- title: 'Rake task for importing bare repositories'
  announcement_milestone: '15.8'
  announcement_date: '2023-01-22'
  removal_milestone: '16.0'
  removal_date: '2023-05-22'
  breaking_change: false
  body: |
     The [Rake task for importing bare repositories](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/raketasks/import.html) `gitlab:import:repos` is deprecated in GitLab 15.8 and will be removed in GitLab 16.0.

     This Rake task imports a directory tree of repositories into a GitLab instance. These repositories must have been
     managed by GitLab previously, because the Rake task relies on the specific directory structure or a specific custom Git setting in order to work (`gitlab.fullpath`).

     Importing repositories using this Rake task has limitations. The Rake task:

     - Only knows about project and project wiki repositories and doesn't support repositories for designs, group wikis, or snippets.
     - Permits you to import non-hashed storage projects even though these aren't supported.
     - Relies on having Git config `gitlab.fullpath` set. [Epic 8953](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/8953) proposes removing support for this setting.

     Alternatives to using the `gitlab:import:repos` Rake task include:

     - Migrating projects using either [an export file](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/settings/import_export.html) or
       [direct transfer](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/group/import/#migrate-groups-by-direct-transfer-recommended) migrate repositories as well.
     - Importing a [repository by URL](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/import/repo_by_url.html).
     - Importing a [repositories from a non-GitLab source](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/import/).
  stage: manage
  tiers:
  issue_url: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/Product/-/issues/5255
  documentation_url: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/raketasks/import.html