GitLab 18.4 released with GitLab Duo model selection, knowledge graph & other enhancements

GitLab 18.4 introduces a range of updates focused on developer experience and security controls. Among the highlights, GitLab Duo model selection is now generally available, letting organizations choose which AI models power their software development workflows. For end-users, a new public beta allows developers to select their own AI model for GitLab Duo agentic chat directly within the user interface. Complementing these AI features, the new GitLab knowledge graph, released in beta, offers in-depth code intelligence, so developers can better explore their codebase, assess potential impacts, and work more productively with GitLab Duo agents.

Additionally, GitLab now permits CI/CD job tokens created in a project to authenticate Git push requests to that project’s repository. Developers also gain fine-tuned control with the beta rollout of GitLab Duo context exclusion. This feature helps protect sensitive information such as passwords or configuration files by managing what is provided as context for GitLab Duo.

For deployment flexibility, GitLab Dedicated now supports all Amazon Web Services regions, allowing organizations to specify their primary, secondary, and backup locations. Following these changes, pipeline simulations have been enhanced. Developers can now run pipeline tests against any branch, simplifying the process of validating and refining CI/CD workflows. Other incremental improvements round out the 18.4 release.