GitLab, the open source, self-hosted code repository management software, has taken a major step forward in its development as it drops Gitolite (the Git server management application) and moves to its own GitLab-shell solution and adds a git-backed wiki to repositories. Previously, installing GitLab meant installing Gitolite alongside it and having the servers use both. With the switch to their own shell, the GitLab developers have not only made installation and management of a GitLab server easier but also made maintaining their own code simpler.

The git-backed wiki is based on Gollum and replaces the previous database-backed wiki in GitLab. Other enhancements include support for external issue trackers, the ability to import existing repositories and more description fields for repositories. The developers say there are also enhancements in security, updates to the Rails and associated libraries used, and a number of XSS-preventing changes to go along with many usability and UI improvements. A full list of changes is available in the change log.

The improvements come as the GitLab.com co-founder, Dmitriy Zaporozhets, is now working on the project full time and running the GitLab cloud service, which now has "thousands of active users". The demands of the service have also meant concurrency and performance improvements in the GitLab 5.0 software. The company also has a subscription service where it provides support for self-hosted GitLab installations; its work providing these services is said to be driving features for GitLab 5.1.

The MIT-licensed GitLab 5.0 is available to download as source code from the project's main site. For new users, an installation guide takes administrators through the setup process step by step.

(djwm)