How to Create a Project in GitLab?

Last Updated : 10 Oct, 2024

A popular web-based tool for the DevOps lifecycle, GitLab offers a Git repository manager. It integrates CI/CD pipelines, version control, and collaboration tools, making it a powerful tool for developers and companies. Creating a project is one of the first things you do while using GitLab. This article will walk you through the GitL process of starting a new project.

Steps to Create a Project in GitLab

Step 1: Sign In to GitLab

To create a project, you need to sign in to your GitLab account. If you don’t have an account, you can sign up for free at GitLab.

Step 2: Navigate to the "New Project" Page

Once logged in, follow these steps to create a project:

Go to the dashboard: After logging in, you'll be directed to the dashboard.
Click on "New Project": On the left sidebar, click on the "Projects" dropdown, then select "New Project.".

Step 3: Choose Project Creation Method

GitLab offers different ways to create a project, including:

Blank project: Start from scratch.
Create from template: Use predefined templates.
Import a project: Import an existing project from another source, like GitHub.

Step 4: Create a Blank Project

Click "Create a blank project".
Fill in the required information:

Project Name: The name of your project.
Project Slug: This is auto-filled based on your project name but can be edited.
Project Description (optional): A brief description of the project.
Visibility Level: Choose the visibility level (Private, Internal, or Public).

Step 5: Optionally, initialize your repository with:

README: A default README.md file.
.gitignore: GitLab provides preconfigured .gitignore templates to ignore unnecessary files.
License: You can add an open-source license for your project.
Click "Create project" to finish.

Step 6: Create from Template

In the "New Project" menu, select "Create from template".
Choose a template from the options provided, such as "Ruby on Rails", "Node.js", or "Spring".
Configure your project’s name, description, and visibility settings.
Click "Create project".

Step 7: Import an Existing Project

You can import a project from a different platform like GitHub or Bitbucket.
Select "Import project".
Choose the platform from which to import.
Authenticate with the platform (if necessary), select the repository, and configure the project settings.
Click "Create project".

Step 8: Initialize Repository (Optional)

GitLab will display the repository page for your project once it has been created. To establish your Git repository, you have the following options:

Start with a README: Include a simple README file in your project. This is typically the first document users will come across.
Clone Repository: You may use the following Git commands to clone the repository and work on it locally:

git clone https://gitlab.com/username/projectname.git

Add via Command Line: If you already have a project on your local machine, you can add it to the GitLab repository:

git remote add origin https://gitlab.com/username/projectname.git
git push -u origin main

Syntax for Git Commands

Initializing a Repository

If you're working locally, you may want to create a Git repository and push it to GitLab.

Initialize Git in your local folder:

git init

Add remote GitLab repository:

git remote add origin https://gitlab.com/username/projectname.git

Add and commit files:

git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"

Push to GitLab:

git push -u origin main

Conclusion

In GitLab, starting a project is as simple as selecting your project type, adding necessary information, and initializing your repository. After you're set up, GitLab provides a plethora of tools to manage your code, work with your team, and automate activities with CI/CD pipelines. GitLab streamlines and eases the process of creating new projects as well as importing ones that already exist.