Macro Language transition Velocity to React

[Dick]

Hello dear community,

We're on datacenter Confluence 8.5.4. Macros are still written in Velocity.
In the latest version of Confluence, Forge lets devving users write macros in React.

I would like to know: 

• Is Velocity available as a language to write macros in the latest version of Confluence
• If point 1 is a negative, at which version of Confluence is Velocity discontinued?

Thanks in advance,
Dick

[Andrii Maliuta · Accepted solution]

Hello @Dick ,

Judging from the realease notes, as of current latest v. 9.1.1 of Confluence, Apache Velocity can be still used to write macros. Actually, you could write UI in React any time before - just convert resulting JS file into the format the browser will understand and add to the .VM / HTML file for the necessary component. 

As I know Forge is adapted for Cloud COnfluence and is used as serverless technology to render UI accordingly. 

Atlaskit (Atlaskit by Atlassian) that is based on React-like components is the UI framework, which you can use in the Confluence of any version since 5.X, I suppose. You just also render files from JSX into JS with tools like Webpack or any other transpiler and add JS files to the addon templates.