Original reporting credit: InfoWorld (July 2018)
GitLab 11.1, released in July 2018, brought meaningful security visibility improvements to the DevOps platform alongside a set of CI/CD, API, and user interface upgrades. The headline additions are a new project-level security dashboard and expanded Static Application Security Testing (SAST) language support.
Project-Level Security Dashboard
The most significant security feature in GitLab 11.1 is the new security dashboard, which provides an at-a-glance view of the latest security status for a project’s default branch. The dashboard is accessible from the Project menu in the side navigation and is designed to help security teams quickly identify issues and act on them without leaving the GitLab interface.
Key capabilities of the security dashboard include:
- Reviewing the current vulnerability status of the default branch at a glance.
- Dismissing false positives directly from the dashboard.
- Creating issues to track and remediate confirmed vulnerabilities.
- Adjusting the criticality weight assigned to individual vulnerabilities to match your team’s risk model.
SAST Support Expanded to Node.js
GitLab 11.1 extends Static Application Security Testing (SAST) to include Node.js. SAST scans committed code for known vulnerability patterns before the code reaches production. Prior to this release, SAST was already supported for C, C++, Go, Java, and Python. Adding Node.js broadens coverage for teams running JavaScript on the server side, a common stack in modern web application development.
SAST runs automatically when changes are committed to a repository, integrating security checks directly into the CI/CD pipeline rather than requiring a separate scanning step.
CI/CD and Runner Improvements
GitLab Runner 11.1 was released alongside GitLab 11.1. Notable improvements include:
- Better Docker time-outs: More reliable handling of long-running Docker operations during CI/CD jobs.
- RPM and DEB package signing: Runners can now sign packages as part of a build pipeline, supporting more complete release automation workflows.
API Enhancements
GitLab 11.1 adds two notable API capabilities that improve automation and integration options:
- Configurable issues boards via API: The issues board, which supports custom Kanban-style workflows, is now accessible through the GitLab API. This allows teams to automate board management and integrate it with external tooling.
- Project namespace transfers via API: Projects can be moved between namespaces (groups or users) programmatically, removing the need to perform this operation manually through the UI.
Search and Performance Improvements
- Advanced code search syntax: Improved search capabilities allow developers to filter results by file name, path, and file extension, making it faster to locate specific code within large repositories.
- Webhook pagination fix: A performance fix resolves a timeout issue on the webhook editing page when a project has a large number of webhooks configured.
User Interface Updates
GitLab 11.1 includes a range of UI improvements aimed at improving readability and reducing friction in common workflows:
- Redesigned merge request widget: The merge request widget has been updated for clarity, making status information easier to parse at a glance.
- Contribution analytics page: The contribution analytics view has been redesigned for improved readability.
- Merge request panel in Web IDE: A new side panel in the Web IDE allows developers to view and interact with a merge request alongside the code editor, without switching contexts.
- Groups dropdown in top navigation: A dropdown has been added to the Groups link in the top navigation bar, enabling faster switching between groups.
- Milestone list redesign: The milestone list pages have been redesigned as the first step in a broader effort to simplify milestone management.
- Confidential issues via quick action: An issue can now be marked as confidential directly from the comment field using a quick action command, without opening the issue settings.
- Kubernetes page improvements: The cluster configuration page now uses tabs to organize options when adding a Kubernetes cluster, reducing visual clutter.
Summary
GitLab 11.1 is a substantive release for teams prioritizing security integration within their DevOps pipelines. The new security dashboard and expanded SAST language support bring security feedback earlier into the development cycle. Combined with Runner improvements, new API capabilities, and a cleaner UI, the release represents a solid step forward for teams already invested in the GitLab ecosystem.
GitLab 11.1 is available for self-managed deployment (on-premises or public cloud). For current release information, visit the official GitLab releases page.