Data Transfer

This outline provides an overview of data transfer capabilities within GitLab, including both importing and exporting data from various sources.

Data Import

Importing Projects from Other Git Hosting Services

GitLab supports importing projects from a wide range of Git hosting services, including GitHub, Bitbucket, and GitLab itself. This allows seamless migration of existing projects and repositories into GitLab.

Steps:

1. Navigate to the “New Project” page in GitLab.
2. Select “Import Project” from the options.
3. Choose the source hosting service from the provided list.
4. Provide the necessary credentials and project URL.
5. Configure import options, such as branch selection and issue tracking.
6. Initiate the import process.

Example:

To import a project from GitHub, you would:

1. Select “Import Project” on the “New Project” page.
2. Choose “GitHub” as the source service.
3. Enter your GitHub username and password.
4. Provide the URL of the GitHub repository you wish to import.
5. Select the branches you want to import and configure issue tracking settings.
6. Click on “Import Project.”

Reference:

• Importing a project from another Git hosting service

Importing Projects from Other Version Control Systems

GitLab also allows importing projects from other version control systems, such as SVN, Mercurial, and TFS. This enables migrating projects from legacy systems to GitLab’s modern platform.

Steps:

1. Navigate to the “New Project” page in GitLab.
2. Select “Import Project” from the options.
3. Choose the source version control system from the provided list.
4. Provide the necessary details, such as repository URL and credentials.
5. Configure import options, such as branch selection and history depth.
6. Initiate the import process.

Example:

To import a project from SVN, you would:

1. Select “Import Project” on the “New Project” page.
2. Choose “SVN” as the source version control system.
3. Enter the SVN repository URL.
4. Specify the branches and history depth to import.
5. Click on “Import Project.”

Reference:

• Importing a project from another version control system

Importing GitLab Projects

GitLab supports importing existing GitLab projects into the same or another instance. This allows transferring projects between different GitLab environments or migrating them to a new instance.

Steps:

1. Navigate to the “New Project” page in GitLab.
2. Select “Import Project” from the options.
3. Choose “GitLab” as the source service.
4. Provide the URL of the GitLab project you wish to import.
5. Configure import options, such as branch selection and issue tracking.
6. Initiate the import process.

Example:

To import a project from a different GitLab instance, you would:

1. Select “Import Project” on the “New Project” page.
2. Choose “GitLab” as the source service.
3. Enter the URL of the GitLab project you wish to import.
4. Select the branches to import and configure issue tracking settings.
5. Click on “Import Project.”

Reference:

• Importing a GitLab Project

Data Export

Exporting Projects

GitLab allows exporting entire projects as a compressed archive file. This archive includes the project’s code, issues, milestones, and other relevant data.

Steps:

1. Navigate to the project you wish to export.
2. Go to “Settings” > “Repository” > “Export project.”
3. Choose the format (e.g., tar.gz or zip) for the export archive.
4. Click on “Export Project.”

Reference:

• Exporting a project

Exporting Issues and Merge Requests

GitLab allows exporting a project’s issues and merge requests in various formats, such as CSV or JSON. This enables data analysis, migration, and other uses.

Steps:

1. Navigate to the project you wish to export.
2. Go to “Issues” or “Merge Requests.”
3. Select the “Export” option from the dropdown menu.
4. Choose the desired export format (e.g., CSV, JSON).
5. Click on “Export.”

Reference:

• Exporting Issues
• Exporting Merge Requests

Exporting Snippets

GitLab allows exporting snippets in a variety of formats, including plain text, Markdown, and HTML. This enables sharing code snippets with others or migrating them to different platforms.

Steps:

1. Navigate to the snippet you wish to export.
2. Click on the “Raw” button or the “Copy to clipboard” button.
3. Select the desired export format (e.g., Plain Text, Markdown, HTML).
4. Copy the code or download the file.

Reference:

• Exporting Snippets