gitlab-org / gitlab-ce

GitLab Container Registry and Package Management

This outline explores GitLab’s Container Registry and Package Management features, focusing on how images are stored, managed, and accessed. It draws from the following sources:

Container Registry

The GitLab Container Registry provides a secure and efficient way to store, manage, and distribute container images. It is integrated with GitLab CI/CD, allowing developers to easily build, push, and pull images as part of their workflows.

  • Image Storage: The Registry utilizes a distributed storage solution, ensuring high availability and scalability. Images are stored in a layered format, where only the changes between layers are stored.
  • Image Management: GitLab provides comprehensive image management capabilities. Users can tag, delete, and search for images, as well as define access control policies.
  • Image Access: Images can be accessed via the GitLab UI, the GitLab API, or directly using the docker command line tool.
  • Integration with GitLab CI/CD: The Registry is tightly integrated with GitLab CI/CD. Developers can easily push and pull images from the Registry as part of their pipelines.

Package Management

GitLab Package Management allows developers to publish and consume packages of various types, including Maven, npm, NuGet, and others. It enables:

  • Package Publishing: Developers can publish packages to the GitLab Package Registry using the GitLab UI, the GitLab API, or command-line tools.
  • Package Consumption: Developers can consume packages from the registry within their projects, using tools like npm, gradle, or dotnet.
  • Package Visibility: Packages can be made private or public, allowing fine-grained control over access.
  • Integration with GitLab CI/CD: Packages can be published and consumed as part of CI/CD pipelines, automating the package management process.

Example Usage

Pushing a Container Image

docker push <registry-url>/<project>/<image-name>:<tag>

Source: -/doc/user/packages/container_registry/index.md

Pulling a Container Image

docker pull <registry-url>/<project>/<image-name>:<tag>

Source: -/doc/user/packages/container_registry/index.md

Publishing a Package

npm publish --registry=<registry-url>

Source: -/doc/user/packages/container_registry/index.md

Consuming a Package

npm install --registry=<registry-url> <package-name>

Source: -/doc/user/packages/container_registry/index.md

Summary

The GitLab Container Registry and Package Management features provide a comprehensive solution for managing and distributing container images and software packages. They are seamlessly integrated with GitLab CI/CD, offering a developer-friendly environment for building, deploying, and managing applications.