Cloud Connector: Configuration
A GitLab Rails instance accesses backend services uses a Cloud Connector Service Access Token:
- This token is synced to a GitLab instance from CustomersDot daily and stored in the instance’s local database.
- For GitLab.com, we do not require this step; instead, we issue short-lived tokens for each request.
The Cloud Connector JWT contains a custom claim, which represents the list of access scopes that define which features, or unit primitives, this token is valid for.
Unit Primitives and Configuration
According to the Architecture Decision Record (ADR) 003,
this configuration of unit primitives is maintained in the gitlab-cloud-connector
library.
This library serves as the Single Source of Truth (SSoT) for all Cloud Connector configurations and is available as both a Ruby gem and a Python package.
Configuration format and structure
The configuration in gitlab-cloud-connector
follows this structure:
config
├─ unit_primitives/
│ ├─ duo_chat.yml
│ └─ ...
├─ backend_services/
│ ├─ ai_gateway.yml
│ └─ ...
├─ add_ons/
│ ├─ duo_pro.yml
│ └─ ...
├─ services/
│ ├─ duo_chat.yml
│ └─ ...
└─ license_types/
├─ premium.yml
└─ ...
Unit primitive configuration
We have a YAML file per unit primitive. It contains information on how this unit primitive is bundled with add-ons and license types, and other metadata. The configuration for each unit primitive adhere to the following schema.
Required Fields
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
name | string | Unit primitive name in snake_case format (lowercase letters, numbers, underscores). Should follow $VERB_$NOUN pattern (for example, explain_vulnerability ). |
description | string | Description of the unit primitive’s purpose and functionality. |
group | string | Engineering group that owns the unit primitive (for example, “group::duo chat”). |
feature_category | string | Feature category classification (see categories). |
documentation_url | string | URL to the unit primitive’s documentation. |
Optional Fields
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
milestone | string | GitLab milestone that introduced the unit primitive. |
introduced_by_url | string | Merge request URL that introduced the unit primitive. |
unit_primitive_issue_url | string | Issue URL proposing the unit primitive introduction. |
deprecated_by_url | string | Merge request URL that deprecated the unit primitive. |
deprecation_message | string | Explanation of deprecation context and reasons. |
cut_off_date | datetime | UTC timestamp when free access ends (if applicable). NOTE: If you do not define a cut-off date, the add_ons element is not enforced and the feature remains in free access. |
min_gitlab_version | string | Minimum required GitLab version (for example, 17.8 ). |
min_gitlab_version_for_free_access | string | Minimum version for free access period (for example, 17.8 ). |
Access Control Fields
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
license_types | array[string] | GitLab license types that can access this primitive. Possible values must match the name field in corresponding files under config/license_types (for example, premium ). |
backend_services | array[string] | Backend services hosting this primitive. Possible values must match the name field in corresponding files under config/backend_services (for example, ai_gateway ). |
add_ons | array[string] | Add-on products including this primitive. To have access to this feature, you must have all listed add-ons. Possible values must match the name field in corresponding files under config/add_ons (for example, duo_pro ). NOTE: This field is enforced only with a defined cut_off_date beyond which a feature moves out of free access or beta status. |
Example unit primitive configuration:
# config/unit_primitives/new_feature.yml
---
name: new_feature
description: Description of the new feature
cut_off_date: 2024-10-17T00:00:00+00:00 # Optional; always set for paid features
min_gitlab_version: '16.9'
min_gitlab_version_for_free_access: '16.8'
group: group::your_group
feature_category: your_category
documentation_url: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/path/to/docs
backend_services:
- ai_gateway
add_ons:
- duo_pro
- duo_enterprise
license_types:
- premium
- ultimate
According to this definition, the feature:
- Describes “New Feature” owned by “Your Group”.
- Is available in beta (free of charge) starting with GitLab 16.8.
- It is only available via paid add-ons on GitLab versions 16.9 or newer.
- It transitions from free access to paid access on October 17, 2024 at midnight UTC. Beyond this point, you must have either Duo Pro or Duo Enterprise, and a Premium or Ultimate subscription.
- If the above listed conditions hold true, a Cloud Connector token will carry this feature
in its
scopes
claim, allowing backend services to verify access accordingly. - This feature is only relevant for requests to the AI gateway. The corresponding entry in
scopes
does not need to be present inscopes
when a token is attached to requests sent to other backend services.
Not setting any cut_off_date
implies a feature remains freely available, regardless of what
add_ons
are defined.
Related Configurations
Backend Services
Each backend service must have its own YAML configuration under config/backend_services
. For example:
# config/backend_services/ai_gateway.yml
---
name: ai_gateway
project_url: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/modelops/applied-ml/code-suggestions/ai-assist
group: group::ai framework
jwt_aud: gitlab-ai-gateway
Add-ons
Each add-on must have its own YAML configuration under config/add_ons
. For example:
# config/add_ons/duo_pro.yml
---
name: duo_pro
License Types
Each license type must have its own YAML configuration under config/license_types
. For example:
# config/license_types/premium.yml
---
name: premium
Backward compatibility
To support backward compatibility for customers running older GitLab versions and with the old legacy structure, we provide a mapping from the new to old format, and soon to be deprecated “service” abstraction.
Service configuration
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
name | string | The unique name of the service, consisting of lowercase alphanumeric characters and underscores. |
basic_unit_primitive | string | The most fundamental unit primitive representing key configuration values like cut_off_date and min_gitlab_version . If not set, the first unit primitive in the unit_primitives list is used. Used to derive these shared properties across the service. |
gitlab_realm | array[string] | An array of environments where the service is available. Possible values: gitlab-com , self-managed . |
description | string | A brief description of the service. |
unit_primitives | array[string] | An array of unit primitives associated with the service. |
Example of a new service mapping configuration:
# config/services/duo_chat.yml
---
name: duo_chat
basic_unit_primitive: duo_chat
gitlab_realm:
- gitlab-com
- self-managed
unit_primitives:
- ask_build
- ask_commit
- ask_epic
- ask_issue
- ask_merge_request
- documentation_search
- duo_chat
- explain_code
- fix_code
- include_dependency_context
- include_file_context
- include_issue_context
- include_local_git_context
- include_merge_request_context
- include_snippet_context
- include_terminal_context
- include_repository_context
- refactor_code
- write_tests
Legacy structure
The information about how paid features are bundled into GitLab tiers and add-ons is configured and stored in a YAML file:
services:
code_suggestions:
backend: 'gitlab-ai-gateway'
cut_off_date: 2024-02-15 00:00:00 UTC
min_gitlab_version: '16.8'
bundled_with:
duo_pro:
unit_primitives:
- code_suggestions
duo_chat:
backend: 'gitlab-ai-gateway'
min_gitlab_version_for_beta: '16.8'
min_gitlab_version: '16.9'
bundled_with:
duo_pro:
unit_primitives:
- duo_chat
- documentation_search
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
unit_primitives | array[string] | The smallest logical features that a permission or access scope can govern. Should follow $VERB_$NOUN naming pattern (for example, explain_vulnerability ). |
service | string | The service name that delivers the feature. Can be standalone or part of an existing service (for example, duo_chat ). |
bundled_with | object | Map of add-ons that include this feature. A feature can be bundled with multiple add-ons (for example, duo_pro , duo_enterprise ). |
cut_off_date | datetime | UTC timestamp when free access ends. If not set, feature remains free. |
min_gitlab_version | string | Minimum required GitLab version (for example, 17.8 ). If not set, available for all versions. |
min_gitlab_version_for_free_access | string | Minimum version for free access period (for example, 17.8 ). If not set, available for all versions. |
backend | string | Name of the backend service hosting this feature, used as token audience claim (for example, gitlab-ai-gateway ). |