Introduction to GitLab
GitLab is more than just a Git repository hosting service—it's a complete DevOps platform that helps teams manage their entire software development lifecycle in one place. Unlike GitHub, which focuses primarily on code hosting and collaboration, GitLab provides an integrated experience with built-in CI/CD, issue tracking, security scanning, and deployment automation.
In this guide, we'll break down:
✅ What GitLab is and how it works
✅ Key differences between GitLab and GitHub
✅ When to choose GitLab over GitHub
✅ How GitLab streamlines development and deployments
By the end, you'll have a clear understanding of when and why to use GitLab for your projects.
What is GitLab?
GitLab is an open-source Git-based platform that provides:
- Source code management (SCM) - Securely host and manage Git repositories.
- Built-in CI/CD pipelines - Automate builds, testing, and deployments with
.gitlab-ci.yml. - Issue tracking and project management - Plan, track, and manage development work.
- Security and compliance features - Scan code for vulnerabilities and enforce security policies.
- Self-hosting options - Deploy GitLab on your own infrastructure or use GitLab.com.
Unlike GitHub, which is primarily cloud-based, GitLab gives teams more flexibility by offering both cloud-hosted and self-hosted options.
GitLab vs. GitHub: Key Differences
While both GitLab and GitHub provide Git repository hosting, their approach to CI/CD, security, and DevOps integration is quite different.
| Feature | GitLab | GitHub |
|---|---|---|
| Source Code Hosting | Git-based repository hosting | Git-based repository hosting |
| CI/CD Pipelines | Built-in CI/CD (GitLab CI/CD) | GitHub Actions (separate feature) |
| Self-Hosting | ✅ Yes (GitLab Community & Enterprise Editions) | ❌ No (Self-hosting not available) |
| Pricing for Private Repos | Free for unlimited private repos & users | Free for private repos, limited team size |
| Built-in Security Tools | ✅ Yes (SAST, DAST, Dependency Scanning) | ❌ No built-in security scanning |
| Project Management | ✅ Advanced issue tracking, roadmaps, kanban | ✅ Issues, kanban, basic project tracking |
| DevOps Integration | ✅ End-to-end DevOps platform | 🔹 Code hosting with DevOps integrations |
When to Choose GitLab Over GitHub?
Choosing between GitLab and GitHub isn't just about where your code lives—it's about how your team develops, tests, and deploys software. While both platforms offer Git-based version control, the decision often comes down to what features you need and how much control you want over your infrastructure.
If built-in CI/CD is a priority for your team, GitLab is the better choice. With GitLab CI/CD, you don't need to set up external automation tools—you can define pipelines directly inside your repository, making it easier to automate builds, testing, and deployments without relying on third-party integrations.
For teams that need self-hosting, GitLab also stands out. Unlike GitHub, which is cloud-only, GitLab allows you to run a self-hosted instance on your own infrastructure. This can be critical for organizations with strict security policies, regulatory requirements, or a need to control where data is stored. Whether you're deploying GitLab on a private server, a cloud VM, or Kubernetes, you get full control over your repositories, CI/CD pipelines, and security policies.
Speaking of security, GitLab has built-in security scanning tools that GitHub doesn't offer natively. With static analysis, dependency scanning, and container vulnerability detection, GitLab is a strong choice for teams working in regulated industries or those looking to bake security into their CI/CD pipelines.
That said, GitHub is still a great choice, especially if you're already deeply integrated into its ecosystem. GitHub Actions provides powerful CI/CD automation, and the platform has a wider range of third-party integrations with tools like Jenkins, Travis CI, and Azure DevOps. If your workflow depends on these external services or if self-hosting isn't a concern, GitHub might be the simpler option.
At the end of the day, the best platform depends on your team's workflow. If you need a full DevOps platform with built-in CI/CD and security tools, GitLab is worth considering. If you prefer flexibility, third-party integrations, and a cloud-first approach, GitHub might be the way to go.
How GitLab Works
If you're familiar with GitHub, switching to GitLab won't feel too different—at least on the source code management side. Developers still clone repositories, create branches, and push commits, just like they would in any Git-based system. But GitLab takes things a step further by seamlessly integrating CI/CD, issue tracking, and security into the development workflow.
A typical GitLab workflow starts like this:
- Developers clone a repository and create a new branch for a feature or bug fix.
- Commits are pushed to GitLab, and a Merge Request (MR) is opened—GitLab's version of a Pull Request (PR).
- Reviewers provide feedback, and once approved, the MR is merged into the main branch.
- Before merging, GitLab CI/CD pipelines automatically run tests and security scans to catch issues early.
- If everything checks out, the code is deployed to staging or production, often as part of an automated pipeline.
This tight integration between Git, CI/CD, and security tools is what makes GitLab more than just a Git hosting platform. With GitHub, you often need to combine multiple services—like GitHub Actions for CI/CD, Dependabot for security scanning, and third-party issue trackers for project management. GitLab, on the other hand, provides all of these features in a single application, reducing complexity and making it easier for teams to manage everything in one place.