Definition of Done

This Definition of Done (DoD) applies to features that are implemented across multiple merge requests and milestones. It complements the MR-level DoD and provides criteria for determining when a feature is considered complete and production-ready.

Development completion

• Acceptance criteria for the feature has been met.
• All feature implementation epics/issues are closed or moved to well-scoped follow-ups with clear justification.
• All required merge requests have been merged into main, and their associated issues have been closed (either automatically or manually).
• Feature flags are rolled out and removed.

Testing and validation

• Unit, integration, feature and end-to-end tests are implemented as appropriate.
• End-to-end tests cover the critical user journeys to ensure high confidence in real-world use cases.
• (optional) Exploratory testing sessions have been performed by engineers and/or downstream counterpart teams:
  • Validate UX and workflows beyond automated test coverage, including edge cases and unexpected interactions
  • Ensure accessibility requirements are met
  • Verify performance in real-world usage scenarios
  • (optional) When features impact downstream teams (e.g., Data, Finance, Sales, Support), representatives from affected teams have participated in validation to ensure the feature meets their operational needs
• The feature is validated in production environment.
• The feature has been evaluated in the context of the full user journey to ensure it integrates coherently with adjacent functionality.
• No severity 1 or 2 bugs remain unresolved. Lower-severity issues are tracked and prioritized.
• The feedback issue is created if necessary.

Operational readiness

• Database migrations are complete, reversible (where needed), and safe for deployment. Background migrations have been scheduled and monitored if applicable.
• Observability is in place through logs, metrics, and error tracking (e.g., Sentry), and relevant alerts are configured where needed.
• The feature performs adequately under expected production load.
• The feature is production-ready for both GitLab.com and self-managed environments (including Dedicated and Dedicated for Government), unless intentionally scoped otherwise.

Documentation and communication

• End-user documentation is updated in the appropriate /doc/ location.
• Technical documentation (e.g., code comments, architectural decisions, and feature flag behavior) is current.
• A changelog entry has been added under the correct version and section, and the appropriate changelog label has been applied.
• The feature has been reviewed and signed off by relevant PM, UX, and EM stakeholders.
• The feature has been demoed internally, or included in a relevant release kickoff, milestone retrospective, or internal sync - and shared with product marketing in support of external campaigns.

Usage instrumentation

These requirements are mandatory for features with a maturity level of Beta and above. While optional for Experimental features, early implementation enables tracking adoption from the start and is therefore highly encouraged.

• Usage metrics have been implemented to track feature adoption.
• Monthly Active Users (MAU) metrics have been added for user-facing features where applicable.
• Metrics are properly attributed to the correct group and feature category.
• Instrumentation has been verified across all applicable deployment types: GitLab.com, GitLab Self-managed, and GitLab Dedicated.
• Metrics data appears in relevant dashboards and is accessible for analysis.

Rollout and post-release

• The feature is either:
  • Enabled by default, or
  • Gated behind a feature flag with a documented rollout and enablement plan.
• A rollout issue has been created and reviewed by the relevant DRI if the feature is behind a flag.
• Any required post-deployment migrations or cleanup tasks are tracked.
• Success metrics or KPIs are defined, monitored, and used to evaluate impact.
• A feedback loop is in place to capture user feedback, usage trends, or follow-up issues.