My most common use cases for GitLab are development and managing repositories, primarily focused on code development work.
GitLab Ultimate Self-Managed
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Project management integration and development simplicity drive efficiency
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The features that are really useful for my use case generally include pulling, merging, and ensuring the pipeline is upright, which are very intuitive.
It helped me personally and my team to save time and money.
In terms of impact from using GitLab as an all-in-one DevOps platform, it helped with my project development life cycle.
What needs improvement?
Regarding improvements, making task management is something that GitLab can potentially make easier, similar to what DevOps or Jira does.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with GitLab for about two years.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
The deployment and initial setup were not difficult for me to complete. The pipeline management was easy.
The setup process took less than an hour.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In terms of project management overall, I haven't faced any issues such as downtimes or losing the repository.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't contacted technical support of GitLab.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
When comparing GitLab with GitHub, I haven't really seen any noticeable difference.
What other advice do I have?
I have worked with Azure DevOps before and found it really intuitive to use.
I have used GitHub and GitLab as well, and I find that they've been fairly intuitive to use.
Regarding GitLab, I purchased an enterprise license, though I'm not aware whether I or my company bought this license from AWS Marketplace or elsewhere.
I'm not aware of any integration with other tools or third-party applications.
I haven't faced any difficulties with user interface or deployment.
On a scale of 1-10, I rate GitLab an 8.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Development workflows improve with effective code reviews and user-friendly interface
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case for GitLab involves software development, such as storing sources, automation, and pipelines.
What is most valuable?
The features I find most useful for our development workflows include Git, merges, branches, code reviews, and pipelines. The code review tool is pretty good, and its general usability is commendable when compared to GitHub. It is user-friendly, easy to use, and easy to administer. GitLab handles a significant amount of repositories, sources, and users effectively without data loss, even though it may slow down occasionally.
What needs improvement?
One significant feature we lack is the configuration that enforces code reviews, which simplifies the development life cycle. Unfortunately, this is available only at a higher license level than we currently use. Additionally, improvements are needed for stability, as the system tends to degrade over a few days and often requires a restart.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with GitLab for approximately six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The self-hosted version of GitLab is not very stable when under load. It slows down and requires restarts every few days. The updates are frequent and demanding, happening at least once a week due to security reasons. While understandable, this often breaks running pipelines.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In terms of scalability, GitLab in the cloud is easy to scale, but the self-hosted version is moderately easy, requiring some skills.
How are customer service and support?
We have contacted support in a couple of situations, and they were responsive and okay.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have used Subversion, GitHub, and GitLab.
How was the initial setup?
The cloud-based setup is straightforward and easy. However, self-hosted setup is complex, requiring good DevOps and significant orchestration.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing and cost are on par with other tools and are neither too expensive nor cheap.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have evaluated Subversion, GitHub, and GitLab.
What other advice do I have?
For those wanting to use GitLab, I recommend going with the cloud version as self-hosting is problematic. I rate GitLab an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Improved agility and time to market with CI/CD enhancements
What is our primary use case?
We use GitLab for deploying our applications into different environments. It serves as more of a DevOps platform.
What is most valuable?
The CI/CD pipelines in GitLab are highly valuable. Another important feature is the single source of repository, allowing efficient repository management and source code management. GitLab provides manageability by allowing us to manage source code effectively through separate repositories. Additionally, GitLab enables the creation of individual CI/CD pipelines for each repository, making software more agile. By integrating GitLab as a DevOps platform, we have enhanced agility, improved our time to market, and different teams can work collaboratively on various projects.
What needs improvement?
GitLab should embed security features when dealing with source code. It is essential to conduct proper testing, such as unit tests and code coverage, within the SDLC pipelines. Incorporating tools like JMeter or load testing into the pipelines would be beneficial.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with GitLab for around four to five years.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
The deployment process with GitLab takes approximately half an hour to forty-five minutes, which is not very time-consuming.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have no complaints regarding stability. GitLab maintains an availability of 99% plus.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Currently, GitLab is not easy to scale because GitLab has specific deployment instructions. We deploy it on one of the VMs. For scaling, other deployment options from GitLab's side need to be adopted. Vertical scaling is different from horizontal scaling, and there are different types of scalability.
How are customer service and support?
GitLab's support is very helpful. They utilize a severity and priority ticket system, with corresponding SLAs, to address our inquiries efficiently. The support team is quite knowledgeable.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used Jenkins. However, GitLab is a better tool because Jenkins requires different plugins which need to be installed and managed individually, whereas GitLab is a more complete DevOps platform, requiring minimal integration.
How was the initial setup?
GitLab is easy to set up, with guided instructions and documentation making the process straightforward. On a scale from one to ten, I would rate the ease of setup as eight.
What was our ROI?
Since adopting GitLab as a DevOps platform within the entire SDLC process, we have become more agile and improved our overall time to market.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
GitLab is somewhat expensive. The cost depends on the subscription plan adopted, such as premium or ultimate, typically charged per user.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Jenkins is another tool I evaluated before choosing GitLab.
What other advice do I have?
GitLab is a great tool that simplifies management and reliability. It allows the creation of individual CI/CD pipelines for different repositories, enhancing agility and helping software development teams expedite market delivery. I rate GitLab nine out of ten in overall satisfaction. My overall rating for GitLab is 9.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Streamlined collaboration with room for better project planning features
What is our primary use case?
The broad use of GitLab is for code check-ins, but I also use it for issue management and backlog management. It has integration with testing tools as well, and I utilize those features. GitLab supports code collaboration alongside issue and backlog management. Everyone within my team or pod, as we call it, can see each other's issues. The scrum master can look at the velocity and the burn-down charts.
What is most valuable?
I find all the CICD pipelines valuable, along with the simplicity it offers developers. When comparing it, certain features available in Jira are not present. Specifically, the ability to have weights at the milestone and epic levels does not exist. However, the security features are good and restrictive.
What needs improvement?
Certain features in Jira are not available in GitLab, such as the functionality to have weights at the milestone and epic levels. Hopefully, these features will be resolved with work items in GitLab. Also, if the child items are open in GitLab, closing the parent should not be allowed. While GitLab is a great tool for developers, it lacks project planner features. Roadmaps and Gantt charts in GitLab are not as advanced as in Jira, and changing start and end dates is more laborious in GitLab. Bridging the gap for project planners would make GitLab a more complete tool.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for about a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not really encountered stability issues. I would rate it probably an eight.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would say the solution is easy to scale.
How are customer service and support?
I do not have direct contact with customer service. We have relationship managers who deal with GitLab directly.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was relatively easy.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
In my company, the number of users is around ten thousand. If we are talking about my project, the figure is probably more around the three hundred mark, but it will grow to about six hundred users. In my company, that figure would be anything between five and ten thousand people.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate it an eight out of ten. Also, maybe, if GitLab is supporting any AI-driven projects or if it has any automation elements, it supports them. We have AI-driven projects where the code is stored in GitLab. GitLab Copilot is something we are looking to introduce soon. If you want to maintain your issues in GitLab and raise your book of work and features, then GitLab is a great tool for collaboration and integration with code deployment and CICD pipelines.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Deployment time is reduced significantly with improved security features
What is our primary use case?
We use CI/CD for producing a Docker image. Afterward, we use Argo CD with Helm for deployment on OpenShift. Initially, we had the open-source version, however, we upgraded to the Ultimate version for security scanning and other features.
What is most valuable?
The CI/CD pipeline with Helm has significantly improved deployment speed and efficiency. Before using this solution, our deployments took four to five hours. Now, we can deploy applications in ten minutes. The Ultimate version offers enhanced features for security scanning through DAST and SAST analysis, which have greatly benefitted our project workflow.
What needs improvement?
The licensing model could be improved to be more accommodating in terms of user numbers and costs. This would serve more users better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with GitLab for three years.
How are customer service and support?
We use a partner, and they are very competent. We have not had the need to open a support ticket directly with GitLab.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before GitLab, we used Jenkins. We used GitLab as a Git repository and Jenkins for pipelines. With Jenkins, we produce Docker images and conduct tests and compile Java projects.
What was our ROI?
We have saved time significantly, reducing deployment time from four hours to five minutes per deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is high, and it limits user accessibility. When we shifted from the open-source to the Ultimate version, we had to reduce the number of users due to the licensing model.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate other options as we are currently satisfied with GitLab.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend GitLab for security features and rate it eight out of ten.
However, the licensing model could be more flexible to accommodate a broader user base. I especially recommend it for public companies and government-related entities.
Streamline building and deployment processes with user-friendly integration
What is our primary use case?
I am using GitLab primarily as a code repository and for CI/CD tools and deployments.
What is most valuable?
The feature I appreciate the most about GitLab is its ease of use and compatibility, which allows for straightforward building and deployment processes.
Continuous integration with deployment is very powerful, which is a significant reason for migrating from TFS to GitLab. Its documentation is extensive, and YAML files are user-friendly, making the deployment process more or less straightforward.
What needs improvement?
There are missing search features, particularly when searching repositories or applying filters. Additionally, I have encountered issues with the deployment of CI/CD pipelines, especially dealing with variable environments.
Creating a YAML file with numerous variables can be challenging without a way to separate them by different environments. It would be beneficial to have a user-friendly interface for setting up these configurations, instead of just writing YAML files.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with GitLab for a little over a year as I transition from TFS.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of GitLab is impressive. Everything, including runners, functions smoothly without any issues.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support from GitLab has been satisfactory. I have had meetings where they taught me, explained things, and provided guidance for starting from scratch. Overall, my experience has been pretty good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I am transitioning from TFS to GitLab, mainly due to the powerful continuous integration capabilities of GitLab.
What about the implementation team?
Currently, I have two developers partially dedicated to creating the CI/CDs, Firebend, and repositories.
What was our ROI?
Migrating to GitLab is bringing time-saving benefits, and everything is easier to automate. This transition is crucial for us.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing of GitLab is reasonable, aligning with what I consider to be average compared to competitors.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I am migrating from TFS to GitLab.
What other advice do I have?
I would appreciate some AI-driven helpers, similar to Visual Studio's Copilot, integrated into GitLab. This could enhance the user experience by providing assistance during configuration. I rate GitLab a nine out of ten points.
Seamless integration and automation accelerate time to market
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
GitLab's source control is excellent. Having the source control and pipeline in the same platform makes integration seamless. It is already integrated, with no need to configure any webhooks or other settings.
Implementing CI/CD with GitLab has accelerated the time to market significantly. As we implement automated testing and DevSecOps, it speeds up the process by forty to sixty percent.
What needs improvement?
GitLab should enhance its GitOps capability as they are currently using FluxCD, however, Argo CD is better and offers more features. GitLab should work on improving their user interface for GitOps as it is lagging behind.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with GitLab for more than three years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
GitLab is very stable with no issues in performance or availability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
GitLab is highly scalable, but in our current architecture using Docker containers, it isn't. That is why we're transitioning to OpenShift for future scalability with increased user numbers.
How are customer service and support?
I have interacted with architects for some advice during the implementation, and they were prompt in their response. However, I have not had to open any support tickets yet.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have worked with several CI/CD tools, including Jenkins, Azure DevOps, Tekton, and Jenkins. GitLab CI is more powerful than Jenkins and Azure DevOps and comparable to Tekton.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of GitLab was straightforward. We have it installed as a Linux package and as a Docker container, which took very little time.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have used Tekton before, the vanilla version on Kubernetes and Red Hat's version of the pipeline.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I recommend GitLab to other DevOps teams due to its powerful CI capabilities and having most tools you need on the same platform. It enables seamless integration and automation. I rate GitLab nine out of ten.
Robust software development tool with excellent new features and good support
What is our primary use case?
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.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
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.
For how long have I used the solution?
GitLab was resold for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable, and there have been no noted glitches or latency issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is easy to scale.
How are customer service and support?
Customer service and support are good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously we worked as resellers of other IT software like Snyk and Aqua Cloud Security.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is medium in terms of difficulty. It's neither too easy nor too difficult.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing is relatively expensive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Previously explored solutions like Snyk and Aqua Cloud Security.
What other advice do I have?
GitLab is a very good solution.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Used for CI/CD, integration, and deployment
What is most valuable?
We use GitLab in the new project for CI/CD, integration, and deployment.
What needs improvement?
You need to have a good knowledge of the product in order to use it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using GitLab for six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
GitLab is a stable solution, and we haven’t faced any bugs.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Around 40 people are using the solution in our organization.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used SVN and Jenkins. We switched to GitLab because it is an advanced tool with many new features.
How was the initial setup?
The solution's initial setup is easy if you follow the official document.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We are using the free version of GitLab.
What other advice do I have?
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.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Works as a source code manager or version control manager
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution as a source code manager or version control manager.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
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.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the product for more than six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The tool's technical support is great.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is free.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the overall product an eight out of ten.
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