Deprecate GitLab Runner Docker Machine Executor

Deprecation Summary

• The GitLab Runner Docker Machine executor is deprecated and will be fully removed from the product as a supported feature in GitLab 20.0 (May 2027).

• The replacement for Docker Machine, GitLab's Fleeting + Taskscaler autoscaler with GitLab developed plug-ins for AWS EC2, Google Compute Engine and Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines is generally available.

• With this announcement, the GitLab Runner team will no longer accept community contributions for the GitLab maintained Docker Machine fork, or resolve newly identified functional bugs.

• We will continue to fix any security vulnerabilities.

Breaking Change?

Yes

Affected Topology

• GitLab.com customers that run CI jobs on self-managed runners using the Docker Machine executor.
• Self-Managed customers that run CI jobs on self-managed runners using the Docker Machine executor.

Affected Tier

• Free
• Premium
• Ultimate

Deprecation Milestone

17.5

Planned Removal Milestone

20.0 (May 2027)

Links

Checklists

Click to expand

Labels

• This issue is labeled deprecation, and with the relevant ~devops::, ~group::, and ~Category: labels.
• This issue is labeled breaking change if the removal of the deprecated item will be a breaking change.

Timeline

Please add links to the relevant merge requests.

• As soon as possible, but no later than the third milestone preceding the major release (for example, given the following release schedule: 14.8, 14.9, 14.10, 15.0 – 14.8 is the third milestone preceding the major release):
  • A deprecation announcement entry has been created so the deprecation will appear in release posts and on the general deprecation page.
  • Documentation has been updated to mark the feature as deprecated.
• On the major milestone:
  • The deprecated item has been removed.
  • If the removal of the deprecated item is a breaking change, the merge request is labeled breaking change.

Mentions

• Your stage's stable counterparts have been @mentioned on this issue. For example, Customer Support, Customer Success (Technical Account Manager), Product Marketing Manager.
  • To see who the stable counterparts are for a product team visit product categories
    • If there is no stable counterpart listed for Sales/CS please mention @timtams
    • If there is no stable counterpart listed for Support please mention @gitlab-com/support/managers
    • If there is no stable counterpart listed for Marketing please mention @cfoster3
• Your GPM or Director has been @mentioned so that they are aware of planned deprecations.