Gitlab 2-1 What is gitlab

GitLab is a web-based DevOps platform built around Git. It brings together, in a single application, everything a team needs to manage the entire lifecycle of a software project — from writing code to deploying it in production.

More than a Git repository host

At its core, GitLab hosts Git repositories, so you can store, version and share your source code. But unlike a simple repository host, GitLab integrates many additional tools that would otherwise require separate services:

  • Issue tracking : create, assign and follow tasks, bugs and feature requests.
  • Merge requests : propose, review and discuss code changes before merging them.
  • CI/CD pipelines : automatically build, test and deploy your application.
  • Boards and milestones : plan and organize work in an agile way.
  • The container registry : store and manage Docker images.

Open source and flexible

GitLab is available in several editions. The Community Edition is open source and free. GitLab can be used directly on the hosted service at gitlab.com, or installed on your own servers (self-managed) when an organization needs full control over its infrastructure and data.

Why teams use GitLab

The main strength of GitLab is being an all-in-one platform. Because version control, project management and automation live in the same place, teams avoid juggling multiple disconnected tools. This makes collaboration smoother and supports the DevOps approach, where development and operations work together throughout the project. In the following lessons, we will explore the GitLab interface and its features in more detail.

Summary

This lesson introduces GitLab as a web-based platform designed to manage the complete software development lifecycle. It enables development teams to accelerate their workflow by handling all planned tasks with deadlines and supporting every stage from code management to application deployment. GitLab distinguishes itself from GitHub as a competitor and supports both public and private development branches, following an opencore model with free and paid modules updated monthly.

Key points

  • GitLab is a web-based platform that tracks the complete development lifecycle and helps teams manage all planned development tasks with deadlines
  • It supports code management, monitoring, and security for all types of applications including mobile apps
  • GitLab manages both public and private development branches and follows a single responsibility philosophy where each module performs one specific task efficiently
  • Although often confused with GitHub, GitLab and GitHub are competitors in the version control space
  • GitLab was created by a web programmer in 2011 and operates on an opencore model combining free and paid modules, with updates released on the 22nd of each month

FAQ

What is GitLab and what problem does it solve?

GitLab is a web-based platform that manages the complete software development lifecycle. It allows teams to accelerate development by handling all planned tasks with deadlines and supporting every stage from code management through application deployment.

How does GitLab differ from GitHub?

While often confused with each other, GitLab and GitHub are competitors. GitLab is a comprehensive platform for managing the entire development lifecycle with features like branch management for both public and private projects.

What is an opencore model and what does it mean for GitLab users?

GitLab uses an opencore model, which means it combines free and paid modules. Users can access core functionality for free while having the option to pay for additional premium features.