I use GitLab to manage our development lifecycle. We use it to store code and automate our CI/CD pipeline. Once developers commit their code, the CI/CD pipeline automatically starts, supporting development through various stages. It is part of our software development life cycle.

GitLab enhances productivity and reduces time since many tasks are automated. I appreciate the team collaboration it offers, enabling multiple people to work on the same Git repository seamlessly. 

Additionally, it streamlines our DevOps processes with automated CI/CD pipelines.

There are some challenges with repository file management as GitLab may struggle to manage larger files. Improvements could be made regarding size management and file partitioning. 

Also, the UI has remained the same for a couple of years and could benefit from an update with AI features and better customization.

I have been using GitLab for three or four years.

I have not encountered any performance or stability issues with GitLab so far. It has remained stable and reliable.

GitLab is scalable as multiple users can simultaneously access it without issues.

We have rarely needed to escalate issues to technical support since GitLab usually runs seamlessly. Occasionally, issues might arise if the URL isn't up or due to server problems.

Positive

I have worked with Bitbucket. In comparison, GitLab is more advanced, particularly in terms of cloud capabilities.

Setting up GitLab is smooth and straightforward. There is no complexity as long as you're familiar with the basics. A simple code can be reused, facilitating easy installation and use.

GitLab is mostly free, with potential costs arising from upgrade versions. There is a trial period of about six months during which it is free. Afterward, fees apply.

I have experience with Bitbucket and Jenkins, and both serve as alternatives to GitLab for version control and CI/CD pipelines.

I recommend GitLab for DevOps engineers. It is easy and fast to use. While Jenkins is also good for understanding, GitLab offers an easier user experience. I rate GitLab as ten on a scale of one to ten.

We were using GitLab as a repository for our project. Whenever we were developing anything, we would commit our codes there. 

We used it for creating branches, merging branches, and comparing branches to resolve conflicts during code committing. We configured the CI/CD pipeline to automate our deployment process. We also utilized it in conjunction with tools like Octopus and OpenShift.

GitLab helped us streamline our code-committing and versioning process. It provided better user-friendly solutions for comparing and resolving conflicts when committing code. 

The CI/CD pipeline setup was straightforward and required fewer commands, making it simpler to use compared to Tekton. This efficiency in code management and deployment contributed to smoother operations in our projects.

The most valuable aspects of GitLab are the ability to create branches, merge branches, and compare branches to resolve code conflicts. 

The documentation provided by GitLab is very comprehensive, which is useful for resolving queries. GitLab's logs are also beneficial for tracking the status of our CI/CD pipeline.

GitLab can improve its user interface to make conflict resolution more user-friendly. Better and more descriptive logs during CI/CD pipeline configuration would also be beneficial to diagnose issues more quickly. 

Sometimes, the logs provided are not sufficient to understand the errors, and we needed assistance from our DevOps team.

I have been using GitLab for around four to five years.

I have not experienced any performance or stability issues with GitLab so far.

GitLab is scalable and works well with multiple environments. It integrates well with other tools. It has all the features required for our coding and deployment needs, which makes it scalable to our changing requirements.

I did not have the opportunity to engage with GitLab's technical support as I did not encounter any issues requiring escalation.

Neutral

The initial setup was straightforward. There were no challenges beyond typical configuration, and the documentation was adequate.

Our DevOps team handled most of the configuration work, and we, as developers, made changes only occasionally for personal use scenarios.

I have never paid for using GitLab personally, as it is free for our usage purposes. Even when working in other small organizations, we opted for GitLab as it was cost-efficient.

I would recommend GitLab to others because it is free and user-friendly. It provides all the necessary functionalities we need.

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.

GitLab is predominantly used for software development and practicing DevOps. GitLab CI/CD is one of the best features, and the solution is used primarily for software development.

GitLab is robust software and easy to use. There is excellent documentation available on their site but it can be overwhelming for early learners. 

They incorporate new features every September, and they have introduced their own code editor and AI features.

The pricing has been substantially increased, which is a major concern. While GitLab has a lot of documentation, the complexity and volume can be overwhelming, especially for new learners. Structuring the documentation more effectively could help alleviate this issue.

GitLab was resold for approximately two years.

The solution is stable, and there have been no noted glitches or latency issues.

The solution is easy to scale.

Customer service and support are good.

Positive

Previously we worked as resellers of other IT software like Snyk and Aqua Cloud Security.

The initial setup is medium in terms of difficulty. It's neither too easy nor too difficult.

Pricing is relatively expensive.

Previously explored solutions like Snyk and Aqua Cloud Security.

GitLab is a very good solution.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

We use GitLab in the new project for CI/CD, integration, and deployment.

You need to have a good knowledge of the product in order to use it.

I have been using GitLab for six months.

GitLab is a stable solution, and we haven’t faced any bugs.

Around 40 people are using the solution in our organization.

We previously used SVN and Jenkins. We switched to GitLab because it is an advanced tool with many new features.

The solution's initial setup is easy if you follow the official document.

We are using the free version of GitLab.

I am working with the latest version of GitLab. I would recommend the solution to other users based on their requirements. It is easy to learn to use GitLab if you understand Git commands.

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

We use the solution as a source code manager or version control manager.

In our software development lifecycle, GitLab is used as a component for code repository management. We use GitLab for several projects to handle code repositories. For other software projects, we use Bitbucket, but the use case for both is very similar.

Many global users prefer GitLab for its enhanced pipeline automation for CI/CD features. It stands out among source code managers due to its parent-child pipeline feature. If users want to leverage this feature, they should consider using it. It’s not the only platform with this capability, but GitLab excels in automating many operations and offers integration with other platforms.

The solution supports platforms like Azure, GCP, and AWS. This capability makes it a preferred choice, even though other platforms also offer similar integration features. Additionally, GitLab’s tendency to be independent of ownership by another major company makes it an attractive option for many developers who prefer cloud usage

The tool's UI is good. 

In the next release, I would like to see GitLab expand its integration capabilities to include platforms like DigitalOcean, which developers widely use for cloud infrastructure. Enhancing CI/CD automation features specifically tailored for DigitalOcean would be beneficial. 

I have been working with the product for more than six months. 

The solution is stable. 

The product is scalable. 

The tool's technical support is great. 

The solution is free. 

I rate the overall product an eight out of ten. 

When a developer checks in code, it is automatically built and deployed, and automated test cases are also run. We have extensive integration with GitLab, which helps us with source code management. We run the static code analysis using SonarQube. 

Technologies are always changing. Nowadays, new things like serverless computing and workload management have emerged. We have noticed a few gap items for faster service delivery. For example, we do user interface testing in the latest team and automate it using some tools. Recently, we integrated a tool with user interface testing, which can simulate a multi-user environment. So, we would like to see more integration with different platforms.

We normally do load testing for an hour, extending that load with two or three different use cases. We increase the load by two or three times to check how the application responds. This helps us see if the application can withstand increased load, though it may reject messages or requests when it can't handle two to three times the normal load.

We do endurance or soak testing by leaving the system at the rated load, like 300 requests per second, for 12-16 hours to observe stability. We monitor for CPU leakage, memory leakage, queue building, and similar issues. If there are any problems, we fine-tune and fix them. For performance testing, we test at multiple levels: one at the service level and two at the system level. We normally don't test at the integration level.

My company has 90 users. 

The solution's deployment is straightforward. We have containerized applications that are deployed to the environment. 

GitLab was deployed in-house. 

The main value and impact of using the product are significant. We create and maintain vulnerability-free software by integrating tools like ManageEngine, which periodically patches our runtime environments, including operating systems, kernels, and software. Additionally, we run automated Nessus scans periodically, every week and day, to identify new vulnerabilities even after applying patches.

I rate the overall solution an eight out of ten. 

We do two levels of security scanning. One is at the build level, where we integrate with security packages and use tools like OWASP for top vulnerability compliance. This ensures that all third-party tools, like Tomcat and JBoss, are scanned as part of the build.

The second level is a reactive scan at runtime. We scan Oracle clients, JDKs, JBoss, Tomcat, Log4j, and other components during runtime. We also consider the operating system's security. Before we complete software testing, we use Nessus to perform a runtime security scan.

The solution's most valuable features are pipelines. GitLab allows you to automate things and show them diagrammatically.

The solution is much harder to get around and organize extra features. It has fewer options, and its UI is not so user-friendly.

I have been using GitLab for one year.

GitLab is a very stable solution.

I rate the solution’s stability an eight out of ten.

I rate the solution’s scalability a seven out of ten.

Although the solution's documentation is publicly available, you have to invest much more time to read everything and understand how to get around.

On a scale from one to ten, where one is very easy and ten is difficult, I rate the solution's initial setup a six to seven out of ten.

The solution's pricing is acceptable.

On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a six out of ten.

I got familiar with the CI part of the tool. If you want to use all the features for testing and packaging, you have to use the paid version.

Overall, I rate the solution a six out of ten.