v1.8.0-rc.1

[1.8.0-rc.1] - 2026-10-17

This is the first public v1.8 candidate; v1.8 GA is not released. Some fixes listed here were already published on the v1.7 candidate train; their original release records are preserved below.

Release highlights

• SQLite store and legacy import. All live collections and sessions now use one SQLite database. First startup imports a legacy JSON store, including the matching sibling session file for a custom DD_STORE_FILE. Existing backups are never overwritten, unreadable imports stop startup, and fresh installs create SQLite directly. Keep the complete pre-upgrade store snapshot, including its separate session file, for a downgrade.
• Configuration and policy. drydock.yml loads beneath environment overrides, with revision-checked editors for selected local file-owned settings. Persistent group policies, the effective-policy inspector and container label overrides expose the source and limits of each setting. Database-owned settings and container labels remain separate.
• Authentication. Local Basic accounts gain TOTP enrollment and recovery-code management, backed by a persisted encryption key ring. Scoped API keys and the first-party authentication chain are included. Recovery-code sessions cannot create long-lived credentials or write configuration; two-factor management over plain HTTP stays off unless explicitly enabled. Keep the key ring with your deployment backups.
• Fleet and update controls. Selective bulk actions, bounded update concurrency and the approval queue are included. Actions can allow manual updates by default with label-selected automatic exceptions. DD_DEFAULTS_WATCH_DIGEST configures each process's watcher default; remote agents retain their own configuration.
• Release-family maturity. Skip the first configured number of stable versions in a SemVer major or CalVer year/month, alongside the existing age minimum. Missing evidence holds automatic updates; bounded alias digest proof and an explicit age fallback are available. Historical counting of unversioned digest-only channels remains deferred.
• Portwing rotation compatibility. The Drydock controller side is available in this RC for compatible development agents. Published Portwing v1.0.0-rc.1 does not contain the companion feature. Standard 200 means completion; Edge 202 means waiting for reconnect. No compatible published Portwing release is claimed.
• Upgrade boundaries. The v1.7 removal of curl and legacy trigger inputs still applies. v1.8 changes MQTT entity identity and removes the old /auth/strategies response with a 410 tombstone. PUT /api/v1/settings remains available until API v2, with deprecation headers, and /api/auth/status remains supported. The detailed notes include the security and container-recreation guidance carried forward from the v1.7 candidates.

Full changelog, including all detailed changes and fixes. Read the deprecation and migration guidance before upgrading an existing deployment.