GitLab is a powerful and popular open-source platform for managing Git repositories. It provides a wide range of features and tools that can help you to better manage your codebase and collaborate with other developers. In this post, we’ll take a look at how to install and upgrade GitLab on a Ubuntu server.

Installing GitLab is a straightforward process, and it can be done in a few simple steps. The first step is to install the necessary dependencies, which include Git, PostgreSQL, and Redis. Once these dependencies are installed, you can proceed with the GitLab installation.

To install GitLab, you will need to download the package from the official website and install it using the package manager. The following is an example of how to install GitLab on Ubuntu 20.04:

wget https://packages.gitlab.com/install/repositories/gitlab/gitlab-ce/script.deb.sh
sudo bash script.deb.sh
sudo apt-get install gitlab-ce

Once GitLab is installed, you will need to configure it by editing the configuration file and setting up the necessary environment variables. You can also configure GitLab to use your desired external SMTP server to send emails.

To upgrade GitLab, you will need to download the latest package and install it using the package manager. The following is an example of how to upgrade GitLab on Ubuntu 20.04:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gitlab-ce

It’s important to note that before upgrading GitLab, you should make sure to backup your current installation and also check the release notes for any breaking changes or specific upgrade instructions.

After upgrading GitLab, you will need to run the following command to reconfigure GitLab with the new version:

sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure

It’s also recommended to check the status of your GitLab services after the upgrade and restart any service if necessary.

sudo gitlab-ctl status

In conclusion, GitLab is a powerful and popular platform for managing Git repositories, and installing and upgrading it on a Ubuntu server is a relatively simple process. By following the steps outlined in this post, you can quickly and easily install and upgrade GitLab on your server and start taking advantage of all of its features and tools.