GitLab is a comprehensive DevOps platform that provides complete Git repository management, CI/CD capabilities, and integrated development tools in a single unified platform. It combines code collaboration, continuous integration, and continuous delivery into one solution, enabling teams to streamline their entire software development lifecycle. GitLab is available both as a cloud-hosted service through GitLab.com and as a self-hosted solution that organizations can deploy on their own infrastructure.

When was GitLab founded and by whom?

GitLab was founded in 2011 by Dmitriy Zaporozhets in Ukraine. The company was later built into a complete DevOps platform through partnership with Sytse Sijbrandij, who contributed significantly to its development using Ruby. The original mission of GitLab was embodied in the principle 'Everyone can contribute,' reflecting its commitment to making development tools accessible to all.

What major milestones has GitLab achieved?

GitLab was founded in 2011 as an open-source project in Ukraine. The company was officially incorporated as GitLab Inc in 2014. A significant milestone came in 2021 when GitLab became a publicly traded company, completing its IPO on NASDAQ. By 2024, GitLab had established itself as a leading DevOps platform, continuing to expand its capabilities and market presence.

What are the main products and features GitLab offers?

GitLab's core offerings include Git repository management for source code control, CI/CD pipelines for continuous integration and deployment, merge requests for collaborative code review, and comprehensive pipelines for automated testing and deployment. The platform also supports self-hosted deployments through GitLab.com, allowing organizations to choose between cloud and on-premises solutions. These features work together to create a unified DevOps experience.

What makes GitLab unique as a DevOps platform?

GitLab stands out by offering a complete, unified DevOps platform that integrates Git repository management, CI/CD, and merge request functionality in a single solution rather than requiring separate tools. The platform emphasizes both self-hosted and cloud deployment options, giving organizations flexibility in how they deploy and manage their development infrastructure. GitLab's commitment to open source and transparency, combined with its all-remote company culture, has shaped its approach to building community-driven development tools.

How does GitLab support remote and distributed development teams?

GitLab was built with remote work at its core, being an all-remote company itself since its founding. The platform enables distributed teams to collaborate effectively through merge requests, code review tools, and integrated CI/CD pipelines that allow seamless handoffs between team members regardless of location. GitLab's cloud-hosted GitLab.com service and self-hosted options both support teams working across different time zones and geographical regions.

Who uses GitLab and for what purposes?

GitLab serves software development teams of all sizes who need complete DevOps solutions. It is used by individual contributors, small teams, and large enterprises for source code management, continuous integration and deployment, and collaborative development workflows. Organizations use GitLab to automate their development pipelines, enable code collaboration through merge requests, and streamline the entire software delivery process from code creation to production deployment.

What are merge requests in GitLab?

Merge requests are GitLab's collaborative code review feature that allows developers to propose changes to a codebase. Team members can review proposed changes, provide feedback, and discuss improvements before the code is merged into the main branch. This feature is central to GitLab's approach to enabling collaborative development and ensuring code quality through peer review.

How do GitLab pipelines work?

GitLab pipelines are automated workflows that execute defined tasks as part of the CI/CD process. Pipelines enable continuous integration by automatically running tests, building applications, and performing other verification steps whenever code changes are made. They also support continuous deployment, automating the release of validated code to production or other environments, significantly reducing manual intervention and improving deployment speed.

Is GitLab open source?

GitLab has strong open source roots and maintains a commitment to open source principles. The company was founded as an open-source project and continues to emphasize transparency and community contribution as core values. This open source heritage influences GitLab's product philosophy and its approach to building development tools that the community can use and contribute to.

What does GitLab's IPO mean for the platform?

GitLab's 2021 IPO on NASDAQ marked a major milestone in the company's growth and signified investor confidence in the DevOps platform market. The IPO provided capital for continued development and expansion of GitLab's offerings while maintaining the company's commitment to its core values of transparency, open source, and supporting developer communities. It also validated the market demand for unified DevOps platforms.

Can organizations deploy GitLab on their own infrastructure?

Yes, GitLab offers self-hosted deployment options that allow organizations to run the platform on their own servers and infrastructure. This provides companies with greater control over their development environment, data security, and customization options. The self-hosted approach is particularly valuable for enterprises with specific compliance requirements or those preferring to maintain complete control over their DevOps tools.

What is the difference between GitLab.com and self-hosted GitLab?

GitLab.com is the cloud-hosted version of the platform, where GitLab manages infrastructure, maintenance, and updates. Self-hosted GitLab allows organizations to deploy the platform on their own servers and manage all aspects themselves. Both versions provide the same core DevOps capabilities, but self-hosted offers greater control and customization, while GitLab.com provides easier management and immediate access to the latest features.

How does GitLab integrate Git repository management with CI/CD?

GitLab integrates Git repository management with CI/CD by enabling pipelines to trigger automatically based on code changes in the repository. When developers push code or create merge requests, GitLab automatically initiates defined pipelines that run tests, builds, and other verification steps. This tight integration creates a seamless workflow from code commit through deployment, eliminating the need for separate tool integration.

What role does transparency play in GitLab's company culture?

Transparency is a fundamental value embedded in GitLab's company culture. As an all-remote organization, GitLab has embraced transparency as a way to ensure effective communication and trust across distributed teams. This commitment to transparency extends to how the company develops its products and engages with its community, making it a defining characteristic of the GitLab brand and approach to building developer tools.

GitLab Revenue & Market Share (2025)

Company Overview

GitLab is a complete DevOps platform that provides source code management, CI/CD pipelines, security scanning, and project management in a single application for software development teams. The company serves enterprises and development organizations requiring an integrated toolchain for the entire software development lifecycle from planning through production. GitLab delivers a unified platform with Git repositories, automated testing, deployment automation, security features, and collaboration tools that enable concurrent DevOps practices.

Revenue

$236M

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GitLab has achieved $236M in revenue, demonstrating strong product-market fit.

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Ranked #1 in the DevOps category, consistently recognized for excellence.

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