Gitlab 2-2-3 GitLab tour UI

This lesson is a guided tour of the GitLab user interface, focused on the project dashboard. From the main page we can navigate through our projects and explore other contributors' work via the Explore projects button. Returning to the project dashboard gives access to all the tools we need on a daily basis.

The key project pages

  • Project overview — a quick summary of the project: project ID, total number of commits, branch count, project size, "star" option, plus the Clone button which exposes both an SSH URL and an HTTPS URL to clone the repository locally.
  • Files panel — the file and folder structure of the project. For a project initialized with the "create README" option, this is where you find the README, which is also displayed automatically below.
  • Activity — a chronological log of every event: who pushed to which branch and when, which branch was merged into which, etc. The list can be filtered by event type.
  • Repository — sub-pages mirroring the project: files, commits, branches and more, each page name self-explanatory.
  • Issues — a great way to track tasks, improvements and bugs across the project.
  • Merge Requests — used to merge one branch into another; this option will be covered in detail during the hands-on exercises.
  • CI/CD — the most important section for this course. From here we will trigger and manage our pipelines. Initially it is empty because no pipeline is defined yet.
  • Settings — the admin-level controls of the project: rename, change visibility, add runners, archive or delete the project, and more.

That is a quick overview of the most important GitLab pages you will use throughout this course. The CI/CD section in particular will be at the center of every following lesson. See you in the next video.

Summary

This lesson provides a comprehensive walkthrough of the GitLab user interface, covering the project dashboard and its main sections. It explains how to navigate projects, access the overview page with key metrics, clone options (SSH/HTTPS), view file structure, review activity logs showing chronological events, access repository pages, manage issues and merge requests, configure CI/CD pipelines, and control project settings for administrative operations.

Key points

  • Project Overview Page displays essential metrics (commit count, branches, size) and clone options in SSH and HTTPS formats
  • File Structure section lists all project files and directories with README content automatically displayed
  • Activity Page provides chronological timeline of all project events including user pushes, branch merges, and timestamps
  • Issues and Merge Requests are core tools for tracking tasks, bugs, improvements and managing code reviews
  • CI/CD Section is where pipelines are configured and managed; currently empty when no pipelines have been created
  • Settings Page enables administrative controls including project name modification, visibility changes, runner management, and project deletion or archiving

FAQ

What are the two methods available to clone a GitLab project?

You can clone a project via SSH or HTTPS. Both options are available from the clone button on the project overview page, allowing you to choose based on your local system setup.

Where can you track all project activity and events in chronological order?

The Activity page displays a complete chronological history of all project events, showing which user pushed to which branch and when, and which branches were merged together.

What is the purpose of the CI/CD section and when should it be used?

The CI/CD section is dedicated to creating and managing pipelines. It should initially be empty when no pipelines have been defined, but becomes the central location for managing pipeline tasks and jobs once they are configured.