GitLab

Overview

GitLab is an end-to-end DevOps platform that combines source control management, CI/CD, security scanning, package registry, and more in a single application. As of 2025, GitLab has evolved into a comprehensive DevSecOps lifecycle tool with advanced AI capabilities and improved scalability.

Key Features

• Source Control Management: Git repository management with advanced branch protection and merge request workflows

• CI/CD Pipelines: Built-in continuous integration and deployment with auto-scaling runners

• Container Registry: Private container registry with vulnerability scanning

• Security Scanning: SAST, DAST, dependency scanning, and container scanning

• Issue Tracking: Agile project management with epics, issues, and milestones

• Wiki & Documentation: Built-in documentation system with markdown support

• Value Stream Analytics: Metrics and insights for the entire DevOps lifecycle

• Infrastructure as Code: Terraform integration and infrastructure management

• AI-Powered Features: Automated code review, security scanning, and merge request analysis

Real-Life Scenarios

Enterprise Migration Case Study

Company: Global Financial Services ProviderChallenge: Migrate from multiple disparate tools to a unified DevOps platformSolution: GitLab Premium self-hosted deployment

Implementation Steps:

1. Set up high-availability GitLab installation across multiple data centers

2. Migrated 5000+ repositories from various sources (GitHub, Bitbucket, SVN)

3. Implemented custom CI/CD templates for standardization

4. Integrated with existing LDAP and SSO systems

Results:

• 40% reduction in tool maintenance costs

• 60% faster deployment cycles

• Improved security compliance with built-in scanning

• Standardized DevOps practices across 200+ teams

Startup Scale-Up Scenario

Company: AI/ML Platform ProviderChallenge: Need for rapid scaling with limited DevOps resourcesSolution: GitLab Ultimate Cloud (SaaS)

Implementation:

1. Utilized Auto DevOps for automatic CI/CD configuration

2. Implemented container scanning and dependency tracking

3. Set up review apps for feature branch testing

4. Integrated with cloud Kubernetes clusters

Results:

• Zero-touch deployment pipeline for 100+ microservices

• 90% reduction in security vulnerabilities

• Automated compliance reporting

• 3x faster onboarding for new developers

Installation Guide

Linux Installation (Ubuntu/Debian)

# Add GitLab repository
curl -s https://packages.gitlab.com/install/repositories/gitlab/gitlab-ee/script.deb.sh | sudo bash

# Install GitLab
sudo EXTERNAL_URL="https://gitlab.example.com" apt-get install gitlab-ee

# Configure and start GitLab
sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

# Update WSL system
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

# Install prerequisites
sudo apt install -y curl openssh-server ca-certificates tzdata perl

# Add GitLab repository
curl -s https://packages.gitlab.com/install/repositories/gitlab/gitlab-ee/script.deb.sh | sudo bash

# Install GitLab
sudo EXTERNAL_URL="http://localhost" apt-get install gitlab-ee

# Configure and start GitLab
sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure

NixOS Installation

# In configuration.nix
{ config, pkgs, ... }:

{
  services.gitlab = {
    enable = true;
    port = 80;
    host = "gitlab.example.com";
    https = true;
    initialRootPassword = "file:/var/keys/gitlab/root_password";
    
    # Configure backup
    backup = {
      enable = true;
      path = "/var/backup/gitlab";
      interval = "daily";
    };
    
    # Configure SMTP
    smtp = {
      enable = true;
      address = "smtp.example.com";
      port = 587;
    };
    
    # Extra configuration
    extraConfig = {
      gitlab = {
        email_from = "[e-mail]";
        email_display_name = "GitLab";
      };
    };
  };

  # Open firewall ports
  networking.firewall.allowedTCPPorts = [ 80 443 ];
}

Pros and Cons

Advantages

1. Complete DevOps Platform

   • Single application for entire DevOps lifecycle

   • Reduced tool integration complexity

   • Unified authentication and authorization

2. Self-Hosted Option

   • Complete control over data and infrastructure

   • Customizable to specific requirements

   • Air-gapped installation support

3. Built-in CI/CD

   • No third-party CI/CD tools needed

   • Native container registry integration

   • Auto DevOps capability

4. Security Features

   • Comprehensive security scanning

   • Container vulnerability analysis

   • Compliance management

5. Value Stream Analytics

   • End-to-end DevOps metrics

   • Team productivity insights

   • Release analytics

Disadvantages

1. Resource Requirements

   • Higher system requirements for self-hosted

   • Significant maintenance overhead

   • Complex HA setup

2. Learning Curve

   • Complex configuration options

   • Extensive feature set to master

   • Regular updates to keep up with

3. Cost

   • Higher pricing for premium features

   • Self-hosted infrastructure costs

   • Storage costs for large repos

Comparison with Alternatives

GitLab vs GitHub

Feature	GitLab	GitHub
Source Control	Native Git	Native Git
CI/CD	Built-in	GitHub Actions
Container Registry	Included	Included
Issue Tracking	Comprehensive	Basic
Wiki	Built-in	Built-in
Self-Hosted	Yes	Yes (Enterprise)
Free Tier	More features	Limited features
Community	Smaller	Larger
Package Registry	Comprehensive	Basic
Security Scanning	Built-in	Marketplace apps

GitLab vs Azure DevOps

Feature	GitLab	Azure DevOps
Source Control	Native Git	Git/TFVC
CI/CD	Built-in	Azure Pipelines
Artifact Storage	Built-in	Azure Artifacts
Work Items	Issues/Epics	Rich work item types
Test Management	Basic	Comprehensive
Cloud Integration	Multi-cloud	Azure-focused
Scaling	Manual/Auto	Auto-scaling
Cost Model	User-based	User/Parallel job
Release Management	Built-in	Comprehensive
Security	Built-in	Azure Security

Best Practices

1. Repository Management

   • Use merge request templates

   • Implement branch protection rules

   • Regular repository maintenance

2. CI/CD Configuration

   • Use include templates

   • Implement caching strategies

   • Optimize pipeline performance

3. Security

   • Enable all security scanners

   • Regular security policy updates

   • Implement role-based access

4. Performance

   • Regular instance tuning

   • Implement Geo replication

   • Monitor system resources

5. Backup and Recovery

   • Regular backup testing

   • Implement HA where needed

   • Document recovery procedures

Related Topics

• Git Workflows
• CI/CD Pipelines
• Container Registry
• Security Scanning
• Infrastructure as Code