Breaking change deployments on GitLab.com

Changes are deployed continuously to GitLab.com. However, breaking changes can require more time to prepare for.

In the month before the GitLab 18.0 release, breaking changes will be deployed during three time windows. The following tables list when each breaking change will be deployed.

Window 1

This window takes place on April 21 - 23, 2025 from 09:00 UTC to 22:00 UTC.

Deprecation Impact Stage Scope
Registration tokens and server-side runner arguments in POST /api/v4/runners endpoint Critical Verify Instance, group, project
runnerRegistrationToken parameter for GitLab Runner Helm Chart Critical Verify Instance, group, project
Registration tokens and server-side runner arguments in gitlab-runner register command Critical Verify Instance, group, project
Support for REST API endpoints that reset runner registration tokens Critical Verify Instance, group, project
GitLab Runner platforms and setup instructions in GraphQL API Low Verify Instance, group, project
The Project.services GraphQL field is deprecated Low Foundations Instance
Default CI/CD job token (CI_JOB_TOKEN) scope changed High Govern Project
OpenTofu CI/CD template Low Depoy Project
Replace add_on_purchase GraphQL field with add_on_purchases Low    
Replace namespace add_on_purchase GraphQL field with add_on_purchases Low    
Public use of Secure container registries is deprecated Low Secure Instance
Deprecate CI job implementation of Repository X-Ray Low Create Project

Window 2

This window takes place on April 28 - 30, 2025 from 09:00 UTC to 22:00 UTC.

Deprecation Impact Stage Scope
Replace GraphQL field take_ownership_pipeline_schedule with admin_pipeline_schedule in PipelineSchedulePermissions Low Verify Project
The heroku/builder:22 image is deprecated Medium Deploy Project
ciUsedMinutes GraphQL field renamed to ciDuration Medium Verify Instance
mergeTrainIndex and mergeTrainsCount GraphQL fields deprecated Low Verify Project
Pipeline subscriptions Medium Verify Project

Window 3

This window takes place on May 5 - 7, 2025 from 09:00 UTC to 22:00 UTC.

Deprecation Impact Stage Scope
ZenTao integration Low Foundations Instance
The ci_job_token_scope_enabled projects API attribute is deprecated Low Govern Project
The direction GraphQL argument for ciJobTokenScopeRemoveProject is deprecated Low Govern Project
Replace threshold with maxretries for container registry notifications Low Package Project
ciJobTokenScopeAddProject GraphQL mutation is deprecated Low Govern Project
Guest users can pull packages from private projects on GitLab.com High Package Project
Removal of migrationState field in ContainerRepository GraphQL API Low Package Project
Remove previousStageJobsOrNeeds from GraphQL   Verify