Drupal.org Introduces New GitLab Issue Workflow for Migrated Projects
Drupal.org has introduced a new GitLab-based issue workflow for migrated projects, marking a significant shift in how the community manages contributions. As shared by Fran Garcia-Linares, the update enables maintainers to configure issue boards, manage labels, and streamline collaboration. The changes are part of a wider transition roadmap that began at DrupalCon Vienna 2023, where maintainers were invited to opt in for early migration testing.
Projects that have moved to GitLab now use GitLab’s issue listing and customizable boards. Each maintainer can design their own workflow, for example, adding “RTBC” columns or defining complex transitions. This flexibility mirrors the structure introduced during the GitLab CI migration and aligns Drupal with best practices from other open-source communities.
Control is now project-centric. Only maintainers can assign labels, configure boards, or change issue statuses. Labels such as version numbers, priorities, and custom tags are no longer global but tailored per project, offering clarity and autonomy.
While the forking model remains collaborative, the process for managing forks has moved to a new GitLab-powered tab on each issue’s contribution record. This enables users to request fork access, create shared forks, and initiate merge requests via GitLab, while preserving Drupal.org’s community-first workflow.
To bridge the system shift, Drupal.org will now display “Issues” as a single dynamic link on project pages, directing users to either Drupal.org or GitLab depending on where the issue queue resides. Entity reference fields for related issues are being replaced with full URLs that automatically display relevant metadata such as titles and statuses, supporting mixed-platform references across GitLab and Drupal.org.
The core contribution record system remains unchanged, ensuring continuity in contributor tracking, credit, and historical transparency.
This migration affects thousands of modules and themes. According to the Drupal Association, nearly 200 projects have over 1,000 issues, and Drupal core alone has more than 115,000. The roadmap for GitLab adoption includes the following phases:
- Migrate projects that opted in (currently underway)
- Set GitLab as the default issue system for new projects
- Migrate low-risk, low-usage, and sandbox projects
- Migrate remaining projects, excluding select high-risk modules
- Finalise with core and remaining high-volume projects
The transition reflects months of planning, tooling, and feedback loops with maintainers. The Drupal Association emphasises its commitment to transparency, iteration, and community support as it modernises its infrastructure for long-term sustainability.
Each maintainer can configure their own ways of managing their issues—aligning with how many other open-source projects are managed.
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