Upload Autoconf tarball (distribution) to GitLab release

I have a project that uses Automake as the build system and it is hosted on GitLab. When I create a release, GitLab automatically adds a tarball (with git archive). Automake creates so called distributions with make dist that generates the configure script and other files. With the distribution the user has to run the configure script and does not need any Autotool.

How can I add the distribution to the GitLab release for download?

I don't see a way to upload it, I can just add URLs to other online resources.

Solution

The main purpose of GitLab is a Git hosting, not a generic file hosting. They expect you to upload your release archives somewhere on your own site and then you can link them on a "Release" page.

However, they provide additional services which can help you:

For example, they have "packages registry": you can host your binary package there if it is in supported package format. See supported package managers list.
Alternatively, they have some storage for so called "build artifacts" produced by their CI/CD system. You can configure CI/CD build job on your project which will build your project with make dist and produced files will be saved as "build artifacts". Then you can link them on "Release" page.

Sure, some other Git-based services, like Github, provide you dedicated storage for releases. Using Github you can upload files directly on "Release" page.