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VS Code Extension Rename: GitLab Workflow to GitLab for VS Code

Goal

Change the name of our VS Code extension from "GitLab Workflow" to "GitLab for VS Code" across multiple touchpoints within our GitLab projects, Microsoft Marketplace, and GitLab Docs.

VS Code marketplace listing

Why?

  • Workflow is an overloaded term in GitLab (Duo Workflow, CI/CD workflows, development workflows)
  • The name doesn't clearly indicate it's a VS Code extension
  • Discovery in marketplace is suboptimal, users searching for "GitLab VS Code" may miss it
  • Inconsistent branding across GitLab's IDE integrations

Scope

1. VS Code Marketplace

  •  Update extension name in marketplace listing
  •  Update extension display name
  •  Update marketplace description to use new name
  •  Update any marketplace screenshots/images
    • Need to check with marketing on assets

2. All GitLab Documentation

  •  docs.gitlab.com (official product documentation)
  •  GitLab Handbook
  •  about.gitlab.com pages
  •  Extension repo (README, CHANGELOG, contributing docs)
  •  Support/help center documentation
  •  Any other GitLab-owned documentation

Find & Replace Rules

Replace These:

  • "GitLab Workflow" (when referring to VS Code extension) to "GitLab for VS Code"
  • "GitLab Workflow extension" to "GitLab for VS Code extension" or "GitLab for VS Code"
  • "the Workflow extension" to "GitLab for VS Code" or "the VS Code extension"
  • "using GitLab Workflow" to "using GitLab for VS Code"
  • "Workflow extension" to "VS Code extension" or "GitLab for VS Code"

Do Not Change:

  • "Duo Workflow" ✅ Keep as-is
  • "CI/CD workflow" ✅ Keep as-is
  • "development workflow" ✅ Keep as-is (unless specifically about the extension)
  • "workflow automation" ✅ Keep as-is (general concept)
  • Any "workflow" not referring to the VS Code extension

Acceptance Criteria

  •  VS Code Marketplace listing shows "GitLab for VS Code"
  •  Zero references to "GitLab Workflow" remain in all GitLab documentation when referring to the VS Code extension
  •  The word "workflow" is removed from all descriptions of the VS Code extension
  •  Other uses of "workflow" (Duo Workflow, CI/CD, etc.) remain unchanged
  •  Changes deployed by end of 18.6 milestone

Timeline

Target: End of GitLab 18.6 milestone

Sequencing:

  1. Marketplace update first (can be deployed independently)
  2. Documentation updates follow (can happen in parallel after marketplace is live)

Implementation Notes

  • This is a rename only, not a breaking change
  • No functionality changes
  • Marketplace can be updated first without waiting for documentation, but ideally both can go out at the same time
  • Documentation updates can roll out progressively across all properties
Edited by Dasha Adushkina