GitLab Instance Setup Guide

This repository offers a comprehensive guide designed for system administrators and beginners alike. It covers everything you need to know to install, configure, and manage a GitLab instance. Whether you're setting up GitLab for personal use or for team collaboration, this guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, ensuring you have a smooth experience from start to finish.

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Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Installation
3. Configuration
4. Basic Usage
5. Backup and Recovery
6. Upgrade GitLab
7. Troubleshooting
8. Security

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Overview

What is GitLab?

GitLab is an open-source DevOps platform that helps developers, project managers, and teams manage their source code repositories, collaborate on code, and automate software development workflows. It integrates features such as version control, CI/CD pipelines, issue tracking, and more into a single application, promoting faster and more efficient development.

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Installation

Follow the step-by-step instructions to install GitLab:

1. Using Docker.
2. From source.
3. Using the Omnibus package.

Detailed installation steps are available in INSTALLATION.md.

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Configuration

Once GitLab is installed, configure it to meet your needs:

• Set up the admin/root user.
• Configure external URLs and HTTPS.
• Add runners for CI/CD.

Check out CONFIGURATION.md for more information.

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Basic Usage

Learn the basics of using GitLab:

• Create a new project or repository.
• Use Git commands to interact with GitLab.
• Add team members and manage permissions.

Refer to USAGE_GUIDE.md for a beginner-friendly tutorial.

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Backup and Recovery

To prevent data loss, learn how to:

• Back up your GitLab instance.
• Restore from a backup.

Details can be found in BACKUP_AND_RECOVERY.md.

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Upgrade GitLab

Learn how to upgrade your GitLab instance:

• Update your GitLab installation based on your installation method.
• Reconfigure GitLab to apply changes.
• Verify the upgrade and ensure all services are running.

For detailed instructions, refer to UPGRADE.md.

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Troubleshooting

Encountered an issue? Refer to TROUBLESHOOTING.md for solutions to common problems.

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Security

Protecting your GitLab instance is critical to safeguarding your projects and data. This guide includes:

• Enabling HTTPS for secure communication.
• Configuring access controls and user roles.
• Setting up two-factor authentication (2FA).
• Monitoring and logging activities to detect potential threats.

For more detailed instructions, refer to SECURITY.md.

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