GitLab 18.4 Released: New Features for Secure, Streamlined Development

What’s New in GitLab 18.4: Enhanced Policy Management, Improved Development Flows, and More

The latest GitLab 18.4 release brings a suite of exciting enhancements, designed to streamline policy enforcement, strengthen code security, and improve overall development workflows. Teams across the UK, Central and Eastern Europe, and international remote offices—including those using IDEA GitLab Solutions for licensing and expert consulting—can benefit from GitLab’s latest features.

Scan Result Policies Simplified

With GitLab 18.4, users gain more flexibility and clarity when defining merge request requirements related to security and compliance scans. The updated Scan Result Policies remove the need for complex fallback logic when setting enforcement levels on detections—making compliance more transparent and easier to manage.

New Secret Detection Rulesets for Enhanced Security

Two new rulesets, Extended and Full, have been added to GitLab’s secret detection configuration, letting security teams tailor their scanning depth. These enable broader coverage, from standard repository scanning to deep scans looking for custom patterns and secrets stored in binary formats.

Faster, More Consistent Workspace Configuration

In version 18.4, GitLab now allows custom environment variables via .gitpod.yml or directly within the UI to configure Gitpod workspaces. This change enables remote developers and teams to spin up production-ready environments faster, with standardised setups across projects.

GitLab Duo Available on Self-Managed Instances

GitLab Duo, the AI-assisted development platform, is now enabled for self-managed customers using GitLab Premium and Ultimate tiers. From code suggestions to test generation, developers in regulated or restricted environments can now enjoy AI-powered productivity while maintaining compliance and data governance.

Improvements Across Merge Requests and CI/CD

Merge request widgets now provide more rationalised descriptions for security scans, offering clarity for developers and reviewers. Additionally, GitLab 18.4 supports Kubernetes 1.29 and brings performance improvements when using group-level protected branches and pipelines.

Expert GitLab Consulting and Licences

Whether you’re based in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, United Kingdom, or collaborating from Israel, South Africa, and Paraguay — IDEA GitLab Solutions offers tailored consulting, training, migration services, and GitLab licenses to suit your team’s needs.

Learn more about how your organisation can leverage GitLab 18.4. Reach out to our consultants today and get expert guidance on implementation and adoption.

Stay tuned for more updates, and optimise your DevSecOps journey with IDEA GitLab Solutions!

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