Install GitLab on Kubernetes

How to Install GitLab on Kubernetes with Helm

This guide will walk you through the process of installing GitLab using Helm, the Kubernetes package manager, ensuring a smooth and efficient setup.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have the following tools installed and configured:

• Kubernetes - Installed locally or in a public cloud provider
• kubectl - Configured to communicate with your Kubernetes cluster
• Helm - For managing Kubernetes applications like GitLab
• Kubernetes Ingress controller - For accessing the installation on a url

Step 1: Add the Helm chart repository

First, add the repository containing the GitLab helm chart:

helm repo add gitlab https://charts.gitlab.io/
helm repo update
helm search repo gitlab

Step 2: Create a namespace (optional)

Isolating applications within Kubernetes namespaces is a good practice. To deploy GitLab in its own namespace:

kubectl create namespace gitlab

Step 3: Install GitLab using Helm

Now, you'll install GitLab. The helm chart name is "gitlab":

helm install gitlab gitlab/gitlab --namespace gitlab --create-namespace

Step 4: Verify the installation

After installation, verify that your GitLab deployment is running smoothly:

kubectl get pods --namespace gitlab
kubectl get all --namespace gitlab

Step 5: Customize the GitLab installation (optional)

This process may require customizing your deployment through a customized values.yaml file, which specifies configuration options.

helm install gitlab gitlab/gitlab --values values.yaml --namespace gitlab

Step 6: Access GitLab

Accessing GitLab will depend on your chosen service configuration (LoadBalancer, NodePort, or Ingress). For Ingress access, ensure an Ingress controller is operational in your cluster.

Follow the instructions in the helm install notes, the output of Step 3.