers, recruiters, customers, and partners, they make it easier to recognize the level and scope of someone’s Atlassian expertise at a glance.
For earners, the badges are easier to share and explain. For employers, recruiters, customers, and partners, they make it easier to recognize the level and scope of someone’s Atlassian expertise at a glance.
I was curious about what the new shapes and colors mean, so I wrote down my thoughts and checked with Atlassian to see if I understood them correctly. What came back was better than a fact check. @Zarogina Azocar Velasquez and I started writing this article and following a Q&A in collaboration.
Zarogina, can you introduce yourself and your role at Atlassian?
My name is Zarogina Azocar, and I am a Senior Certification Developer in the Credentials and Certifications team.
My name is Zarogina Azocar, and I am a Senior Certification Developer in the Credentials and Certifications team.
1. How long was this in the making?
We started working on this as part of the planning for the first half 2026 and try to coordinate it with other exam releases and maintenance work we had planned to release at the beginning of the 2026 summer. We researched how other tech companies were using their badges and some of the common practices programs of the same size have implemented. With this information, we were able to craft requirements for the aspects we wanted to see in the new badge framework and scope the work for our creative vendor, who worked on a few drafts before we settled on the final designs.
We started working on this as part of the planning for the first half 2026 and try to coordinate it with other exam releases and maintenance work we had planned to release at the beginning of the 2026 summer. We researched how other tech companies were using their badges and some of the common practices programs of the same size have implemented. With this information, we were able to craft requirements for the aspects we wanted to see in the new badge framework and scope the work for our creative vendor, who worked on a few drafts before we settled on the final designs.
2. Is reading the tier at a glance the main job the shape is doing?
Yes, we wanted each credential type to be easier to recognized, it is a way to recognize the effort that goes into earning each type of credential. The shapes were "purpose-built to travel beyond Atlassian-owned surfaces — appearing clearly on LinkedIn, résumés, email signatures, and more."
Yes, we wanted each credential type to be easier to recognized, it is a way to recognize the effort that goes into earning each type of credential. The shapes were "purpose-built to travel beyond Atlassian-owned surfaces — appearing clearly on LinkedIn, résumés, email signatures, and more."
3. Was there a target size the badges had to survive?
Yes. The requirement had specific specs for the pages to work in all the credential platforms such as CM connect and Certiverse. The distinct silhouettes and high-contrast color fills were deliberately built to survive those small renderings.
Yes. The requirement had specific specs for the pages to work in all the credential platforms such as CM connect and Certiverse. The distinct silhouettes and high-contrast color fills were deliberately built to survive those small renderings.
4. Is silver/gold for Designations a deliberate rank signal?
Yes. The color logic for Designations is intentionally different from the credential-family grouping used for ACH/ACA/ACP badges. Specialist = silver; Expert = gold. These are rank colors, not family colors, because a Designation represents broader mastery earned by combining multiple related credentials.
Yes. The color logic for Designations is intentionally different from the credential-family grouping used for ACH/ACA/ACP badges. Specialist = silver; Expert = gold. These are rank colors, not family colors, because a Designation represents broader mastery earned by combining multiple related credentials.
5. Can we expect more event certifications like Team '26?
ACH-700 (Team '26 Anaheim) was delivered at the booth in May 2026. The multicolor gradient badge treatment establishes a visual template for future event credentials that span multiple products — so expect more whenever there's an Atlassian event with booth- or session-based certification opportunities.
ACH-700 (Team '26 Anaheim) was delivered at the booth in May 2026. The multicolor gradient badge treatment establishes a visual template for future event credentials that span multiple products — so expect more whenever there's an Atlassian event with booth- or session-based certification opportunities.
6. Is there a plan for the old round blue badges, and will profiles be mixed for a while?
Yes, profiles will be mixed for a period. The new badge designs have been applied to all active credentials, but retired or soon-to-be-retired exams (e.g., ACA-905 Jira Board Configuration retiring 2026-07-28) and legacy Data Center credentials still carry the old design. There's no plan to retroactively refresh badges for retired titles.
Yes, profiles will be mixed for a period. The new badge designs have been applied to all active credentials, but retired or soon-to-be-retired exams (e.g., ACA-905 Jira Board Configuration retiring 2026-07-28) and legacy Data Center credentials still carry the old design. There's no plan to retroactively refresh badges for retired titles.
7. Is there anything holders should know about using the badges correctly?
Per the Candidate agreement, holders have a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable right to display the badge as it appears — you cannot alter it, separate the Atlassian Marks from the credential, or sublicense it. Practically this means:
Per the Candidate agreement, holders have a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable right to display the badge as it appears — you cannot alter it, separate the Atlassian Marks from the credential, or sublicense it. Practically this means:
- Do share it on LinkedIn, CVs, personal sites, email signatures, and portfolios.
- Do link to your verifiable transcript when applying for roles or client engagements.
- Don't crop, recolor, or modify the badge artwork.
- Don't display a badge for a credential you no longer hold.
8. What's the simplest way to collect CE units and keep credentials active?
CE-based renewal applies to ACA and ACP certifications. There are different ways to accrue the units needed to keep credentials active.
CE-based renewal applies to ACA and ACP certifications. There are different ways to accrue the units needed to keep credentials active.
- Complete an Atlassian Learning course.
- Attend a global Atlassian event (Team, Unleash, High Velocity)
- Attend a local ACE event (in-person or virtual)
- Present at any Atlassian event.
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Martin Runge
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