Setting Up a Self-Hosted GitLab Using Docker on Local Machine: A Detailed Walkthrough
Starting from October 19, 2022, GitLab SaaS will apply limitations to its free usage, which could pose a challenge for small to moderate-scale enterprises due to reduced quotas compared to previous ones. To avoid these constraints, businesses are advised to install a self-managed GitLab instance utilizing Docker on their servers.
To make an informed decision, here are the key features to consider in the revised free plan of GitLab:
- Data Storage Capacity: Reduced from 10 GB per project to 5 GB per top-level namespace.
- Data Transfer Capacity: Limited to 10 GB per month, previously unlimited.
- User Access: Restricted to 5 users per top-level namespace, up from zero.
By renewing the free tier, GitLab services may become costlier. Nevertheless, these limitations do not apply to GitLab Self-Managed or Self-Hosted servers. As GitLab is an open-source project, users are welcome to clone the GitLab project and run it on their servers without recurring GitLab SaaS payments.
While self-hosting may entail minor additional costs compared to GitLab SaaS, the benefits include lower prices and ease of setup on servers. These advantages come from the availability of GitLab Docker Image.
Below is a step-by-step guide to setting up your own GitLab Self-Hosted service:
1. Docker Installation and Setup
- Update packages:
- Install Docker Engine:
- Install Docker Compose:
- Verify Docker and Docker Compose versions:
- Set user capabilities for running the 'docker' command:
- Automate running Docker on reboot:
- Check Docker service status:
With Docker and Docker Compose set up, proceed to the next step of creating a GitLab Docker container.
2. Setting Up GitLab Self-Hosted Docker Container
- Create a docker-compose.yml file at a suitable location on the server, e.g., home/user/my-gitlab/docker-compose.yml.
- Modify the contents of the file to include GitLab's Docker Image and initial configuration. Skip any configuration related to SMTP or POSTFIX as these are optional.
- Run the following command in the directory containing the docker-compose.yml file to create the container:
- Access the newly created container at the URL specified with the external_url configuration. The container will create a 'gitlab-data' directory containing configuration, logs, and repository data.
- Once logged into the container with the default user 'root' and the password provided in the gitlab-data/config/initial_root_password file, become acquainted with configuring the GitLab instance.
In conclusion, installing a self-hosted GitLab Docker container on your server enables you to avoid the limitations of GitLab's free tier and provides greater control over your GitLab instance. This setup offers numerous advantages, such as unlimited users and projects, as well as lower costs compared to GitLab SaaS.
By automating updates, backups, and restore processes, users can ensure their Self-Managed GitLab instances stay secure, updated, and recoverable in case of failures.
Here are the two sentences that contain the given words and follow from the provided text:
- To ensure a comprehensive web development experience with GitLab, users might consider delving into data-and-cloud-computing solutions by self-hosting GitLab, as it involves coding and utilizing Docker on their servers.
- After setting up the GitLab Self-Hosted Docker container, users can start working on their coding projects using the unlimited storage capacity and user access, which are advantageous features compared to GitLab's free SaaS tier.
