GitLab is a powerful web-based DevOps lifecycle tool that provides a Git repository manager with features like CI/CD, issue tracking, code reviews, and more. If you’re managing a small team or a personal project and want full control over your code, hosting GitLab on your own VPS (Virtual Private Server) is a great option.

Here we use a Ubuntu 22.04 server for installation.

Step 1 – Update Your System

Update all the System Packages to make sure your Ubuntu server is up-to-date. (This may take a few minutes to complete)

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Also, install some essential dependencies:

sudo apt install -y curl ca-certificates tzdata perl

Step 2 – Add the GitLab Repository

Install GitLab using the official Omnibus package. First, download the script:

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

Note: If you prefer the Community Edition over the Enterprise Edition, use gitlab-ee with gitlab-ce.

Step 3 – Install GitLab

Now, install GitLab using the domain name you’ve set up.

sudo EXTERNAL_URL=”https://gitlab.yourdomain.com” apt install gitlab-ce

Replace gitlab.yourdomain.com with your actual domain or public IP if you’re not using a domain.

Step 4 – Configure GitLab

Once installed, GitLab needs to be configured. Run the following command:

sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure

GitLab is set up and all required services are started with this command.

If you have a firewall, make sure that the HTTP and HTTPS ports are open.

sudo ufw allow http sudo ufw allow https

Step 5 – Access GitLab in Your Browser

Now open your browser and visit: “https://gitlab.yourdomain.com”

The first time you visit, GitLab will prompt you to set a password for the root user. After that, you can log in and begin using the platform.

Step 6 – Configure Email (Optional but Recommended)

To enable email notifications, edit the GitLab configuration:

sudo nano /etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb

Find and update the SMTP section:

gitlab_rails[‘smtp_enable’] = true gitlab_rails[‘smtp_address’] = “smtp.your-email-provider.com” gitlab_rails[‘smtp_port’] = 587

gitlab_rails[‘smtp_user_name’] = “[email protected]” gitlab_rails[‘smtp_password’] = “yourpassword” gitlab_rails[‘smtp_domain’] = “yourdomain.com” gitlab_rails[‘smtp_authentication’] = “login” gitlab_rails[‘smtp_enable_starttls_auto’] = true

Then reconfigure GitLab:

sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure

Step 7 – Set Up a Git Repository

Once logged in, you can:

• Create a new project
• Push code from your local machine using Git
• Enable CI/CD pipelines Example Git setup:

git init

git remote add origin https://gitlab.yourdomain.com/username/project.git git add .

git commit -m “Initial commit” git push -u origin master

Conclusion

Running GitLab on your VPS provides you with complete control over your code and project management tools. This self-hosted option can grow with your requirements while safeguarding your codebase.

To maintain stability and reliability, remember to regularly update your VPS, monitor its performance, and take regular backups.