Migration guide

How to migrate from GitHub to GitLab CE

Technical infrastructure migrations vary a lot depending on the tool — these are the general steps that apply to most cases.

1. 1

   Export your configuration and data from GitHub

   Check GitHub's documentation for exporting projects, configuration and integrations — the exact format depends on the service, but almost all offer some export path for paid accounts.

2. 2

   Prepare the GitLab CE environment

   Deploy GitLab CE in a staging environment first (not production) and replicate the base configuration before moving any real data.

3. 3

   Migrate in pieces and validate each one

   Move one project or integration at a time instead of all at once, checking that each piece works in GitLab CE before moving on to the next.

4. 4

   Update integrations that depended on GitHub

   Any external service (CI/CD, webhooks, SDKs) that pointed at GitHub needs to be reconfigured to point at your new GitLab CE instance.

These steps are a general guideline — the exact export menu can vary depending on GitHub's plan and version.