Dedicated Server: Installation of GitLab
This guide was created with the following products:
(Details may vary with products from different providers but the main concepts remain the same)
Introduction
GitLab is a comprehensive DevOps platform that enables teams to collaborate on code, automate workflows, and manage the full software development lifecycle efficiently. In this guide, the installation of GitLab on a Linux dedicated server will be explained.
Prerequisites
The following requirements are recommended by the official GitLab Team and it's highly recommended to follow the prerequisites to avoid inconveniences and issues later down the line.
Hardware
| Components | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 2x 2 GHz | 4x 2.6+ GHz |
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 10 GB | 50+ GB |
| Bandwidth | 100 mbit/s (up & down) | 100 mbit/s (up & down) |
Software
| Platform | Options |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Ubuntu (20.04, 22.04, 24.04), Debian(10, 11, 12), OpenSUSE (15.5) |
| Database | PostgreSQL 14.9+ |
| Web server | NGINX (bundled with GitLab), Puma 6.4.2+ |
| Others | Redis 7.x+, Sidekiq 7.3.2+, Prometheus 2.54.1+ |
For the most accurate and up-to-date specification information, please refer to GitLab's official Hardware Requirements documentation.
Preparation
A connection has to be established via a SSH client in order to install GitLab on your Linux server. Please view our Initial access (SSH) guide to learn more about this.
Once the connection is established, you can begin to install the necessary packages that are required for the actual installation of GitLab.
Step 1: Updating Linux Server
Before installing dependencies, you have to install some updates and some tools to install the dependencies which will be used to install GitLab.
Use the following commands to update and install the required tools on your Linux server. If you have an existing firewall setup, you don't have to use the firewall commands. Ensure that you allow port 80/443 and port 22.
apt update # Fetch latest updates
sudo apt install curl # Install CURL
# Install & Enable UFW Firewall
sudo apt install ufw
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw allow http
sudo ufw allow https
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
Step 2: Installing Dependencies
Next, you have to install some dependencies in order run the GitLab installer. Use the following commands to install required dependencies on your Linux server.
- Ubuntu
- Debian
- OpenSUSE
Install the OpenSSH Server package alongside the prerequisities it requires using the following command. This is how your web interface panel for GitLab will be hosted.
sudo apt-get install -y curl openssh-server ca-certificates tzdata perl
You can also install Postfix (STMP Server) if you wish to be able to send email notifications when using GitLab. This is optional.
If you wish to use email notifications, download Postfix by running the following command.
sudo apt-get install -y postfix
Install the OpenSSH Server package alongside the prerequisities it requires using the following command. This is how your web interface panel for GitLab will be hosted.
sudo apt-get install -y curl openssh-server ca-certificates perl
You can also install Postfix (STMP Server) if you wish to be able to send email notifications when using GitLab. This is optional.
If you wish to use email notifications, download Postfix by running the following command.
sudo apt-get install -y postfix
Install the OpenSSH Server package alongside the prerequisities it requires using the following command. This is how your web interface panel for GitLab will be hosted.
sudo zypper install curl openssh perl
Next, ensure that the OpenSSH daemon is enabled through the following commands.
sudo systemctl status sshd
sudo systemctl enable sshd
sudo systemctl start sshd
You should ensure that the firewall provides the necessary access.
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https
sudo systemctl reload firewalld
You can also install Postfix (STMP Server) if you wish to be able to send email notifications when using GitLab. This is optional.
If you wish to use email notifications, download Postfix by running the following commands.
sudo zypper install postfix
sudo systemctl enable postfix
sudo systemctl start postfix
While installing Postfix, a configuration may appear. In this case, select 'Internet Site' and press enter. Use your Linux server's external DNS for 'mail name' and press enter. If additional screens appear, continue to press enter to accept the default settings.
If you wish to use another solution to send emails please skip this step and configure an external SMTP server after GitLab has been installed on your Linux server by following a guide provided by official GitLab Team.
Step 3: Installing GitLab
After downloading and installing all the required dependencies you are now ready to install GitLab.
Begin by moving into the /tmp directory.
cd /tmp
Proceed by downloading the GitLab installation script to continue using the following command.
curl https://packages.gitlab.com/install/repositories/gitlab/gitlab-ee/script.deb.sh | sudo bash
Finally, to install GitLab run the follow installation script based on your Linux distro to start the process.
apt-get install gitlab-ee # Ubuntu/Debian
zypper install gitlab-ee # OpenSUSE
Once this process is complete, you should have GitLab ready to go on your Linux server. Proceed with the following section where you will configure some essential settings to ensure the server is functional.
Step 4: Configuring GitLab
To ensure everything is functional, you must complete some changes to the configuration file. Begin by opening the GitLab configuration file using your preferred text editor. As an example we wil be using the pre-built nano editor.
sudo nano /etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb
Next, search for the external_url line and either enter your domain or enter your Linux Server's IP Address in case you don't have a domain to use with GitLab.
## GitLab URL
##! URL on which GitLab will be reachable.
##! For more details on configuring external_url see:
##! https://docs.gitlab.com/omnibus/settings/configuration.html#configuring-the-external-url-for-gitlab
##!
##! Note: During installation/upgrades, the value of the environment variable
##! EXTERNAL_URL will be used to populate/replace this value.
##! On AWS EC2 instances, we also attempt to fetch the public hostname/IP
##! address from AWS. For more details, see:
##! https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/instancedata-data-retrieval.html
external_url 'http`s`://`Your domain / IPv4 address of your Linux server`'
Additionally, we recommend inputting your email into the letsencrypt['contact_emails'] line. This will allow Let's Encrypt to provide you notifications and contact you regarding the automatic and free SSL certificates.
You need to use a domain if you wish to acquire a free SSL Certificate from Let's Encrypt. You cannot request one directly to your IP Address.
################################################################################
# Let's Encrypt integration
################################################################################
# letsencrypt['enable'] = nil
# letsencrypt['contact_emails'] = [`Your email here`] # This should be an array of email addresses to add as contacts
# letsencrypt['group'] = 'root'
# letsencrypt['key_size'] = 2048
# letsencrypt['owner'] = 'root'
# letsencrypt['wwwroot'] = '/var/opt/gitlab/nginx/www'
# See https://docs.gitlab.com/omnibus/settings/ssl/index.html#renew-the-certificates-automatically for more on these settings
# letsencrypt['auto_renew'] = true
# letsencrypt['auto_renew_hour'] = 0
# letsencrypt['auto_renew_minute'] = nil # Should be a number or cron expression, if specified.
# letsencrypt['auto_renew_day_of_month'] = "*/4"
# letsencrypt['auto_renew_log_directory'] = '/var/log/gitlab/lets-encrypt'
# letsencrypt['alt_names'] = []
You can use CTRL+W to search for letsencrypt['contact_emails'] and press enter so that you don't have to search the entire file manually.
Once ready, press CTRL+X followed by Y and Enter to confirm the changed you have made.
Finally, run the following command to reconfigure GitLab with the new configuration options.
sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure
This process may take a while because it will initialize GitLab using the updated configuration information, with automated processes. The SSL Certificates will also be issued if a domain has been used.
Step 5: Accessing the Web Interface
After the initialization, the server should now be accessable via a web browser. Navigate to your website by entering your domain name or IP Address as following.
https://[your_domain] OR http://[your_ip_address]
On initial entry of the web interface, you will be prompted with a login page.
To get the admin access at your first login, login as an root user by using root as the username.
For the password, you will have to access a file on your Linux server where it is stored. Access the file using the following command and find the Password field.
sudo nano /etc/gitlab/initial_root_password
# WARNING: This value is valid only in the following conditions
# 1. If provided manually (either via `GITLAB_ROOT_PASSWORD` environment variable or via `gitlab_rails['initial_root_password']` setting in `gitlab.rb`, it was provided before database was seeded for the firs$
# 2. Password hasn't been changed manually, either via UI or via command line.
#
# If the password shown here doesn't work, you must reset the admin password following https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/security/reset_user_password.html#reset-your-root-password.
Password: `[YOUR_PASSWORD_IS_HERE]`
# NOTE: This file will be automatically deleted in the first reconfigure run after 24 hours.
Input the username and password on the login page to enter your GitLab dashboard for the first time. You should now be able to access your GitLab panel on your very own Linux server.
We highly recommend creating a new user and/or changing the password for your root user. This can be all done by accessing Admin in the bottom-left corner and selecting Overview->Users. On this page, you will be able to manage users for your GitLab instance.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you have successfully installed GitLab! If you have any further questions or problems, please contact our support team, who are available to help you every day!
If you wish to perform additional setup, we recommend reading the Official GitLab Documentation for next steps.