diff --git a/doc/api/boards.md b/doc/api/boards.md
index 3252036c8409cb29cb14bd743c119cb9d3b96a65..3cdd9552d6687ee1765de755ea788d564f15732b 100644
--- a/doc/api/boards.md
+++ b/doc/api/boards.md
@@ -250,7 +250,8 @@ Example response:
       "path_with_namespace": "diaspora/diaspora-project-site",
       "created_at": "2018-07-03T05:48:49.982Z",
       "default_branch": null,
-      "tag_list": [],
+      "tag_list": [], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "topics": [],
       "ssh_url_to_repo": "ssh://user@example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site.git",
       "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site.git",
       "web_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site",
diff --git a/doc/api/groups.md b/doc/api/groups.md
index 6bec6e0f6f8c1d2b54be9f4f70664dd2d2224301..f80375f43b551422675d0ef1607fc0b1878e7502 100644
--- a/doc/api/groups.md
+++ b/doc/api/groups.md
@@ -302,7 +302,8 @@ Example response:
     "id": 9,
     "description": "foo",
     "default_branch": "master",
-    "tag_list": [],
+    "tag_list": [], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+    "topics": [],
     "archived": false,
     "visibility": "internal",
     "ssh_url_to_repo": "git@gitlab.example.com/html5-boilerplate.git",
@@ -381,9 +382,8 @@ Example response:
       "path_with_namespace":"h5bp/html5-boilerplate",
       "created_at":"2020-04-27T06:13:22.642Z",
       "default_branch":"master",
-      "tag_list":[
-
-      ],
+      "tag_list":[], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "topics":[],
       "ssh_url_to_repo":"ssh://git@gitlab.com/h5bp/html5-boilerplate.git",
       "http_url_to_repo":"http://gitlab.com/h5bp/html5-boilerplate.git",
       "web_url":"http://gitlab.com/h5bp/html5-boilerplate",
@@ -540,7 +540,8 @@ Example response:
       "id": 7,
       "description": "Voluptas veniam qui et beatae voluptas doloremque explicabo facilis.",
       "default_branch": "master",
-      "tag_list": [],
+      "tag_list": [], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "topics": [],
       "archived": false,
       "visibility": "public",
       "ssh_url_to_repo": "git@gitlab.example.com:twitter/typeahead-js.git",
@@ -578,7 +579,8 @@ Example response:
       "id": 6,
       "description": "Aspernatur omnis repudiandae qui voluptatibus eaque.",
       "default_branch": "master",
-      "tag_list": [],
+      "tag_list": [], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "topics": [],
       "archived": false,
       "visibility": "internal",
       "ssh_url_to_repo": "git@gitlab.example.com:twitter/flight.git",
@@ -618,7 +620,8 @@ Example response:
       "id": 8,
       "description": "Velit eveniet provident fugiat saepe eligendi autem.",
       "default_branch": "master",
-      "tag_list": [],
+      "tag_list": [], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "topics": [],
       "archived": false,
       "visibility": "private",
       "ssh_url_to_repo": "git@gitlab.example.com:h5bp/html5-boilerplate.git",
@@ -883,7 +886,8 @@ Example response:
       "id": 9,
       "description": "foo",
       "default_branch": "master",
-      "tag_list": [],
+      "tag_list": [], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "topics": [],
       "public": false,
       "archived": false,
       "visibility": "internal",
diff --git a/doc/api/project_clusters.md b/doc/api/project_clusters.md
index ab7ad2416310d7a49732d0be51732a124c8d0407..88a4d10a08a1e18faa10999e6b8f1ccfed6cdf55 100644
--- a/doc/api/project_clusters.md
+++ b/doc/api/project_clusters.md
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@ Example response:
     "path_with_namespace":"root/project-with-clusters-api",
     "created_at":"2019-01-02T20:13:32.600Z",
     "default_branch":null,
-    "tag_list":[],
+    "tag_list":[], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+    "topics":[],
     "ssh_url_to_repo":"ssh://gitlab.example.com/root/project-with-clusters-api.git",
     "http_url_to_repo":"https://gitlab.example.com/root/project-with-clusters-api.git",
     "web_url":"https://gitlab.example.com/root/project-with-clusters-api",
@@ -247,7 +248,8 @@ Example response:
     "path_with_namespace":"root/project-with-clusters-api",
     "created_at":"2019-01-02T20:13:32.600Z",
     "default_branch":null,
-    "tag_list":[],
+    "tag_list":[], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+    "topics":[],
     "ssh_url_to_repo":"ssh:://gitlab.example.com/root/project-with-clusters-api.git",
     "http_url_to_repo":"https://gitlab.example.com/root/project-with-clusters-api.git",
     "web_url":"https://gitlab.example.com/root/project-with-clusters-api",
@@ -357,7 +359,8 @@ Example response:
     "path_with_namespace":"root/project-with-clusters-api",
     "created_at":"2019-01-02T20:13:32.600Z",
     "default_branch":null,
-    "tag_list":[],
+    "tag_list":[], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+    "topics":[],
     "ssh_url_to_repo":"ssh:://gitlab.example.com/root/project-with-clusters-api.git",
     "http_url_to_repo":"https://gitlab.example.com/root/project-with-clusters-api.git",
     "web_url":"https://gitlab.example.com/root/project-with-clusters-api",
diff --git a/doc/api/projects.md b/doc/api/projects.md
index 0f3d9cdd33451a7ebc715769ec0e73bd768947bd..647659bd38ab78761fb0d56563c938ef54450cbf 100644
--- a/doc/api/projects.md
+++ b/doc/api/projects.md
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ GET /projects
 | `sort`                                     | string   | **{dotted-circle}** No | Return projects sorted in `asc` or `desc` order. Default is `desc`. |
 | `starred`                                  | boolean  | **{dotted-circle}** No | Limit by projects starred by the current user. |
 | `statistics`                               | boolean  | **{dotted-circle}** No | Include project statistics. |
-| `topic`                                    | string   | **{dotted-circle}** No | Comma-separated topic names. Limit results to projects that match all of given topics. See `tag_list` attribute. |
+| `topic`                                    | string   | **{dotted-circle}** No | Comma-separated topic names. Limit results to projects that match all of given topics. See `topics` attribute. |
 | `visibility`                               | string   | **{dotted-circle}** No | Limit by visibility `public`, `internal`, or `private`. |
 | `wiki_checksum_failed` **(PREMIUM)**       | boolean  | **{dotted-circle}** No | Limit projects where the wiki checksum calculation has failed ([Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/6137) in [GitLab Premium](https://about.gitlab.com/pricing/) 11.2). |
 | `with_custom_attributes`                   | boolean  | **{dotted-circle}** No | Include [custom attributes](custom_attributes.md) in response. _(admins only)_ |
@@ -82,7 +82,11 @@ When `simple=true` or the user is unauthenticated this returns something like:
     "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client.git",
     "web_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client",
     "readme_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client/blob/master/README.md",
-    "tag_list": [
+    "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "example",
+      "disapora client"
+    ],
+    "topics": [
       "example",
       "disapora client"
     ],
@@ -116,7 +120,11 @@ When the user is authenticated and `simple` is not set this returns something li
     "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client.git",
     "web_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client",
     "readme_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client/blob/master/README.md",
-    "tag_list": [
+    "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "example",
+      "disapora client"
+    ],
+    "topics": [
       "example",
       "disapora client"
     ],
@@ -200,7 +208,11 @@ When the user is authenticated and `simple` is not set this returns something li
     "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/brightbox/puppet.git",
     "web_url": "http://example.com/brightbox/puppet",
     "readme_url": "http://example.com/brightbox/puppet/blob/master/README.md",
-    "tag_list": [
+    "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "example",
+      "puppet"
+    ],
+    "topics": [
       "example",
       "puppet"
     ],
@@ -300,6 +312,10 @@ When the user is authenticated and `simple` is not set this returns something li
 ]
 ```
 
+NOTE:
+The `tag_list` attribute has been deprecated 
+and is removed in API v5 in favor of the `topics` attribute.
+
 NOTE:
 For users of [GitLab Premium or higher](https://about.gitlab.com/pricing/),
 the `marked_for_deletion_at` attribute has been deprecated, and is removed
@@ -378,7 +394,11 @@ GET /users/:user_id/projects
     "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client.git",
     "web_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client",
     "readme_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client/blob/master/README.md",
-    "tag_list": [
+    "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "example",
+      "disapora client"
+    ],
+    "topics": [
       "example",
       "disapora client"
     ],
@@ -462,7 +482,11 @@ GET /users/:user_id/projects
     "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/brightbox/puppet.git",
     "web_url": "http://example.com/brightbox/puppet",
     "readme_url": "http://example.com/brightbox/puppet/blob/master/README.md",
-    "tag_list": [
+    "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "example",
+      "puppet"
+    ],
+    "topics": [
       "example",
       "puppet"
     ],
@@ -606,7 +630,11 @@ Example response:
     "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client.git",
     "web_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client",
     "readme_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-client/blob/master/README.md",
-    "tag_list": [
+    "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "example",
+      "disapora client"
+    ],
+    "topics": [
       "example",
       "disapora client"
     ],
@@ -683,7 +711,11 @@ Example response:
     "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/brightbox/puppet.git",
     "web_url": "http://example.com/brightbox/puppet",
     "readme_url": "http://example.com/brightbox/puppet/blob/master/README.md",
-    "tag_list": [
+    "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "example",
+      "puppet"
+    ],
+    "topics": [
       "example",
       "puppet"
     ],
@@ -804,7 +836,11 @@ GET /projects/:id
   "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site.git",
   "web_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site",
   "readme_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site/blob/master/README.md",
-  "tag_list": [
+  "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+    "example",
+    "disapora project"
+  ],
+  "topics": [
     "example",
     "disapora project"
   ],
@@ -940,6 +976,10 @@ GET /projects/:id
 }
 ```
 
+NOTE:
+The `tag_list` attribute has been deprecated 
+and is removed in API v5 in favor of the `topics` attribute.
+
 Users of [GitLab Premium or higher](https://about.gitlab.com/pricing/)
 can also see the `approvals_before_merge` parameter:
 
@@ -974,7 +1014,8 @@ If the project is a fork, and you provide a valid token to authenticate, the
       "path_with_namespace":"gitlab-org/gitlab-foss",
       "created_at":"2013-09-26T06:02:36.000Z",
       "default_branch":"master",
-      "tag_list":[],
+      "tag_list":[], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "topics":[],
       "ssh_url_to_repo":"git@gitlab.com:gitlab-org/gitlab-foss.git",
       "http_url_to_repo":"https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss.git",
       "web_url":"https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss",
@@ -1393,7 +1434,11 @@ Example responses:
     "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site.git",
     "web_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site",
     "readme_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site/blob/master/README.md",
-    "tag_list": [
+    "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+      "example",
+      "disapora project"
+    ],
+    "topics": [
       "example",
       "disapora project"
     ],
@@ -1480,7 +1525,11 @@ Example response:
   "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site.git",
   "web_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site",
   "readme_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site/blob/master/README.md",
-  "tag_list": [
+  "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+    "example",
+    "disapora project"
+  ],
+  "topics": [
     "example",
     "disapora project"
   ],
@@ -1573,7 +1622,11 @@ Example response:
   "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site.git",
   "web_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site",
   "readme_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site/blob/master/README.md",
-  "tag_list": [
+  "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+    "example",
+    "disapora project"
+  ],
+  "topics": [
     "example",
     "disapora project"
   ],
@@ -1741,7 +1794,11 @@ Example response:
   "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site.git",
   "web_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site",
   "readme_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site/blob/master/README.md",
-  "tag_list": [
+  "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+    "example",
+    "disapora project"
+  ],
+  "topics": [
     "example",
     "disapora project"
   ],
@@ -1855,7 +1912,11 @@ Example response:
   "http_url_to_repo": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site.git",
   "web_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site",
   "readme_url": "http://example.com/diaspora/diaspora-project-site/blob/master/README.md",
-  "tag_list": [
+  "tag_list": [ //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+    "example",
+    "disapora project"
+  ],
+  "topics": [
     "example",
     "disapora project"
   ],
@@ -2439,7 +2500,8 @@ Example response:
   "path_with_namespace": "cute-cats/hello-world",
   "created_at": "2020-10-15T16:25:22.415Z",
   "default_branch": "master",
-  "tag_list": [],
+  "tag_list": [], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+  "topics": [],
   "ssh_url_to_repo": "git@gitlab.example.com:cute-cats/hello-world.git",
   "http_url_to_repo": "https://gitlab.example.com/cute-cats/hello-world.git",
   "web_url": "https://gitlab.example.com/cute-cats/hello-world",
diff --git a/doc/api/search.md b/doc/api/search.md
index c8f24c0924ab3c0ddd4082e9b52e4348380607ac..cc5a23cd7a7a71f3cf0d41ea2326bac672e206b7 100644
--- a/doc/api/search.md
+++ b/doc/api/search.md
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ Example response:
     "path_with_namespace": "twitter/flight",
     "created_at": "2017-09-05T07:58:01.621Z",
     "default_branch": "master",
-    "tag_list":[],
+    "tag_list":[], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+    "topics":[],
     "ssh_url_to_repo": "ssh://jarka@localhost:2222/twitter/flight.git",
     "http_url_to_repo": "http://localhost:3000/twitter/flight.git",
     "web_url": "http://localhost:3000/twitter/flight",
@@ -475,7 +476,8 @@ Example response:
     "path_with_namespace": "twitter/flight",
     "created_at": "2017-09-05T07:58:01.621Z",
     "default_branch": "master",
-    "tag_list":[],
+    "tag_list":[], //deprecated, use `topics` instead
+    "topics":[],
     "ssh_url_to_repo": "ssh://jarka@localhost:2222/twitter/flight.git",
     "http_url_to_repo": "http://localhost:3000/twitter/flight.git",
     "web_url": "http://localhost:3000/twitter/flight",
diff --git a/ee/spec/frontend/security_dashboard/store/modules/projects/data/mock_data.json b/ee/spec/frontend/security_dashboard/store/modules/projects/data/mock_data.json
index e834a0c58f1c6158e88b9d993e170846a7b43463..5085d2eeffcdf80271115d2d926179999d2f882c 100644
--- a/ee/spec/frontend/security_dashboard/store/modules/projects/data/mock_data.json
+++ b/ee/spec/frontend/security_dashboard/store/modules/projects/data/mock_data.json
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
     "description": "foo",
     "default_branch": "master",
     "tag_list": [],
+    "topics": [],
     "archived": false,
     "visibility": "internal",
     "ssh_url_to_repo": "git@gitlab.example.com/html5-boilerplate.git",
diff --git a/ee/spec/frontend/vue_shared/dashboards/mock_data.js b/ee/spec/frontend/vue_shared/dashboards/mock_data.js
index 5eb49348acdac4809c82f89d140f92e9f196a7cc..fb54d771dcccbd9b3de0ca3c91ca6ad05699d483 100644
--- a/ee/spec/frontend/vue_shared/dashboards/mock_data.js
+++ b/ee/spec/frontend/vue_shared/dashboards/mock_data.js
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ export function mockProjectData(
       created_at: '2019-02-01T15:40:27.522Z',
       default_branch: 'main',
       tag_list: [],
+      topics: [],
       avatar_url: null,
       web_url: 'https://mock-web_url/',
       namespace: {
diff --git a/lib/api/entities/basic_project_details.rb b/lib/api/entities/basic_project_details.rb
index 2de49d6ed40318d62e0a78d2b544011e783b8a4b..91831fe2bdfdaa02f74b8c02b9e062a4e3b60d42 100644
--- a/lib/api/entities/basic_project_details.rb
+++ b/lib/api/entities/basic_project_details.rb
@@ -4,15 +4,13 @@ module API
   module Entities
     class BasicProjectDetails < Entities::ProjectIdentity
       include ::API::ProjectsRelationBuilder
+      include Gitlab::Utils::StrongMemoize
 
       expose :default_branch, if: -> (project, options) { Ability.allowed?(options[:current_user], :download_code, project) }
       # Avoids an N+1 query: https://github.com/mbleigh/acts-as-taggable-on/issues/91#issuecomment-168273770
-      expose :tag_list do |project|
-        # Tags is a preloaded association. If we perform then sorting
-        # through the database, it will trigger a new query, ending up
-        # in an N+1 if we have several projects
-        project.tags.pluck(:name).sort # rubocop:disable CodeReuse/ActiveRecord
-      end
+
+      expose :topic_names, as: :tag_list
+      expose :topic_names, as: :topics
 
       expose :ssh_url_to_repo, :http_url_to_repo, :web_url, :readme_url
 
@@ -40,7 +38,7 @@ class BasicProjectDetails < Entities::ProjectIdentity
 
       # rubocop: disable CodeReuse/ActiveRecord
       def self.preload_relation(projects_relation, options = {})
-        # Preloading tags, should be done with using only `:tags`,
+        # Preloading topics, should be done with using only `:tags`,
         # as `:tags` are defined as: `has_many :tags, through: :taggings`
         # N+1 is solved then by using `subject.tags.map(&:name)`
         # MR describing the solution: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/merge_requests/20555
@@ -50,6 +48,19 @@ def self.preload_relation(projects_relation, options = {})
                          .preload(namespace: [:route, :owner])
       end
       # rubocop: enable CodeReuse/ActiveRecord
+
+      private
+
+      alias_method :project, :object
+
+      def topic_names
+        # Topics is a preloaded association. If we perform then sorting
+        # through the database, it will trigger a new query, ending up
+        # in an N+1 if we have several projects
+        strong_memoize(:topic_names) do
+          project.tags.pluck(:name).sort # rubocop:disable CodeReuse/ActiveRecord
+        end
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/api/schemas/public_api/v4/board.json b/spec/fixtures/api/schemas/public_api/v4/board.json
index c3a140c1bd7384e7e5b9eadf463204779778d3ea..11dfa131e881610cbb497bd22c71d63741cc912c 100644
--- a/spec/fixtures/api/schemas/public_api/v4/board.json
+++ b/spec/fixtures/api/schemas/public_api/v4/board.json
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
         "description",
         "default_branch",
         "tag_list",
+        "topics",
         "ssh_url_to_repo",
         "http_url_to_repo",
         "web_url",
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@
         "description": { "type": ["string", "null"] },
         "default_branch": { "type": ["string", "null"] },
         "tag_list": { "type": "array" },
+        "topics": { "type": "array" },
         "ssh_url_to_repo": { "type": "string" },
         "http_url_to_repo": { "type": "string" },
         "web_url": { "type": "string" },
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/api/schemas/public_api/v4/project.json b/spec/fixtures/api/schemas/public_api/v4/project.json
index 4a3149f2bdcddd550e6a6aed1714a14a31d2d545..2f708538d96002c5ac8413e2c549dc0e743fc6c9 100644
--- a/spec/fixtures/api/schemas/public_api/v4/project.json
+++ b/spec/fixtures/api/schemas/public_api/v4/project.json
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@
         "type": "string"
       }
     },
+    "topics": {
+      "type": "array",
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
     "ssh_url_to_repo": { "type": "string" },
     "http_url_to_repo": { "type": "string" },
     "web_url": { "type": "string" },
@@ -37,7 +43,7 @@
   },
   "required": [
     "id", "name", "name_with_namespace", "description", "path",
-    "path_with_namespace", "created_at", "default_branch", "tag_list",
+    "path_with_namespace", "created_at", "default_branch", "tag_list", "topics",
     "ssh_url_to_repo", "http_url_to_repo", "web_url", "readme_url", "avatar_url",
     "star_count", "forks_count", "last_activity_at", "namespace"
   ],
diff --git a/spec/frontend/fixtures/static/projects.json b/spec/frontend/fixtures/static/projects.json
index f28d9899099d0ac5f969a19b3999ec248db5ff9e..d843549039b1b1d2226d7418018537d5f2e0f6db 100644
--- a/spec/frontend/fixtures/static/projects.json
+++ b/spec/frontend/fixtures/static/projects.json
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   "description": "",
   "default_branch": null,
   "tag_list": [],
+  "topics": [],
   "public": true,
   "archived": false,
   "visibility_level": 20,
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@
   "description": "Voluptatem quae nulla eius numquam ullam voluptatibus quia modi.",
   "default_branch": "master",
   "tag_list": [],
+  "topics": [],
   "public": false,
   "archived": false,
   "visibility_level": 0,
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@
   "description": "Modi odio mollitia dolorem qui.",
   "default_branch": "master",
   "tag_list": [],
+  "topics": [],
   "public": false,
   "archived": false,
   "visibility_level": 0,
@@ -162,6 +165,7 @@
   "description": "Omnis asperiores ipsa et beatae quidem necessitatibus quia.",
   "default_branch": "master",
   "tag_list": [],
+  "topics": [],
   "public": true,
   "archived": false,
   "visibility_level": 20,
@@ -210,6 +214,7 @@
   "description": "Voluptatem commodi voluptate placeat architecto beatae illum dolores fugiat.",
   "default_branch": "master",
   "tag_list": [],
+  "topics": [],
   "public": false,
   "archived": false,
   "visibility_level": 0,
@@ -258,6 +263,7 @@
   "description": "Aut molestias quas est ut aperiam officia quod libero.",
   "default_branch": "master",
   "tag_list": [],
+  "topics": [],
   "public": true,
   "archived": false,
   "visibility_level": 20,
@@ -309,6 +315,7 @@
   "description": "Excepturi molestiae quia repellendus omnis est illo illum eligendi.",
   "default_branch": "master",
   "tag_list": [],
+  "topics": [],
   "public": true,
   "archived": false,
   "visibility_level": 20,
@@ -357,6 +364,7 @@
   "description": "Adipisci quaerat dignissimos enim sed ipsam dolorem quia.",
   "default_branch": "master",
   "tag_list": [],
+  "topics": [],
   "public": false,
   "archived": false,
   "visibility_level": 10,
@@ -408,6 +416,7 @@
   "description": "Vel voluptatem maxime saepe ex quia.",
   "default_branch": "master",
   "tag_list": [],
+  "topics": [],
   "public": false,
   "archived": false,
   "visibility_level": 0,
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/project_attributes.yml b/spec/requests/api/project_attributes.yml
index d28442bd692c3c25d9dada9b2cad145e0198e80f..2f1cd009fbc8c138d26e5203756a0548f2397481 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/project_attributes.yml
+++ b/spec/requests/api/project_attributes.yml
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ itself: # project
     - shared_with_groups
     - ssh_url_to_repo
     - tag_list
+    - topics
     - web_url
 
 build_auto_devops: # auto_devops
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/projects_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/projects_spec.rb
index e103aa3d6dee576d7fb0a97ab70fef7bb03e4c8b..51b87a55b1e81be0bc84c137ac04dbb9ca7dccba 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/projects_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/api/projects_spec.rb
@@ -184,13 +184,14 @@
         end
       end
 
-      it 'includes the project labels as the tag_list' do
+      it 'includes project topics' do
         get api('/projects', user)
 
         expect(response).to have_gitlab_http_status(:ok)
         expect(response).to include_pagination_headers
         expect(json_response).to be_an Array
-        expect(json_response.first.keys).to include('tag_list')
+        expect(json_response.first.keys).to include('tag_list') # deprecated in favor of 'topics'
+        expect(json_response.first.keys).to include('topics')
       end
 
       it 'includes open_issues_count' do
@@ -1892,7 +1893,8 @@
         expect(json_response['id']).to eq(project.id)
         expect(json_response['description']).to eq(project.description)
         expect(json_response['default_branch']).to eq(project.default_branch)
-        expect(json_response['tag_list']).to be_an Array
+        expect(json_response['tag_list']).to be_an Array # deprecated in favor of 'topics'
+        expect(json_response['topics']).to be_an Array
         expect(json_response['archived']).to be_falsey
         expect(json_response['visibility']).to be_present
         expect(json_response['ssh_url_to_repo']).to be_present
@@ -1969,7 +1971,8 @@ def failure_message(diff)
         expect(json_response['id']).to eq(project.id)
         expect(json_response['description']).to eq(project.description)
         expect(json_response['default_branch']).to eq(project.default_branch)
-        expect(json_response['tag_list']).to be_an Array
+        expect(json_response['tag_list']).to be_an Array # deprecated in favor of 'topics'
+        expect(json_response['topics']).to be_an Array
         expect(json_response['archived']).to be_falsey
         expect(json_response['visibility']).to be_present
         expect(json_response['ssh_url_to_repo']).to be_present