### Context Yearly we coordinate the GitLab[ major release](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/policy/maintenance.html), in 2024 this is `17.0` schedule for on `2024-05-16`. As usual, due to a tight dependency between [GitLab.com and self-managed releases](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/deployments-and-releases/#overview-and-terminology), GitLab.com receives updates prior to self-managed users (including GitLab Dedicated). A number of [deprecations, removals and breaking changes](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/gitlab-the-product/#deprecations-removals-and-breaking-changes) are already [announced](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/update/deprecations.html?removal_milestone=17.0), and during May, they will will affect the GitLab.com users This epic is gathering issues that will need reviewing and managing ahead of the 17.0 release. For more info: [How to set up and coordinate the Major milestone](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/release/docs/-/blob/master/general/how-to-prepare-for-a-major-milestone-release.md) and [17.0 Major Release Working Group](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/company/working-groups/17-0-major-release/) ### What needs to be done? Product issue to assess impact on 17.0 - https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-com/-/epics/2293 Delivery team will need to coordinate with engineering teams, and their product counterparts on: 1. A comprehensive list of breaking changes 2. Coordination of timing for toggling feature flags for breaking changes behind feature flags 3. Rollout coordination for breaking changes that cannot be placed behind feature flags 4. [Coordinating upgrades of supporting GitLab instances](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/gl-infra/delivery/-/issues/20084 "Evaluate whether dev, pre, release or ops instances will be impacted by breaking changes from 17.0") (dev, pre, release, ops) and preparing them for breaking changes 5. Providing directions to GitLab Dedicated team after 17.0 rollout and release is completed ### Issue Board The changes and work done for the preparation can be found on [this issue board](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-com/gl-infra/-/boards/7490733?label_name%5B%5D=Delivery%2017.0%20Impact) ### DRI @mbursi ### Participants * Delivery Group ### Status 2024-05-16 Final Status - epic can be closed * [Breaking Changes windows](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/Product/-/issues/13238 "Fixed windows for 17.0 breaking changes rollout") planning worked quite well * The Work done in the [17.0 Deprecation List analysis](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/gl-infra/delivery/-/issues/20126 "17.0 Deprecations List Analysis") put Delivery and Release Management in a good spot and we had little impact in our tooling and processes thanks to the preparation done (see this epics issues) * This was the smoothest Major Release of the last 3 (15.0, 16.0, and 17.0), but we also get some hiccups. * We had impact from: [CI_JOB_TOKEN breaking change](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/gl-infra/delivery/-/issues/20140), [Expired Access Token (breaking change from 16.0)](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/gl-infra/production/-/issues/18005), Areas to improve: * Better preparation and planning from teams involved in Breaking Changes could have led to less reactive work for us and more value for our customers. More end-to-end ownership. * Customer communication: while we did communicate via blog post, breaking changes page the various changes and windows, we still saw some gaps. Thanks to the [17.0 Major Release Working Group](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/company/working-groups/17-0-major-release/) for the work done More improvements will be worked as part of https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-com/-/epics/2363+ ### References * https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-com/-/epics/2292+ * [17.0 Major Release Working Group](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/company/working-groups/17-0-major-release/) * Support Slides on breaking change - [GitLab 17.0 deprecation overview](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YjEsBpemHC5eLfNbfSCFWQK5hA3z0iysdNx6SGBw8K4/edit#slide=id.g1ef4929c487_0_34) * Impact assessment spreadsheet: [17.0 deprecations impact assessment](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bVX943N0GbOSjBOdSzXg_y0aVJyoWPwjCsyBEet-bag/edit#gid=865411820) ### Prior art * [16.0 release preparation announcement](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/gl-infra/delivery/-/issues/2924 "16.0 Release Preparation - What to expect") * [16.0 breaking changes](https://about.gitlab.com/releases/2023/05/22/gitlab-16-0-released/#release-removals) and [GitLab’s enhanced Deprecations page](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2023/03/20/enhanced-deprecations-page/) * [15.0 release preparation announcement](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/gl-infra/delivery/-/issues/2279 "15.0 Release Preparation - What to expect") * [15.0 breaking changes blog post](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2022/04/18/gitlab-releases-15-breaking-changes/) * [14.0 release preparation announcement](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/gl-infra/delivery/-/issues/1786 "14.0 Release Preparation - What to expect") * [14.0 product coordination issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/Product/-/issues/2112 "Track breaking changes that need to land in 14.0") * [14.0 breaking changes coordination issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/Product/-/issues/2176 "Organise breaking change rollout on GitLab.com in the run up to GitLab 14 (May 22nd)") * [13.0 breaking changes coordination issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/Product/-/issues/897 "Track breaking changes that need to land in 13.0")