info: "See the Technical Writers assigned to Development Guidelines: https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments-to-development-guidelines"
The Task Runner pod is used to execute periodic housekeeping tasks within the GitLab application and is often confused with the GitLab Runner. Thus, [Task Runner will be renamed to Toolbox](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/charts/-/epics/25).
This will result in the rename of the sub-chart: `gitlab/task-runner` to `gitlab/toolbox`. Resulting pods will be named along the lines of `{{ .Release.Name }}-toolbox`, which will often be `gitlab-toolbox`. They will be locatable with the label `app=toolbox`.
Announced: 2021-08-22
## 14.6
### Release CLI be distributed as a generic package
The [release-cli](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/release-cli) will be released as a [generic package](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/release-cli/-/packages) starting in GitLab 14.2. We will continue to deploy it as a binary to S3 until GitLab 14.5 and stop distributing it in S3 in GitLab 14.6.
Audit events for [repository events](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/administration/audit_events.html#repository-push) are now deprecated and will be removed in GitLab 15.0.
[We are deprecating the certificate-based integration with Kubernetes](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2021/11/15/deprecating-the-cert-based-kubernetes-integration/).
The timeline of removal of the integration from the product is not yet planned and we will communicate
more details as they emerge. The certificate-based integration will continue to receive security and
critical fixes, and features built on the integration will continue to work with supported Kubernetes
versions. We will provide migration plans in a future iteration. See [the list of features affected by this deprecation](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/infrastructure/clusters/#deprecated-features).
For updates and details, follow this [epic](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/configure/-/epics/8).
### Converting an instance (shared) runner to a project (specific) runner is deprecated
In GitLab 15.0, we will remove the feature that enables you to convert an instance (shared) runner to a project (specific) runner. Users who need to add a runner to only a particular project can register a runner to the project directly.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### Deprecate `Versions` on base `PackageType`
As part of the work to create a [Package Registry GraphQL API](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/6318), the Package group deprecated the `Version` type for the basic `PackageType` type and moved it to [`PackageDetailsType`](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/api/graphql/reference/index.html#packagedetailstype).
In milestone 15.0, we will completely remove `Version` from `PackageType`.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### Deprecate support for SLES 12 SP2
Long term service and support (LTSS) for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 12 SP2 [ended on March 31, 2021](https://www.suse.com/lifecycle/). The CA certificates on SP2 include the expired DST root certificate, and it's not getting new CA certificate package updates. We have implemented some [workarounds](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-omnibus-builder/-/merge_requests/191), but we will not be able to continue to keep the build running properly.
[GitLab Serverless](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/clusters/serverless/) is a feature set to support Knative-based serverless development with automatic deployments and monitoring.
We decided to remove the GitLab Serverless features as they never really resonated with our users. Besides, given the continuous development of Kubernetes and Knative, our current implementations do not even work with recent versions.
### Known host required for GitLab Runner SSH executor
In [GitLab 14.3](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-runner/-/merge_requests/3074), we added a configuration setting in the GitLab Runner `config.toml` file. This setting, [`[runners.ssh.disable_strict_host_key_checking]`](https://docs.gitlab.com/runner/executors/ssh.html#security), controls whether or not to use strict host key checking with the SSH executor.
In GitLab 15.0 and later, the default value for this configuration option will change from `true` to `false`. This means that strict host key checking will be enforced when using the GitLab Runner SSH executor.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### Legacy database configuration
The syntax of [GitLabs database](https://docs.gitlab.com/omnibus/settings/database.html)
configuration located in `database.yml` is changing and the legacy format is deprecated. The legacy format
supported using a single PostgreSQL adapter, whereas the new format is changing to support multiple databases. The `main:` database needs to be defined as a first configuration item.
This deprecation mainly impacts users compiling GitLab from source because Omnibus will handle this configuration automatically.
With the general availability of Gitaly Cluster ([introduced in GitLab 13.0](https://about.gitlab.com/releases/2020/05/22/gitlab-13-0-released/)), we have deprecated development (bugfixes, performance improvements, etc) for NFS for Git repository storage in GitLab 14.0. We will continue to provide technical support for NFS for Git repositories throughout 14.x, but we will remove all support for NFS in GitLab 15.0. Please see our official [Statement of Support](https://about.gitlab.com/support/statement-of-support.html#gitaly-and-nfs) for further information.
We encourage customers currently using NFS for Git repositories to plan their migration by reviewing our documentation on [migrating to Gitaly Cluster](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/administration/gitaly/index.html#migrate-to-gitaly-cluster).
The `omniauth-kerberos` gem will be removed in our next major release, GitLab 15.0.
This gem has not been maintained and has very little usage. We therefore plan to remove support for this authentication method and recommend using the Kerberos [SPNEGO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPNEGO) integration instead. You can follow the [upgrade instructions](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/integration/kerberos.html#upgrading-from-password-based-to-ticket-based-kerberos-sign-ins) to upgrade from the `omniauth-kerberos` integration to the supported one.
Note that we are not deprecating the Kerberos SPNEGO integration, only the old password-based Kerberos integration.
Announced: 2021-09-22
### Package pipelines in API payload is paginated
A request to the API for `/api/v4/projects/:id/packages` returns a paginated result of packages. Each package lists all of its pipelines in this response. This is a performance concern, as it's possible for a package to have hundreds or thousands of associated pipelines.
In milestone 15.0, we will remove the `pipelines` attribute from the API response.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### REST API Runner will not contain `paused`
Runner REST API will not return `paused` as a status in GitLab 15.0.
Paused runners' status will only relate to runner contact status, such as:
`online`, `offline`, or `not_connected`. Status `paused` will not appear when the runner is
not active.
When checking if a runner is `paused`, API users are advised to check the boolean attribute
`active` to be `false` instead.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### Removal of `promote-db` command from `gitlab-ctl`
In GitLab 14.5, we introduced the command `gitlab-ctl promote` to promote any Geo secondary node to a primary during a failover. This command replaces `gitlab-ctl promote-db` which is used to promote database nodes in multi-node Geo secondary sites. `gitlab-ctl promote-db` will continue to function as-is and be available until GitLab 15.0. We recommend that Geo customers begin testing the new `gitlab-ctl promote` command in their staging environments and incorporating the new command in their failover procedures.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### Removal of `promote-to-primary-node` command from `gitlab-ctl`
In GitLab 14.5, we introduced the command `gitlab-ctl promote` to promote any Geo secondary node to a primary during a failover. This command replaces `gitlab-ctl promote-to-primary-node` which was only usable for single-node Geo sites. `gitlab-ctl promote-to-primary-node` will continue to function as-is and be available until GitLab 15.0. We recommend that Geo customers begin testing the new `gitlab-ctl promote` command in their staging environments and incorporating the new command in their failover procedures.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### Remove the `:dependency_proxy_for_private_groups` feature flag
We added a feature flag because [GitLab-#11582](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/11582) changed how public groups use the Dependency Proxy. Prior to this change, you could use the Dependency Proxy without authentication. The change requires authentication to use the Dependency Proxy.
In milestone 15.0, we will remove the feature flag entirely. Moving forward, you must authenticate when using the Dependency Proxy.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### Remove the `pipelines` field from the `version` field
In GraphQL, there are two `pipelines` fields that you can use in a [`PackageDetailsType`](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/api/graphql/reference/#packagedetailstype) to get the pipelines for package versions:
- The `versions` field's `pipelines` field. This returns all the pipelines associated with all the package's versions, which can pull an unbounded number of objects in memory and create performance concerns.
- The `pipelines` field of a specific `version`. This returns only the pipelines associated with that single package version.
To mitigate possible performance problems, we will remove the `versions` field's `pipelines` field in milestone 15.0. Although you will no longer be able to get all pipelines for all versions of a package, you can still get the pipelines of a single version through the remaining `pipelines` field for that version.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### Update to the Container Registry group-level API
In milestone 15.0, support for the `tags` and `tags_count` parameters will be removed from the Container Registry API that [gets registry repositories from a group](../api/container_registry.md#within-a-group).
The `GET /groups/:id/registry/repositories` endpoint will remain, but won't return any info about tags. To get the info about tags, you can use the existing `GET /registry/repositories/:id` endpoint, which will continue to support the `tags` and `tag_count` options as it does today. The latter must be called once per image repository.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### Value Stream Analytics filtering calculation change
We are changing how the date filter works in Value Stream Analytics. Instead of filtering by the time that the issue or merge request was created, the date filter will filter by the end event time of the given stage. This will result in completely different figures after this change has rolled out.
If you monitor Value Stream Analytics metrics and rely on the date filter, to avoid losing data, you must save the data prior to this change.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### `AuthenticationType` for `[runners.cache.s3]` must be explicitly assigned
In GitLab 15.0 and later, to access the AWS S3 cache, you must specify the `AuthenticationType` for [`[runners.cache.s3]`](https://docs.gitlab.com/runner/configuration/advanced-configuration.html#the-runnerscaches3-section). The `AuthenticationType` must be `IAM` or `credentials`.
Prior to 14.5, if you did not define the `AuthenticationType`, GitLab Runner chose a type for you.
Announced: 2021-11-22
### defaultMergeCommitMessageWithDescription GraphQL API field will be removed in GitLab 15.0
The GraphQL API field `defaultMergeCommitMessageWithDescription` has been deprecated and will be removed in GitLab 15.0. For projects with a commit message template set, it will ignore the template.
