---
comments: false
---

# GitLab Documentation

Welcome to [GitLab](https://about.gitlab.com/), a Git-based fully featured
platform for software development!

GitLab offers the most scalable Git-based fully integrated platform for
software development, with flexible products and subscriptions.
To understand what features you have access to, check the [GitLab subscriptions](#gitlab-subscriptions) below.

## Shortcuts to GitLab's most visited docs

| [GitLab CI/CD](ci/README.md) | Other |
| :----- | :----- |
| [Quick start guide](ci/quick_start/README.md) | [API](api/README.md) |
| [Configuring `.gitlab-ci.yml`](ci/yaml/README.md) | [SSH authentication](ssh/README.md) |
| [Using Docker images](ci/docker/using_docker_images.md) | [GitLab Pages](user/project/pages/index.md) |

- [User documentation](user/index.md)
- [Administrator documentation](administration/index.md)
- [Contributor documentation](#contributor-documentation)

## Getting started with GitLab

- [GitLab Basics](gitlab-basics/README.md): Start working on your command line and on GitLab.
- [GitLab Workflow](workflow/README.md): Enhance your workflow with the best of GitLab Workflow.
  - See also [GitLab Workflow - an overview](https://about.gitlab.com/2016/10/25/gitlab-workflow-an-overview/).
- [GitLab Markdown](user/markdown.md): GitLab's advanced formatting system (GitLab Flavored Markdown).
- [GitLab Quick Actions](user/project/quick_actions.md): Textual shortcuts for common actions on issues or merge requests that are usually done by clicking buttons or dropdowns in GitLab's UI.
- [Auto DevOps](topics/autodevops/index.md)

### User account

- [User account](user/profile/index.md): Manage your account
  - [Authentication](topics/authentication/index.md): Account security with two-factor authentication, setup your ssh keys and deploy keys for secure access to your projects.
  - [Profile settings](user/profile/index.md#profile-settings): Manage your profile settings, two factor authentication and more.
- [User permissions](user/permissions.md): Learn what each role in a project (external/guest/reporter/developer/master/owner) can do.

### Projects and groups

- [Projects](user/project/index.md):
  - [Project settings](user/project/settings/index.md)
  - [Create a project](gitlab-basics/create-project.md)
  - [Fork a project](gitlab-basics/fork-project.md)
  - [Importing and exporting projects between instances](user/project/settings/import_export.md).
  - [Project access](public_access/public_access.md): Setting up your project's visibility to public, internal, or private.
  - [GitLab Pages](user/project/pages/index.md): Build, test, and deploy your static website with GitLab Pages.
- [Groups](user/group/index.md): Organize your projects in groups.
  - [Subgroups](user/group/subgroups/index.md)
- [Search through GitLab](user/search/index.md): Search for issues, merge requests, projects, groups, todos, and issues in Issue Boards.
- [Snippets](user/snippets.md): Snippets allow you to create little bits of code.
- [Wikis](user/project/wiki/index.md): Enhance your repository documentation with built-in wikis.

### Repository

Manage your [repositories](user/project/repository/index.md) from the UI (user interface):

- [Files](user/project/repository/index.md#files)
  - [Create a file](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#create-a-file)
  - [Upload a file](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#upload-a-file)
  - [File templates](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#template-dropdowns)
  - [Create a directory](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#create-a-directory)
  - [Start a merge request](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#tips) (when committing via UI)
- [Branches](user/project/repository/branches/index.md)
  - [Default branch](user/project/repository/branches/index.md#default-branch)
  - [Create a branch](user/project/repository/web_editor.md#create-a-new-branch)
  - [Protected branches](user/project/protected_branches.md#protected-branches)
  - [Delete merged branches](user/project/repository/branches/index.md#delete-merged-branches)
- [Commits](user/project/repository/index.md#commits)
  - [Signing commits](user/project/repository/gpg_signed_commits/index.md): use GPG to sign your commits.

### Issues and Merge Requests (MRs)

- [Discussions](user/discussions/index.md): Threads, comments, and resolvable discussions in issues, commits, and  merge requests.
- [Issues](user/project/issues/index.md)
- [Project issue Board](user/project/issue_board.md)
- [Issues and merge requests templates](user/project/description_templates.md): Create templates for submitting new issues and merge requests.
- [Labels](user/project/labels.md): Categorize your issues or merge requests based on descriptive titles.
- [Merge Requests](user/project/merge_requests/index.md)
  - [Work In Progress Merge Requests](user/project/merge_requests/work_in_progress_merge_requests.md)
  - [Merge Request discussion resolution](user/discussions/index.md#moving-a-single-discussion-to-a-new-issue): Resolve discussions, move discussions in a merge request to an issue, only allow merge requests to be merged if all discussions are resolved.
  - [Checkout merge requests locally](user/project/merge_requests/index.md#checkout-merge-requests-locally)
  - [Cherry-pick](user/project/merge_requests/cherry_pick_changes.md)
- [Milestones](user/project/milestones/index.md): Organize issues and merge requests into a cohesive group, optionally setting a due date.
- [Todos](workflow/todos.md): A chronological list of to-dos that are waiting for your input, all in a simple dashboard.

### Git and GitLab

- [Git](topics/git/index.md): Getting started with Git, branching strategies, Git LFS, advanced use.
- [Git cheatsheet](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/marketing/raw/master/design/print/git-cheatsheet/print-pdf/git-cheatsheet.pdf): Download a PDF describing the most used Git operations.
- [GitLab Flow](workflow/gitlab_flow.md): explore the best of Git with the GitLab Flow strategy.

### Migrate and import your projects from other platforms

- [Importing to GitLab](user/project/import/index.md): Import your projects from GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab.com, FogBugz and SVN into GitLab.
- [Migrating from SVN](workflow/importing/migrating_from_svn.md): Convert a SVN repository to Git and GitLab.

### Continuous Integration, Delivery, and Deployment

- [GitLab CI](ci/README.md): Explore the features and capabilities of Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery, and Continuous Deployment with GitLab.
  - [Auto Deploy](ci/autodeploy/index.md): Configure GitLab CI for the deployment of your application.
  - [Review Apps](ci/review_apps/index.md): Preview changes to your app right from a merge request.
- [GitLab Cycle Analytics](user/project/cycle_analytics.md): Cycle Analytics measures the time it takes to go from an [idea to production](https://about.gitlab.com/2016/08/05/continuous-integration-delivery-and-deployment-with-gitlab/#from-idea-to-production-with-gitlab) for each project you have.
- [GitLab Container Registry](user/project/container_registry.md): Learn how to use GitLab's built-in Container Registry.

### Automation

- [API](api/README.md): Automate GitLab via a simple and powerful API.
- [GitLab Webhooks](user/project/integrations/webhooks.md): Let GitLab notify you when new code has been pushed to your project.

### Integrations

- [Project Services](user/project/integrations/project_services.md): Integrate a project with external services, such as CI and chat.
- [GitLab Integration](integration/README.md): Integrate with multiple third-party services with GitLab to allow external issue trackers and external authentication.
- [Trello Power-Up](integration/trello_power_up.md): Integrate with GitLab's Trello Power-Up

## Administrator documentation

[Administration documentation](administration/index.md) applies to admin users of GitLab
self-hosted instances.

Learn how to install, configure, update, upgrade, integrate, and maintain your own instance.
Regular users don't have access to GitLab administration tools and settings.

## Contributor documentation

GitLab Community Edition is [open source](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/)
and GitLab Enterprise Edition is [open-core](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/).
Learn how to contribute to GitLab:

- [Development](development/README.md): All styleguides and explanations how to contribute.
- [Legal](legal/README.md): Contributor license agreements.
- [Writing documentation](development/writing_documentation.md): Contributing to GitLab Docs.

## GitLab subscriptions

You have two options to use GitLab:

- GitLab self-hosted: Install, administer, and maintain your own GitLab instance.
- GitLab.com: GitLab's SaaS offering. You don't need to install anything to use GitLab.com,
you only need to [sign up](https://gitlab.com/users/sign_in) and start using GitLab
straight away.

### GitLab self-hosted

With GitLab self-hosted, you deploy your own GitLab instance on-premises or on a private cloud of your choice. GitLab self-hosted is available for [free and with paid subscriptions](https://about.gitlab.com/products/): Libre, Starter, Premium, and Ultimate.

Every feature available in Libre is also available in Starter, Premium, and Ultimate.
Starter features are also available in Premium and Ultimate, and Premium features are also
available in Ultimate.

### GitLab.com

GitLab.com is hosted, managed, and administered by GitLab, Inc., with
[free and paid subscriptions](https://about.gitlab.com/gitlab-com/) for individuals
and teams: Free, Bronze, Silver, and Gold.

GitLab.com subscriptions grants access
to the same features available in GitLab self-hosted, **expect
[administration](administration/index.md) tools and settings**:

- GitLab.com Free includes the same features available in GitLab Libre
- GitLab.com Bronze includes the same features available in GitLab Starter
- GitLab.com Silver includes the same features available in GitLab Premium
- GitLab.com Gold includes the same features available in GitLab Ultimate

For supporting the open source community and encouraging the development of
open source projects, GitLab grants access to **Gold** features
for all GitLab.com **public** projects, regardless of the subscription.

To know more about GitLab subscriptions and licensing, please refer to the
[GitLab Product Marketing Handbook](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/product-marketing/#tiers).
