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8️⃣ Setting Up a Self-Hosted GitLab Instance

GitLab self-hosting refers to running your own instance of GitLab on your own server instead of using GitLab's cloud-based services (GitLab.com). This allows organizations or individuals to have full control over their repositories, CI/CD pipelines, and development workflows while keeping their data private.

Step 1: Update System and Install Dependencies​

Before installing GitLab, update and upgrade your system packages:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

GitLab requires some essential packages. Install them using:

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

If you want GitLab to send emails (e.g., password resets), install Postfix:

sudo apt install -y postfix

Step 2: Install GitLab​

Download the GitLab repository script and install the package:

curl -fsSL https://packages.gitlab.com/install/repositories/gitlab/gitlab-ee/script.deb.sh | sudo bash

If you want the free Community Edition (CE) instead of the Enterprise Edition (EE), replace gitlab-ee with gitlab-ce in the script above.

Replace <YOUR_DOMAIN> with your actual domain (or use your server’s IP address if you don’t have one).

sudo EXTERNAL_URL="http://<YOUR_DOMAIN>" apt install -y gitlab-ee

For HTTPS, use:

sudo EXTERNAL_URL="https://<YOUR_DOMAIN>" apt install -y gitlab-ee

GitLab will install and configure itself.

Step 3: Configure GitLab​

The main configuration file is:

sudo nano /etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb

You can change settings like:

  • External URL
  • Port bindings
  • Email settings
  • Backup configuration

After making changes, apply them:

sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure

Step 4: Adjust Firewall Settings​

If you have UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) enabled, allow necessary ports:

sudo ufw allow http
sudo ufw allow https
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw enable

Step 5: Access GitLab Web Interface​

Open your browser and go to:

http://<YOUR_DOMAIN> or http://<YOUR_SERVER_IP>

The first time, GitLab will ask for the root password. Get it using:

sudo cat /etc/gitlab/initial_root_password

Log in with the username set as root and the password obtained from the file above.

Step 6: Optional Configurations​

Enable Auto-Start on Boot​

Ensure GitLab runs on every system startup:

sudo systemctl enable gitlab-runsvdir

Backup GitLab​

Create a backup to prevent data loss:

sudo gitlab-backup create

Backups are stored in /var/opt/gitlab/backups/.

Conclusion​

You now have a fully functional self-hosted GitLab instance running on Ubuntu 22.04. You can start creating repositories, setting up CI/CD, and managing users.