37 lines
1.6 KiB
Markdown
37 lines
1.6 KiB
Markdown
---
|
|
stage: none
|
|
group: unassigned
|
|
info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
# Deprecation guidelines
|
|
|
|
This page includes information about how and when to remove or make breaking
|
|
changes to GitLab features.
|
|
|
|
## Terminology
|
|
|
|
It's important to understand the difference between **deprecation** and
|
|
**removal**:
|
|
|
|
**Deprecation** is the process of flagging/marking/announcing that a feature is no longer fully supported and may be removed in a future version of GitLab.
|
|
|
|
**Removal** is the process of actually removing a feature that was previously
|
|
deprecated.
|
|
|
|
## When can a feature be deprecated?
|
|
|
|
A feature can be deprecated at any time, provided there is a viable alternative.
|
|
|
|
Deprecations should be announced via [release posts](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/blog/release-posts/#deprecations).
|
|
|
|
## When can a feature be removed/changed?
|
|
|
|
Generally, feature or configuration can be removed/changed only on major release.
|
|
It also should be [deprecated in advance](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/blog/release-posts/#deprecations).
|
|
|
|
For API removals, see the [GraphQL](../../api/graphql/index.md#deprecation-and-removal-process) and [GitLab API](../../api/index.md#compatibility-guidelines) guidelines.
|
|
|
|
For configuration removals, see the [Omnibus deprecation policy](../../administration/package_information/deprecation_policy.md).
|
|
|
|
For versioning and upgrade details, see our [Release and Maintenance policy](../../policy/maintenance.md).
|