Getting Started with GitLab

Getting Started with GitLab

GitLab is a DevOps platform that provides version control, CI/CD pipelines, and collaborative tools for software development. Here's an overview of important terminologies and a practical example to help you get started.

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Important GitLab Terminologies

1. Repository (Repo): A project folder where your codebase is stored.

Example: A repository named my-app contains your application's source code.

1. Branch: A parallel version of your project.

Default branch: main or master.

Example: feature-login branch for working on the login feature.

1. Merge Request (MR): A request to merge changes from one branch to another.

Example: Merge the feature-login branch into main.

1. Pipeline: A set of automated steps for building, testing, and deploying code.

Example: CI/CD pipelines.

1. Runner: A GitLab agent that executes CI/CD jobs.

Example: Shared runners hosted by GitLab.

1. Jobs: Tasks defined in a pipeline.

Example: Running unit tests or deploying an application.

1. Artifacts: Files generated by jobs that can be downloaded or passed to subsequent jobs.

Example: Test reports.

1. Tags: Mark specific points in history.

Example: v1.0.0 tag for the first release version.

1. Groups: Organize projects and manage permissions.

Example: A team-backend group containing all backend repositories.

1. Issues: Track bugs, enhancements, or tasks in your project.

Example: Create an issue to fix a bug.

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Setting Up GitLab

1. Create an Account:

Sign up at GitLab.

1. Create a New Project:

Go to Projects → New Project → Choose a blank project.

Give it a name, e.g., my-app.

1. Clone the Repository:

git clone https://gitlab.com//my-app.git

1. Add Files and Push:

cd my-app
echo "# My App" > README.md
git add README.md
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git push origin main

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Example GitLab Workflow

Step 1: Create a Feature Branch

git checkout -b feature-login

Make changes to your code and commit:

git add .
git commit -m "Added login feature"
git push origin feature-login

Step 2: Open a Merge Request

Navigate to your project in GitLab.

Go to Merge Requests → New Merge Request.

Select feature-login as the source branch and main as the target branch.

Submit the merge request.

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CI/CD Pipeline Example

1. Create a .gitlab-ci.yml File: This file defines the CI/CD pipeline.

stages:

• build
• test
• deploy

build-job:
stage: build
script:
- echo "Building the application..."

test-job:
stage: test
script:
- echo "Running tests..."

deploy-job:
stage: deploy
script:
- echo "Deploying the application..."

1. Push the File to GitLab:

git add .gitlab-ci.yml
git commit -m "Added CI/CD pipeline"
git push origin main

1. View Pipeline:

Go to CI/CD → Pipelines to monitor pipeline execution.

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Summary

GitLab simplifies collaboration and automation in development workflows. By understanding key terminologies and practicing with simple examples like branch creation, merge requests, and CI/CD pipelines, you can effectively utilize GitLab in your projects.