Confluence is an enterprise wiki and knowledge management system which is used by many different industries. It is a collaboration software that helps organizations develop and share content, information, and ideas with their employees, partners, vendors, and customers.
Whereas some systems can be challenging to set up and manage, Confluence is straightforward to use. Because it’s so intuitive, most people can figure out how to use it without training or instruction.
However, if you want to get the most out of your Confluence installation, you need plugins and add-ons. They’ll give you everything from authentication tools to integrations for other apps.
Here are the best Confluence Plugins and Add-ons in 2022:
- Zumvie: A new Jira addon
- Gliffy Diagrams for Confluence
- Question (An Internal Q&A) for Confluence
- Markdown Macro for Confluence
- Google Drive & Docs for Confluence
- Scroll Word Exporter for Confluence
- PocketQuery – SQL & REST for Confluence
- Open API Documentation for Confluence
- Scroll PDF Exporter for Confluence
- Script Runner for Confluence
- Composition Tabs for Confluence
- Balsamiq Wireframes for Confluence
- HTML Macro for Confluence
- Figma for Confluence
- Security and Encryption for Confluence
1. Zumvie: A new Jira addon
Confluence and Jira were designed to complement each other, and they have several integration points built-in to ensure seamless collaboration in delivering software faster.
Jira on its own has hundreds of plugins and add-ons to ensure seamless collaboration during product development, and one of them is Zumvie.
Zumvie is the best one-on-one meeting tool available, and it’s incorporated right into Jira. Engineering managers can use Zumvie, which feature a note-taking app like Google doc with other great features to improve one-on-one meetings and save hundreds of hours a year in ineffective one-on-ones.
You should consider using Zumvie if you are looking to:
- Collect one-on-one meeting “Agenda Items.” and have a dedicated SlackBot to send reminders.
- Create a neat to-do list of “Action items.”
- Make “Follow-up items” for future one-on-one meetings with the ability to pin the critical ones.
- Make “Private notes” to store confidential information about your direct reports.
- And a “Meeting history log” showing an overview of the previous meetings to give you context.
2. Gliffy Diagrams Confluence Plugin
Gliffy Diagrams is a best-selling Confluence plugin that has maintained the best-selling position since 2005. Gliffy Diagrams is a tool for drawing diagrams, flowcharts, execution flows, and more ideal for software engineering and planning. Gliffy Diagrams has support for collaboration which allows for easy sharing of files across teams.
The Gliffy Diagrams for Confluence plugin is your ideal extension to add a flowchart and diagramming feature to your Confluence.
You should consider the Gliffy Diagram Confluence plugin if you are looking to perform the following:
- Draw diagrams with ease (Drag & Drop) in Confluence
- Import diagrams and flowcharts from other tools, e.g., Draw.io and Visio
- Share ideas with your team in the form of flowcharts, Venn diagrams, workflows, entity relationship diagrams (ERDs), etc.
- Share UI wireframes for web, mobile, and desktop.
3. Question (Internal Q&A) Confluence Plugin
The Question for Confluence plugin is an add-on that integrates a Q&A knowledge base with Confluence pages to gain insights on the subject matter, especially in situations of lack of information regarding such topics.
The Question plugin allows the audience to share their knowledge and gain votes, which invariably implies that the answer with the highest votes is ranked up.
You should consider the Question Confluence plugin if you are looking to perform the following:
- Set up a knowledge base or forum within your Confluence
- Ask questions based on topics
- Find questions and answers in the Confluence search
- Validate answers with voting
4. Markdown Macro Confluence Plugin
The Markdown Macro Confluence plugin allows for easy embedding and rendering of Markdown in your confluence pages. The plugin supports creating Markdown with inline text from remote sources, e.g.: (public URL, GitHub, Bitbucket, and Gitlab URL).
You should consider the Markdown Macro Confluence plugin if you are looking to archive the following:
- Display Markdown text in your Confluence pages
- Render Markdown in Confluence from remote sources
- Authenticate users with remote private files using 0Auth
5. Google Drive & Docs Confluence Plugin
The Google Drive Confluence plugin is one of the most in-demand Confluence add-ons, considering the role of Google drive in most teams’ daily workflow. The plugin allows for easy Google Drive integration into Confluence with automatic link shortening, making sharing readable Google Drive links easier during your Confluence live meetings or presentations. It also allows for the integration of Google Drive Macro files such as Spreadsheets and Docs.
You should consider the Google Drive & Docs Confluence plugin if you are looking to archive the following:
- Embed and share readable Google drive files in Confluence
- Display spreadsheets in your Confluence pages
- Protect your shared files with 0Auth2 protocol shipped with the plugin
- Mitigate the constant switching between Confluence and Google Drive in search of files during presentations.
- Maintain a consistent workflow during work hours.
6. Scroll Word Exporter Confluence Plugin
The Scroll Word Exporter Confluence plugin is a simple utility plugin that allows easy exporting of Confluence pages to Word documents. The plugin is ideal for generating documentation by exporting Confluence pages to styled documentation.
Scroll Word Exporter allows for group exporting or single-page export with predefined templates to choose from.
You should consider the Scroll Word Exporter confluence plugin if you are looking to archive the following:
- Export Confluence pages to styled word documents
- Customize your Confluence pages with predefined templates
- Create custom reusable templates
- Export single pages or as grouped hierarchies
- Share templates with teammates
7. PocketQuery – SQL & REST Confluence Plugin
The PocketQuery- SQL & REST Confluence plugin is the best confluence add-on to generate Confluence pages with real-time data from SQL and Restful APIs. The plugin allows you to take complete control of your administration interface by controlling users with predefined privileges. Pocket Query-SQL & Restful API confluence plugin currently has support for data fetching from SQL databases such as (MySQL, MariaDB, IBM2 DB, Oracle, Microsoft SQL, etc.).
You should consider the PocketQuery- SQL & REST Confluence plugin if you are looking to archive the following:
- Generate Confluence pages from SQL or Restful APIs.
- Setup predefined queries for your Confluence pages to build from.
- Add query parameters that users can provide values
- Display query output on Confluence using PocketQuery Macro
- Build Confluence page from Restful APIs
- Define custom templates to control your query output.
8. Open API Documentation Confluence Plugin
The Open API Documentation Confluence plugin allows for easy generating of API documentation for Open API (Swagger) compliant JSON YAML specs. The plugin is loved for its efficiency in creating interactive API documentation and display on confluence pages.
The Open API Documentation Confluence plugin also supports API testing with the try-it-out feature shipped with swagger.
You should consider the Open API Documentation for Confluence plugin if you are looking to archive the following:
- Generate interactive API documentation and display them in your confluence pages.
- Allow users to test your API via the try-it-out option
- Embed Open API links with your macro body
- Generate sample data for demonstration purposes.
9. Scroll PDF Exporter Confluence Plugin
The Scroll PDF Exporter Confluence plugin is ideal for exporting Confluence pages to PDF documents. The plugin allows for creating custom templates using the `WYSIWYG` template editor to create styles for header, footer, macro, table of content, fonts, colors with real-time preview. You can also export single Confluence pages or group them as hierarchies.
You should consider the Scroll PDF Exporter confluence plugin if you are looking to archive the following:
- Export Confluence pages to PDF documents.
- Style exported text with its `WYSIWYG` template editor
- Preview your output in realtime
- Use the predefined templates to create PDF documents
- Optimized the exported document for print
10. Script Runner Confluence Plugin
Imagine if you had a Confluence space that’s growing out of control, you’d be left with no option other than to automate some events to streamline the workflow and reduce time spent on each task, right? That’s where Script Runner comes in handy.
Script Runner Confluence plugin is an add-on that lets you automate events in your Confluence spaces. The plugin is ideal for building simple automation that responds to events in your Confluence spaces. It also allows for easy customization of the default Confluence looks.
You should consider the Script Runner Confluence plugin if you are looking to archive the following:
- Automate tasks and processes on Confluence
- Find content easily with predefined labels.
- Structure your workflow to make work easier
- Clean up your spaces by clearing junks
- Pull data from other apps that have APIs, e.g.: (Xero, SalesForce, Trello)
11. Composition Tabs Confluence Plugin
The Composition Tabs Confluence plugin allows for easy integration of tabs and design macros to simplify navigation of complex content in Confluence pages. With Competition Tabs, You can easily create segments of your content grouped in categories such as topics, audience, timeline, etc. The plugin also has support for displaying information in paper-like cards to create feature breakdowns or call-to-actions.
You can also consider using its rich text editor with real-time preview when creating confluence pages.
You should consider the Composition Tabs Confluence plugin if you’re looking to archive the following:
- Organize your page content in a hierarchy
- Create Confluence pages faster with Composition Tabs’ editor.
- Improve audience engagement in your Confluence pages.
- Enhance your page UI with images, emoji, screenshots, etc.
- Create landing pages in Confluence in a few minutes.
12. Balsamiq Wireframes Confluence Plugin
Balsamiq Wireframes for Confluence is a plugin that makes adding wireframes and prototypes to Confluence pages easier. With Balsamiq, you can get first-class feedback from your audience right from the wireframe and prototyping stages of your project development. The plugin also makes it easier to collaborate in real-time.
You should consider the Balsamiq Wireframe Confluence plugin if you’re looking to archive the following:
- Integrate your wireframes in your work tools
- Design and collaborate within the Confluence
- Explore usability options in your design process
- Get a consensus early and safe time
13. HTML Macro Confluence Plugin
The HTML Macro for Confluence is a top-rated HTML macro on the Atlassian marketplace, making it easy to embed, import, and use HTML, CSS, Javascript in Confluence. With HTML Macro, you can embed forms, web pages, Iframes, etc. The plugin also has support for a real-time preview for HTML, Javascript, and CSS codes.
You should consider the HTML Macro for the Confluence plugin if you’re looking to archive the following:
- Add custom HTML pages to Confluence
- Enhance your Confluence pages with HTML, CSS, and Javascript
- Extend your confluence pages to support Iframe
- Embed forms from external links in Confluence pages
- Add any embeddable links to Confluence pages.
14. Figma Confluence Plugin
The Figma Confluence plugin extends Confluence pages to allow embedding of Figma links within confluence pages.
The Figma for Confluence plugin in beta has already gained over +1,000 downloads on the Atlassian marketplace. This is due to Figma’s popularity, one of the most used UI/UX design tools. Having your design embedded in your Confluence pages will help you build a productive workflow.
You should consider the Figma for Confluence plugin if you’re looking to archive the following:
- Embed Figma designs in Confluence pages.
- Easily collaborate and take decisions on workflow
- Make presentations of your Figma design
- Get to consensus on design flow on time
15. Security and Encryption Confluence Plugin
Security is a significant concern when sharing intellectual properties across an organization. The Security and Encryption for confluence plugin come in handy if you’re looking to encrypt all the sensitive information you share across your establishment. With the plugin, you can share files and restrict access to sensitive information. You can also get comprehensive audit logs of who has access to files you’ve shared.
You should consider the Security and Encryption for confluence plugin if you’re looking to archive the following:
- Share files and restrict access to sensitive information.
- Store data with end-to-end encryption
- Restrict access for some users
- Manage your passwords from one source
- Store license keys and retrieve when needed
Conclusion
We’re keen to know which Confluence tools make your work easier as a leader. Feel free to share on our Zumvie Slack Community for Engineering Managers. Other leaders would love to get your recommendations.
