Gitea: Hosting Your Own Git Service with Ease in Your Homelab

Introduction

In the world of software development, version control is crucial for managing changes to code. While platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket have become household names, self-hosting your own Git service can offer more control, privacy, and customization. This is where Gitea comes into play. Gitea is a lightweight, self-hosted Git service that’s easy to set up and maintain, making it an excellent choice for your homelab.

In this article, we will explore what Gitea is, its core features, use cases, installation, configuration, and more. By the end of this guide, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to host your own Git service using Gitea, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced user. Have you encountered issues with your current Git hosting service? What are your thoughts on self-hosting?

Core Features

Overview

Gitea offers a plethora of features that make it a robust alternative to other Git hosting services. Here are some of the core features:

• Lightweight and Fast: Gitea is designed to be lightweight, making it perfect for deployment in resource-constrained environments.
• Easy Installation: With minimal dependencies, Gitea can be set up quickly, either from binary, source, or using Docker.
• Web Interface: A user-friendly web interface for managing repositories, issues, pull requests, and more.
• Continuous Integration: Integration with popular CI/CD tools like Jenkins and Drone.
• SSH and HTTPS Support: Secure access to repositories via SSH and HTTPS.
• Repository Management: Features like repository mirroring, pull requests, and issue tracking.
• Customizable: Extensive configuration options and plugin support.
• Multi-platform: Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and ARM platforms.

Use Cases

Gitea is versatile and can be used in various scenarios:

• Personal Projects: Manage your personal coding projects with full control over your repositories.
• Small to Medium Enterprises: Ideal for companies that need a private Git hosting solution without the cost of enterprise-level services.
• Educational Institutions: Provide students and faculty with a platform for collaborative development.
• Open Source Projects: Host and manage open-source projects with community contributions.

For example, a small development team looking to maintain a private repository for their projects can use Gitea to manage code, track issues, and perform code reviews. Another real-world scenario is an educational institution that wants to offer students a platform to learn version control and collaborate on projects.

Installation

Installing Gitea is straightforward and can be done using various methods. Below, we provide detailed instructions for setting up Gitea on a Linux server.

Method 1: Binary Installation

1. Download the latest Gitea binary from the official Gitea download page.

   wget -O /usr/local/bin/gitea https://dl.gitea.io/gitea/1.15.2/gitea-1.15.2-linux-amd64

2. Make the binary executable:

   chmod +x /usr/local/bin/gitea

3. Create necessary directories and set permissions:

   mkdir -p /var/lib/gitea/{custom,data,log}
   chown -R git:git /var/lib/gitea/
   chmod -R 750 /var/lib/gitea/
   mkdir /etc/gitea
   chown root:git /etc/gitea
   chmod 770 /etc/gitea

4. Create a systemd service file for Gitea:

   [Unit]
   Description=Gitea
   After=syslog.target
   After=network.target
   [Service]
   RestartSec=2s
   Type=simple
   User=git
   Group=git
   WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/gitea/
   ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/gitea web
   Restart=always
   Environment=USER=git HOME=/home/git GITEA_WORK_DIR=/var/lib/gitea/
   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target

   Save this file as /etc/systemd/system/gitea.service.

5. Enable and start the Gitea service:

   systemctl enable gitea
   systemctl start gitea

6. Access Gitea via your web browser at http://your_server_ip:3000 and complete the setup wizard.

Method 2: Docker Installation

1. Ensure Docker is installed on your system. If not, follow the official Docker installation guide.

2. Create a Docker Compose file:

   version: "3"
   
   services:
     server:
       image: gitea/gitea:latest
       container_name: gitea
       environment:
         - USER_UID=1000
         - USER_GID=1000
       restart: always
       volumes:
         - ./gitea:/data
       ports:
         - "3000:3000"
         - "222:22"

   Save this file as docker-compose.yml.

3. Run the Docker Compose file to start Gitea:

   docker-compose up -d

4. Access Gitea via your web browser at http://your_server_ip:3000 and complete the setup wizard.

Configuration

Once Gitea is installed, you may need to configure it to suit your needs. Configuration is done through the app.ini file, typically located in /etc/gitea or /var/lib/gitea/conf.

Basic Configuration

1. Open the app.ini file in your preferred text editor:

   nano /etc/gitea/app.ini

2. Configure the database settings:

   [database]
   DB_TYPE  = mysql
   HOST     = 127.0.0.1:3306
   NAME     = gitea
   USER     = gitea
   PASSWD   = password
   SSL_MODE = disable
   PATH     = data/gitea.db

3. Configure the server settings:

   [server]
   DOMAIN           = your_domain.com
   HTTP_PORT        = 3000
   ROOT_URL         = %(PROTOCOL)s://%(DOMAIN)s:%(HTTP_PORT)s/
   DISABLE_SSH      = false
   SSH_PORT         = 22
   START_SSH_SERVER = true

4. Save the changes and restart the Gitea service:

   systemctl restart gitea

Advanced Configuration

For advanced users, Gitea offers a wide range of customization options, including integrating with third-party services, customizing the user interface, and more. Refer to the official Gitea documentation for detailed configuration options.

Usage and Performance

Once configured, Gitea can be used to manage repositories, issues, pull requests, and more. Here are some real-world examples of how you might use Gitea:

Example: Managing a Repository

1. Create a new repository via the web interface.

2. Clone the repository to your local machine:

   git clone http://your_domain.com/username/repository.git

3. Make changes to your code and push them to the repository:

   git add .
   git commit -m "Initial commit"
   git push origin main

Performance Metrics

Gitea is designed to be lightweight and performant. In a resource-constrained environment, Gitea performs well with minimal overhead. Here is a simple performance comparison table:

Comparison/Alternative Options

While Gitea is a fantastic option, there are other Git hosting solutions you may consider:

Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages

• Lightweight and fast
• Easy to install and configure
• Highly customizable
• Supports both SSH and HTTPS

Disadvantages

• Limited built-in CI/CD compared to GitLab
• Fewer out-of-the-box integrations

Advanced Tips

For advanced users, here are some tips to get the most out of Gitea:

• Integrate with CI/CD: Use tools like Jenkins or Drone to automate your build and deployment processes.
• Custom Hooks: Utilize Git hooks to automate tasks such as code quality checks, notifications, and more.
• Backup and Restore: Regularly back up your Gitea data using scripts or tools to ensure data integrity.

#!/bin/bash
# Backup Gitea
tar -czvf gitea-backup.tar.gz /var/lib/gitea /etc/gitea

Common Issues/Troubleshooting

Here are some common issues you might encounter with Gitea and how to troubleshoot them:

1. Issue: Gitea service fails to start.

   Solution: Check the Gitea logs for errors:

   journalctl -u gitea

2. Issue: Cannot access Gitea via web browser.

   Solution: Ensure the firewall is configured to allow traffic on port 3000:

   sudo ufw allow 3000/tcp

3. Issue: SSH access not working.

   Solution: Verify SSH settings in app.ini and ensure the SSH server is running:

   sudo systemctl status ssh

Updates and Version Changes

Gitea is actively maintained, and updates are released regularly. To stay informed about updates, you can subscribe to the Gitea blog or follow the project on GitHub. To update Gitea, simply follow the installation steps for the latest version, replacing the existing binary or Docker image.

Conclusion

Hosting your own Git service using Gitea in your homelab offers numerous advantages, from increased control and privacy to customization and ease of use. Whether you’re a beginner looking to manage personal projects or an advanced user seeking a lightweight alternative to more resource-intensive platforms, Gitea is an excellent choice. We hope this guide has provided you with valuable insights and detailed instructions to get started. Feel free to share your experiences or ask questions in the comments below.

Further Reading and Resources

• Official Gitea Documentation
• Gitea GitHub Repository
• Gitea Community Forum
• Gitea Blog