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GitLab vs GitLab Pages: What are the differences?
Introduction\ GitLab is a web-based Git repository manager that provides a range of features for software development teams. GitLab Pages, on the other hand, is a feature of GitLab that allows users to host static websites directly from their GitLab repositories. In this markdown document, we will explore the key differences between GitLab and GitLab Pages.
Hosting Repositories vs. Hosting Websites\ GitLab primarily focuses on providing a platform for hosting and managing Git repositories. It offers a comprehensive set of features for code version control, issue tracking, continuous integration, and collaboration within development teams. On the other hand, GitLab Pages specifically caters to hosting static websites built using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It enables developers to showcase their projects or share documentation by rendering their repository's content as a live website.
Continuous Integration and Deployment\ GitLab offers robust continuous integration and deployment capabilities through its built-in CI/CD pipelines. With GitLab CI/CD, developers can automate the process of building, testing, and deploying their applications. On the other hand, while GitLab Pages also supports CI/CD pipelines, its focus is mainly on the deployment of static websites. It provides a convenient way to automatically build and deploy website changes whenever a new commit is pushed to the repository.
Custom Domains and SSL Certificates\ GitLab allows users to associate custom domains with their repositories, which means they can access their code using a unique domain name. However, for GitLab Pages, custom domains play a vital role in hosting static websites. Developers can link their custom domains to their GitLab Pages websites, making them accessible under a personalized URL. Additionally, GitLab also provides built-in support for SSL certificates, ensuring secure website communication for GitLab Pages users.
Built-in Markdown Rendering\ GitLab has a powerful built-in Markdown rendering engine, allowing users to write and preview Markdown content directly within its platform. While Markdown is commonly used in readme files and documentation, this feature is especially helpful for GitLab Pages users. They can utilize Markdown to create static website content, leveraging its structured markup capabilities to easily format text, insert images, create links, and more.
No Hosting Restrictions\ With GitLab, users have the flexibility to self-host their repositories on their own servers or choose to use GitLab's cloud-based SaaS solution. GitLab Pages, however, has certain hosting restrictions. In order to host a website using GitLab Pages, the repository must be stored on GitLab's servers, either in GitLab.com or self-hosted GitLab instances. This restriction ensures that the GitLab Pages infrastructure can seamlessly integrate with the underlying repository hosting platform.
Multiple Websites per Repository\ While GitLab allows users to host multiple repositories, with GitLab Pages, developers can host multiple websites within a single repository. This feature enables the creation of separate websites for different branches or projects within the same repository. It provides a convenient way to manage and deploy multiple websites without the need for separate repositories for each website.
In summary, GitLab focuses on hosting Git repositories and providing comprehensive development team collaboration features, while GitLab Pages specifically caters to hosting static websites built from those repositories, with features like custom domains, built-in Markdown rendering, and support for multiple websites per repository.
Do you review your Pull/Merge Request before assigning Reviewers?
If you work in a team opening a Pull Request (or Merge Request) looks appropriate. However, have you ever thought about opening a Pull/Merge Request when working by yourself? Here's a checklist of things you can review in your own:
- Pick the correct target branch
- Make Drafts explicit
- Name things properly
- Ask help for tools
- Remove the noise
- Fetch necessary data
- Understand Mergeability
- Pass the message
- Add screenshots
- Be found in the future
- Comment inline in your changes
Read the blog post for more detailed explanation for each item :D
What else do you review before asking for code review?
Using an inclusive language is crucial for fostering a diverse culture. Git has changed the naming conventions to be more language-inclusive, and so you should change. Our development tools, like GitHub and GitLab, already supports the change.
SourceLevel deals very nicely with repositories that changed the master branch to a more appropriate word. Besides, you can use the grep linter the look for exclusive terms contained in the source code.
As the inclusive language gap may happen in other aspects of our lives, have you already thought about them?
One of the magic tricks git performs is the ability to rewrite log history. You can do it in many ways, but git rebase -i
is the one I most use. With this command, It’s possible to switch commits order, remove a commit, squash two or more commits, or edit, for instance.
It’s particularly useful to run it before opening a pull request. It allows developers to “clean up” the mess and organize commits before submitting to review. If you follow the practice 3 and 4, then the list of commits should look very similar to a task list. It should reveal the rationale you had, telling the story of how you end up with that final code.
Out of most of the VCS solutions out there, we found Gitlab was the most feature complete with a free community edition. Their DevSecops offering is also a very robust solution. Gitlab CI/CD was quite easy to setup and the direct integration with your VCS + CI/CD is also a bonus. Out of the box integration with major cloud providers, alerting through instant messages etc. are all extremely convenient. We push our CI/CD updates to MS Teams.
Gitlab as A LOT of features that GitHub and Azure DevOps are missing. Even if both GH and Azure are backed by Microsoft, GitLab being open source has a faster upgrade rate and the hosted by gitlab.com solution seems more appealing than anything else! Quick win: the UI is way better and the Pipeline is way easier to setup on GitLab!
At DeployPlace we use self-hosted GitLab, we have chosen GitLab as most of us are familiar with it. We are happy with all features GitLab provides, I can’t imagine our life without integrated GitLab CI. Another important feature for us is integrated code review tool, we use it every day, we use merge requests, code reviews, branching. To be honest, most of us have GitHub accounts as well, we like to contribute in open source, and we want to be a part of the tech community, but lack of solutions from GitHub in the area of CI doesn’t let us chose it for our projects.
Pros of GitLab
- Self hosted508
- Free431
- Has community edition339
- Easy setup242
- Familiar interface240
- Includes many features, including ci137
- Nice UI113
- Good integration with gitlabci84
- Simple setup57
- Has an official mobile app35
- Free private repository34
- Continuous Integration31
- Open source, great ui (like github)23
- Slack Integration18
- Full CI flow15
- Free and unlimited private git repos11
- All in one (Git, CI, Agile..)10
- User, group, and project access management is simple10
- Intuitive UI8
- Built-in CI8
- Full DevOps suite with Git6
- Both public and private Repositories6
- Integrated Docker Registry5
- So easy to use5
- CI5
- Build/pipeline definition alongside code5
- It's powerful source code management tool5
- Dockerized4
- It's fully integrated4
- On-premises4
- Security and Stable4
- Unlimited free repos & collaborators4
- Not Microsoft Owned4
- Excellent4
- Issue system4
- Mattermost Chat client4
- Great for team collaboration3
- Free private repos3
- Because is the best remote host for git repositories3
- Built-in Docker Registry3
- Opensource3
- Low maintenance cost due omnibus-deployment3
- I like the its runners and executors feature3
- Beautiful2
- Groups of groups2
- Multilingual interface2
- Powerful software planning and maintaining tools2
- Review Apps feature2
- Kubernetes integration with GitLab CI2
- One-click install through DigitalOcean2
- Powerful Continuous Integration System2
- It includes everything I need, all packaged with docker2
- The dashboard with deployed environments2
- HipChat intergration2
- Many private repo2
- Kubernetes Integration2
- Published IP list for whitelisting (gl-infra#434)2
- Wounderful2
- Native CI2
- Supports Radius/Ldap & Browser Code Edits1
Pros of GitLab Pages
- Free5
- Integrated build and release pipeline4
- Allows any custom build scripts and plugins2
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Cons of GitLab
- Slow ui performance28
- Introduce breaking bugs every release9
- Insecure (no published IP list for whitelisting)6
- Built-in Docker Registry2
- Review Apps feature1
Cons of GitLab Pages
- Require Jekyll approach1
- Slow builds0