Deprecation: Dependency Proxy for Packages (Maven) — replaced by Maven Virtual Registry
Deprecation Summary
The Dependency Proxy for Packages (Maven) is deprecated in GitLab 19.1 and will be removed in GitLab 20.0.
The Maven Virtual Registry is the replacement. It provides the same caching proxy functionality with a more complete feature set, better performance, and active development investment.
What is changing?
The Dependency Proxy for Packages allowed Maven clients to pull dependencies through GitLab, which cached them locally. This feature was a proof-of-concept for what became the Virtual Registry architecture.
Now that the Maven Virtual Registry is generally available, the Dependency Proxy for Packages (Maven) is redundant. Maintaining both creates confusion for users and increases the support burden.
- Deprecated in: GitLab 19.1
- Scheduled for removal in: GitLab 20.0
- Breaking change: Yes
Who is affected?
Users and projects currently configured to pull Maven dependencies through the Dependency Proxy for Packages endpoint. Based on usage data, this is a negligible number of users — the Maven Virtual Registry already handles significantly more traffic.
What should you do?
Migrate to the Maven Virtual Registry:
- Create a virtual registry in your project or group that includes Maven Central (or your preferred upstream) as a remote upstream.
- Update your
settings.xmlorpom.xmlto point to the virtual registry endpoint instead of the dependency proxy endpoint. - The virtual registry provides the same caching behavior plus additional features like multiple upstream support, upstream priority ordering, and integration with the broader Artifact Registry.
Documentation: Maven Virtual Registry
Timeline
| Milestone | Action |
|---|---|
| 19.1 | Deprecation notice published. In-product deprecation banner added to the Dependency Proxy for Packages UI. |
| 19.x | Impacted GitLab.com customers contacted directly. |
| 20.0 | Feature removed. API endpoints return errors. |
Breaking Change Approval
Approved via gitlab-com/Product#14542:
- Product Director: @derekferguson
✅ - Engineering Director: @m_gill
✅ - Support: @weimeng-gtlb
✅ - VP Product: @aahire
✅ - VP Engineering: @kerusu
✅
References
- Breaking change request: gitlab-com/Product#14542
- Deprecation notice MR: !225794 (merged)
- UI deprecation banner: #601256 (closed)
- Maven Virtual Registry docs: https://docs.gitlab.com/user/packages/virtual_registry/
cc @10io @jdrpereira