GitLab Reviews

“Powerful DevOps hub”

Pros

Having it as a single platform for DevOps has been a huge win for our team. It brings together all the essentials source code management, CI/CD pipelines, issue tracking and collaboration tools in one place which has made our workflow much more efficient. Instead of jumping between separate tools, we can handle everything in one system and that has noticeably boosted productivity. On top of that its strong version control and powerful repository management features make it a top choice for software development teams.

Cons

With all the features it offers getting started can be a bit tough especially for people who are new to DevOps. The interface is very capable but at first it can feel a little overwhelming. The documentation could also do a better job of guiding beginners. I've run into occasional performance slowdowns with larger repositories too although those issues seem to be improving with the regular updates.

“A tool that delivers”

Pros

The source code management is really valuable because it lets you review and track every single change made to a project's codebase.

Cons

From my point of view it still doesn't have any real inconvenience, aside from the pricing being quite heavy for freelancers which is why we use the free version instead.

“polished UX”

Pros

Compared with other version control tools it feels like it gives better access control and more capabilities for private repositories. Being able to host the server ourselves instead of depending on the cloud was especially impressive. The UI/UX is polished and managing code is very simple.

Cons

On the downside it seems to offer less open-source support than some other version control platforms. It also doesn't cover every platform available. Since it comes with a lot of features getting started as a beginner felt a little overwhelming and took some time to learn. Working at a startup, I also felt the pricing was somewhat unfavorable for our situation.

“gets the job done”

Pros

It comes with plenty of amazing features right out of the box so there's much less need to spend time researching fixes or piecing together workarounds just to handle certain tasks.

Cons

I did run into a few problems with the AWS integration, where the runner would occasionally fail to start or simply not run at all.

“includes efficient functions”

Pros

The stable feature set leaves a strong impression. The built-in CI feature really helps in streamlining a developer's workflow and the overall UI/UX feels very simple and pleasant to use. The drag-and-drop feature in the repository is especially outstanding and sets it apart.

Cons

One thing that gets frustrating is having to enter my credentials every single time I pull something from the repository. Aside from that, everything else feels acceptable.

“powerful collaboration and secure hosting”

Pros

Working with it as a developer has been really valuable because the interface is easy to use. Setting up repositories and branches is simple and it gives me a reliable way to track issues, bugs and feature requests, collaborate with teammates and monitor code changes. All of that makes project management much more efficient. The ability to self-host a GitLab instance is also a major advantage for anyone who wants full control over data security.

Cons

Getting comfortable with it does take some time and people from non-technical backgrounds may find it hard to adapt to or even a bit overwhelming. There are also times when the website feels sluggish and slow.

“Excellent security for private repos”

Pros

It functions much like GitHub in most respects but the free plan gives you stronger built-in security, including private repositories.

Cons

If you want the highest level of security, the pricing climbs fast around $30 per user each month for the more secure options and about $100 per user each month for top-tier protection on things like dashboards.

“Positive experience”

Pros

This software offers a very complete CI/CD setup, plenty of collaboration features and a built-in container registry which makes it a really capable all-in-one platform.

Cons

It could be better when it comes to overall pricing and learning this tool can be pretty difficult when you're just getting started.

“dependable version control value”

Pros

Version control is really amazing which makes it very useful for managing code properly. Having a free version is also a big plus since it gives small businesses and individual users a chance to use it without much hassle.

Cons

An issue is that some of the more advanced tools especially higher-level CI/CD features, are locked behind the paid enterprise edition which makes them difficult for individual users to access.

“Github style workflow done right”

Pros

Setup is very easy especially because it works a lot like GitHub. The interface is simple to use and honestly, this is the kind of app every programmer should have in their toolkit.

Cons

I've been genuinely satisfied with the app so I really don't have any negative points to mention.

“history tracking is easy”

Pros

This tool makes it possible for us to track everyone's pushes with dates and a full history which is really helpful when you need to go back and review bugs at the right time.

Cons

It takes a while to understand the mechanisms you need to know before using it comfortably.

“user friendly interface”

Pros

Most CI/CD tools work in a pretty similar way behind the scenes so the ones that really stand out are the ones with a better interface and faster response times. GitLab CI is easily the best in that area. The clicks, workflow and overall feature placement feel very well thought out and designed.

Cons

I can't really point to a major downside but I'd be even happier if it added more UI features at the CI/CD level.

“amazing product”

Pros

Pipeline system of this tool is definitely its most valuable feature and the wide range of supporting tools like project wikis, hooks and integrations turns it into a flexible hub for just about every part of software development.

Cons

Pipeline debugging feels like it was barely considered with very limited support and no real sign that it's a priority. The monitoring side also comes across as a weak proof of concept that was pushed out publicly, with long-standing issues left unresolved and very poor support overall unless all you need is the default setup, default metrics and default view.

“Built-in security scanning wins”

Pros

The range of security scanning tools it brings into the development workflow is useful. It includes SAST, DAST and container scanning which helps us review both the code itself and the application's runtime behavior to catch possible vulnerabilities and weak points.

Cons

It still falls short of being a complete project management platform. Because of that, when a project requires broader collaboration with teams beyond development, we usually need to connect it with a more traditional project management tool.

“tool worth recommending”

Pros

It offers powerful reporting and analysis capabilities especially for the work required around data security. It has brought us a lot of value through useful tools that help keep our tasks protected and secure.

Cons

Few tools in the API that don't run properly within our system's automation. Even so, it has remained stable when it comes to data security.

“Simplified project management”

Pros

One thing I really appreciated was being able to install it on-premise instead of being pushed toward the cloud version. Cloud services definitely have their place but in some situations you simply need to keep everything local. The GUI also feels easy to work with which makes it easier to use the platform properly and get the most out of it for project management.

Cons

There is still a bit of a learning difficulty with the workflow it expects especially if you have not worked with a tool like this before. I also found the way their tutorials are structured a little hard to follow. Maybe I overlooked something on their site but the learning resources could definitely be improved.

“Well-structured project grouping”

Pros

Using this software has been a really positive experience. It's very good for project management and it's simple to use. One feature I especially appreciate is being able to create groups that keep all the repositories for the same project organized together.

Cons

I haven't come across anything I dislike about this software.

“smooth merge request workflow”

Pros

Setting up branches and repositories is quick and easy and the merge request interface has a really good UI.

Cons

The inline editor could use some improvement.

“comes with self-hosted controls”

Pros

Using all the features I need has been very easy especially with the self-hosted options and the ability to manage change controls across many projects.

Cons

I honestly don't have any complaints about it. Both the self-hosted and online deployment options have been simple to work with.

“Beginner-friendly interface”

Pros

It has a simpler and more polished interface than GitHub and that really helps beginners. New users are less likely to feel overwhelmed right away so they can spend more time learning how the platform works instead of trying to figure out the layout.

Cons

At the same time it still doesn't seem as popular as GitHub and it feels like it's missing some features. Because of that, not as many people are using it at the moment.