In modern DevOps, maintaining both security and flexibility in CI/CD pipelines is critical. GitLab has introduced a powerful new feature—Inputs—providing a secure and standardised method for passing parameters to pipelines.
Traditionally, setting pipeline variables relied heavily on manual interaction or unstructured API payloads. This posed usability challenges and potential security flaws, especially when exposing sensitive data. Inputs offer a programmable and user-friendly solution that directly addresses these concerns.
Inputs allow developers to define parameters in the .gitlab-ci.yml file that are then requested when manually running a pipeline. Each input can be typed (string, boolean, number, choice), validated, documented, and optionally required. This brings clarity for users triggering pipelines and helps teams enforce rules through YAML definitions.
For instance, you can define an input for an environment target like this:
inputs:\
target:\
type: choice\
options:\
- staging\
- production\
description: "Choose the deployment target"\
required: true
This kind of structure significantly reduces errors and simplifies CI/CD orchestration.
With Inputs, variable values are defined and validated in the YAML file itself, reducing the need for manual entry or insecure API manipulation. This eliminates common pitfalls associated with dynamic JSON payloads and aligns with GitLab’s broader focus on DevSecOps.
The Inputs feature also improves user experience. When triggering a pipeline manually, GitLab’s interface now automatically generates fields based on the Inputs configuration, allowing developers to interact with pipelines predictably and efficiently without referencing separate documentation.
The Inputs feature is available for all tiers starting with GitLab 17.0. It marks a significant leap forward for teams looking to enhance their CI/CD pipelines with security, reusability, and ease-of-use.
If you’re operating in Czechia, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, the UK or have remote teams in Israel, South Africa, or Paraguay, we at IDEA GitLab Solutions are ready to help you implement and optimise your GitLab workflows. Whether you’re starting out with CI/CD best practices or looking to enhance existing pipelines, our team provides licences, consulting, and expert support tailored to your region and development process.
Visit gitlab.solutions to learn how we can assist your team in unlocking the full power of GitLab.