GitLab 18.3 now offers direct transfer for migrating groups and projects, providing an automated and user-friendly solution. This method allows for creating copies of GitLab resources between instances via a UI or API. Direct transfer significantly improves upon file exports by eliminating manual export/import steps and enabling post-import user contribution mapping. It also handles large projects reliably through batching and concurrent processing, offering better migration insights. The functionality evolved from early support in GitLab 14.3 to beta for projects in 15.8, with continuous improvements for efficiency and reliability. Tested migrations include substantial numbers of projects with many issues, merge requests, and pipelines. On GitLab.com, direct transfer is enabled by default, while self-managed and dedicated instances require administrator enablement. For air-gapped networks, file exports remain necessary until offline instance support is added. It's recommended to migrate between recent GitLab versions and prepare for user contribution mapping. Reviewing documentation for prerequisites and supported items is crucial for a successful migration. Migration results can be reviewed on the group import history page or through API endpoints. Future iterations will incorporate user feedback for further improvements.