The ongoing discussion regarding the sidebar/navigation is here: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/29835. Thanks again for the feedback.
9 months ago we went through a very similar version of this: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/18542
Can we just all agree to keep the damn sidebar available - if UX wants to remove it, fine, as long as users have the ability to easily permanently pin it back open if they wish to do so.
By now GitLab UX should realize that enough developers find great utility in that sidebar.
Also, just being nice is a generally good principle.
However, I do stand behind the main points of what I wrote:
1. It's disappointing and frustrating to see what is almost the same issue coming up only 9 months later (please look at the link I shared above), where now I'm seeing all the same arguments in favor and against the side bar in these comments as well as in the new related issue thread. We are going through almost the same exercise again.
2. On removing the sidebar - allowing the sidebar to appear and be pinned would be a more inclusive UI/UX choice. Please allow us to pin it again.
I will also add that over the last 1.5 years we've been using GitLab EE the GitLab team has been awesome. I'm continually amazed at how quickly many feature requests become part of GitLab.
It felt like without the side bar there is wasted screen realestate that could have project related options or navigation in the side bar.
As resolutions and screens get larger I'm a strong believer that as long as you don't over complicate or make the interface too busy, you shouldn't waste ⅔ of a web site with white space.
Regardless, very happy with 9.0 otherwise, another fantastic release from the team and contributors.