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What is GitLab?

GitLab is the most comprehensive AI-powered DevSecOps platform for software innovation, enabling everyone to contribute and co-create the software that powers our world. GitLab empowers organizations to increase developer productivity, improve operational efficiency, reduce security and compliance risk, and accelerate digital transformation. More than 30 million registered users and more than 50% of the Fortune 100 trust GitLab to ship better, more secure software faster—because where collaboration and co-creation happen, so does innovation.

Who Uses GitLab?

Designed for software developers, IT managers, product developers, security engineers, and project managers. GitLab is the most comprehensive DevSecOps platform. Get started with a 30 day free trial.

GitLab Software - GitLab pipelines
GitLab Software - GitLab stages
GitLab Software - Merge Request
GitLab Software - Security Dashboard

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Reviews of GitLab

Average score

Overall
4.6
Ease of Use
4.4
Customer Service
4.2
Features
4.6
Value for Money
4.5

Reviews by company size (employees)

  • <50
  • 51-200
  • 201-1,000
  • >1,001
Onur
Onur
Co-Founder in Türkiye
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Software, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Gitlab Review

5.0 last year

Comments: I really like using Gitlab CI. We are building and deploying our applications using Gitlab CI mostly every day. It's very stable and fast. So that m overall experience is very good with Gitlab CI.

Pros:

The working style of most of the CI/CD tools are similar in the background. The ones that has better UI and fast responses are making a difference in the market. Gitlab CI, by far has the best UI. The button clicks, flows and placement of the features are very well-designed.

Cons:

I cannot say least but I would be happier if Gitlab adds more UI features in CI/CD level.

Ben
Webmaster in UK
Information Technology & Services, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Perfect product but perhaps too expensive

4.0 2 weeks ago New

Comments: My overall experience with GitLab is fine, there were no issues per se except with the pricing but this should not affect your choice to use such a great service and product.

Pros:

I enjoyed the encrpytion and protection of our code with GitLab the most, and how it is already compatible with our GitHub branches and repositories.

Cons:

The pricing of GitLab and being per user were huge turn-offs for us as a business but understandably considering the nature of the product.

Pedro
It in Spain
Consumer Electronics, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

GitLab is my go-to for project management, code storage, and collaboration. It's a game changer.

3.0 3 months ago

Pros:

The built-in CI/CD, issue tracking, and merge request features make my development process seamless and efficient.

Cons:

The user interface can be overwhelming at first, and the learning curve is a bit steep for beginners.

Vidyasagar
Test Specialist in Australia
Telecommunications, 5,001–10,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Best repository to be used for managing code

5.0 4 months ago

Pros:

It’s good for managing the development assets in IT. Easier to understand the conflicts for new starters also.

Cons:

It’s good to have a user interface to understand any conflicts, issues etc., while using

Hugo
Mobile engineer in France
Research, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

The best open source devops suite and code manager

5.0 last month New

Comments: Overall very satisfied! They are on par and often above GitHub.

Pros:

It's open source, they are improving a lot and there are a ton of features for everyone.

Cons:

sometimes the UX is just behind GitHub. Some performance improvement could be great alghough it may depends on our own server.

Ian
NOC Manager in US
Information Technology & Services, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Gitlab Is the Best For Innovation and Development!

4.0 2 months ago New

Comments: We have been able to customize Gitlab exclusively to our needs and has helped us grow way faster than we would of using other applications.

Pros:

The customization is unbelievable and there are constant new updates for new features.

Cons:

It can have a large learning curve to get up to speed on how to use.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Information Technology & Services, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

GitLab - The all in one DevOps Solution.

4.0 2 months ago New

Comments: Gitlab has been a game-changer for our development process, providing a reliable and scalable solution for code management, automation, and deployment. I highly recommend it for any team looking for an end-to-end DevOps platform.

Pros:

Gitlab's all in one nature stands out as its most unique feature. Instead of reelying on various other applications we can use gitlab for the purpose of version control, CI/CD, Issue Tracking, Code Reviews, Security, Container Registry, Monitoring and Analytics.

Cons:

Nothing as of now but it feels a quite complicated due to the wide range of features but once you get the hang of it , the tools are incredibly effective.

Florian
Student in Germany
Computer Software, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Review for Git Lab

5.0 2 months ago New

Comments: My overall experience with GL was easy and i had no struggle ever using it in the context of university or even teaching my self.

Pros:

Its a easy way for partly VC and displaying information in the context of teaching

Cons:

i did not dislike anything about gitlab, there are surely things that can be upgraded but there is no real bad part.

Bharath
Cloud Support Engineer in India
Information Technology & Services, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Managing CI/CD

4.0 2 weeks ago New

Comments: Getting help in devops feature like CI pipeline is a good part. Efficient code reviews and solving problems are easy.

Pros:

1. This product is absolutely helpful to handle code-related issues, and errors and being a part of discussions to work on matters easily. 2. Running and managing CI/CD is super easy. 3. A very user-friendly environment and easy customization options are available.

Cons:

1. Little bit complex to start without any prior experience. 2. UI is complex and can be improved.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Information Technology & Services, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

GitLab integration at a project

5.0 last month New

Pros:

Easy to integrate with development SDLC in the project

Cons:

So far, so good. A good addition is an available extensive documentation

Gregory
Software Engineer in UK
Computer Software, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

A good product if you stay within its limits

4.0 11 months ago

Comments: I would not choose Gitlab over Github if I have a choice because the CI system on Github is better and so many people know how to use Github that it's just a better place for open source software I believe. If I am working on closed-source software and Gitlab has already been selected then I wouldn't object, it'll get the job done well.

Pros:

I like Gitlab in most ways. It has great task management that integrates well with code changes. As a Git server, it does everything you need. It's relatively easy to administrate. If you stick with the well-supported features then Gitlab will serve you well.

Cons:

The technology is showing its age and can be frustrating to use. Integrating custom runners can be shockingly painful. I have run into UI bugs that allow tasks to be run before their dependencies are met which has caused serious release problems. Designing pipelines without a system like Github actions is incredibly fiddly and error prone.

BISWAMITRA
Teaching Assistant in India
Computer & Network Security, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

GitLab: Next gen Collaboration Tool

5.0 last year

Comments: Overall it is a 8.7 out of 10 experience, considering the average to be 5. It is better than some of the platforms in many terms, but till lagging some level of scalebility.

Pros:

It offers an all-in-one platform that includes version control, issue tracking, continuous integration, and more. It excels at managing Git repositories, allowing for easy branching, merging, and version control. It has robust access control features, allowing administrators to manage user roles, permissions, and project visibility.

Cons:

It is resource-intensive, especially for larger projects or organizations. It is hard to initially learn the tools and technologies. The UI/UX is less tempting.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Information Technology & Services, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

The UI is easy for beginners to understand, and pipeline management is convenient.

5.0 5 months ago

Comments: When undertaking any development project, people generally think of GitLab and GitHub for code management and CI/CD tools. However, considerations regarding UI and the speed of catching up are often overlooked. I would like to share my thoughts on these aspects.

Pros:

Having used both GitHub and GitLab, I found that GitLab stands out with its beginner-friendly UI and easy-to-use pipeline management. The reason is that I prioritize how quickly someone can catch up when joining a new project and using a tool. In this aspect, I highly recommend GitLab.

Cons:

While this doesn't affect enterprise plans, the free plan has some limitations. Additionally, unlike other software, it lacks substantial community support.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Software, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

CI is outstanding in Gitlab

5.0 3 months ago

Pros:

I am fan of Gitlab CI, it's highly robust and highly reliable.

Cons:

No public repository options like Github

Stéphane
DevOps Engineer in France
Oil & Energy, 5,001–10,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

GitLab is a great tool to version your code

5.0 4 months ago

Pros:

The GitLab CI feature made deployments a lot quicker and simpler.

Cons:

It didn't integrate natively with AWS's CodePipeline service a couple of years ago.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Research, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Great way for git-based source code management on the premises

4.0 last year

Comments: I'd say maybe 5+ years ago, this was probably the only real alternative to GitHub that you can host on your own server. This was important for certain projects that had strict privacy restrictions. At that time, occasionally updates may break some parts of the GitHub service causing some down time and requiring a bit IT-debugging efforts. These days this doesn't happen so much. Overall, pretty satisfied.

Pros:

Highly customizable and gives a pretty close experience to GitHub but with ability to host the service on your own server.

Cons:

Not a lot to dislike except when some updates break things causing down times on your own repositories. This was a few years ago though, it's much better nowadays.

Matt
Development Team Leader in Ireland
Computer Software, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

My favourite source control management tool

5.0 9 months ago

Pros:

I came to GitLab years ago from Subversion. The adoption was instant and I never looked back. I had to use other technology for different projects, such as Azure, which still packs a punch but cannot be compared to Gitlab in terms of simplicity, clarity and ease of use. Gitlab i still my go-to source control management tool.

Cons:

Very little, everything was making sense to me and was easy to find.

Isam
Trainee Engineer in India
Automotive, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

GitLab: Efficient and Collaborative Software Development Platform

5.0 last year

Comments: GitLab is a handy tool for making software. It helps keep track of changes to the project, makes it easier to test and fix problems, and even has tools for keeping the project secure. Everything is in one place, so it's easier to organize. Some people might find it a bit tricky at first, but with practice, it becomes more straightforward. Whether for big companies or small groups, GitLab is a useful friend for building software.

Pros:

GitLab stands out because it's an all-in-one platform for software development. It covers everything from storing code to testing, security, and teamwork. Developers in my team work together more easily and efficiently. GitLab also supports automation and follows best practices, making it great for speeding up development and ensuring good software quality. It's user-friendly, versatile, and works well for various types of projects.

Cons:

One common drawback of GitLab is its relatively steeper learning curve, especially for new users or smaller teams. The platform's extensive feature set can be overwhelming, and the complexity of its interface may require some time to become proficient.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Information Technology & Services, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

From planning your project to publishing it on GitLab

4.0 8 months ago

Comments: I’ve been using GitLab for quite a few time, but it’s been really useful, all this time, the integration of AI has been helping me a lot, the authentication system adds a lot more of security.

Pros:

The way you can easily work with your coworkers, how you can organize your projects, it has AI integration, supports hundreds of plugins and more.

Cons:

It’s a little bit expensive but the free trial does the necessary function.

Balayo
Balayo
Software Tool consultancy in Uganda
Verified LinkedIn User
Information Technology & Services, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

The One Of the Repositories and Project Collaboration

4.0 7 months ago

Comments: Great software since it covers a scope of features.

Pros:

1. It Offers a free Version which cover most of the project collaboration features, which is great for Startups like golden mist Software. 2. Allows Integrations with other third-party software like JIRA allowing a comprehensive overview of the development environment

Cons:

1. The licensed version with much more improved features seem a bit expensive for the small startups. 2. Complicated to install for one without the expertise.

Arjan
Webdeveloper in Netherlands
Program Development, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Great tool for collaboration and development

5.0 3 months ago

Comments: I am very happy with GitLab it is a great alternative to GitHub

Pros:

Easy version control, Deployment is simple.

Cons:

When working as a team you have to have strict rules to prevent a mess.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Information Technology & Services, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

GitLab review

5.0 3 months ago

Pros:

It is a great tool for collaboration between development team members. It has lots of nice useful features.

Cons:

I did not encounter any issues with GitLab.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Financial Services, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Important for successful code deployments.

4.0 last year

Comments: GitLab helps to streamline our development workflows, enhances team collaboration, improve code quality, ensure security and compliance, and simplifies our overall deployment processes.

Pros:

I like that GitLab incorporates a variety of security scanning tools, including static application security testing (SAST), dynamic application security testing (DAST), and container scanning into our development process . These tools help to analyze our code and our application's runtime behavior to identify potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses.

Cons:

GitLab lacks the ability to be a full project management software. Thus , for projects that involves extensive collaborations with teams outside our development team, Gitlab needs to be integrated with a standard project management tool.

Barnabe
Developper in France
Information Technology & Services, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

A good Git system

5.0 4 months ago

Comments: It is a good experience, with all required features.

Pros:

Gitlab just works well. No major issues, open source and got all important features.

Cons:

The UI is less intuitive than the Github one

Anthony
Anthony
IT Technical Project Manager in UK
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Hardware, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Makes Source Code and Project Management easy for your team

5.0 last year

Comments: GitLab provides an excellent solution to our teams source code management and provides the tools we need to work with agile project management using boards to organise and schedule work for the project.

Pros:

I liked that it was possible to have GitLab installed on-premise rather than being forced to use the Cloud version, don't get me wrong Cloud services have their place but sometimes you just have to keep things local.The GUI is also something that I find intuitive to use and this helps to ensure that we use it to the best of it's ability in terms of project management.

Cons:

It can take some getting used to the workflow that GitLab likes to use if you have not used a tool like this before and I find that the structure of their tutorials is difficult to work with.Maybe I have missed something in their website, but they could improve the learning resources.