Group Import/Export API

Introduced in GitLab 12.8.

Group Import/Export allows you to export group structure and import it to a new location. When used with Project Import/Export, you can preserve connections with group-level relationships, such as connections between project issues and group epics.

Group exports include the following:

  • Group milestones
  • Group boards
  • Group labels
  • Group badges
  • Group members
  • Subgroups. Each subgroup includes all data above
  • Group wikis

Schedule new export

Start a new group export. 

POST /groups/:id/export
Attribute Type Required Description
id integer/string yes ID of the group owned by the authenticated user 
curl --request POST --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/1/export"

{
  "message": "202 Accepted"
}

Export download

Download the finished export. 

GET /groups/:id/export/download
Attribute Type Required Description
id integer/string yes ID of the group owned by the authenticated user 
curl --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" --remote-header-name \
     --remote-name "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/1/export/download"

ls *export.tar.gz
2020-12-05_22-11-148_namespace_export.tar.gz

Time spent on exporting a group may vary depending on a size of the group. This endpoint returns either:

  • The exported archive (when available)
  • A 404 message

Import a file 

POST /groups/import
Attribute Type Required Description
name string yes The name of the group to be imported
path string yes Name and path for new group
file string yes The file to be uploaded
parent_id integer no ID of a parent group that the group will be imported into. Defaults to the current user’s namespace if not provided.

To upload a file from your file system, use the --form argument. This causes cURL to post data using the header Content-Type: multipart/form-data. The file= parameter must point to a file on your file system and be preceded by @. For example: 

curl --request POST --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" \
     --form "name=imported-group" --form "path=imported-group" \
     --form "file=@/path/to/file" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/import"
noteThe maximum import file size can be set by the Administrator, default is 0 (unlimited). As an administrator, you can modify the maximum import file size. To do so, use the max_import_size option in the Application settings API or the Admin Area. Default modified from 50MB to 0 in GitLab 13.8.

Important notes

Note the following:

  • To preserve group-level relationships from imported projects, run Group Import/Export first, to allow project imports into the desired group structure.
  • Imported groups are given a private visibility level, unless imported into a parent group.
  • If imported into a parent group, subgroups will inherit a similar level of visibility, unless otherwise restricted.
  • To preserve the member list and their respective permissions on imported groups, review the users in these groups. Make sure these users exist before importing the desired groups.