Setting Up GitLab Locally with SSH Setup

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Setting up GitLab locally can streamline your workflow and allow you to push and pull code seamlessly from your local machine to your GitLab repository. In this guide, I will walk you through Setting Up GitLab Locally on a Mac with SSH setup. If you already have a new GitLab project created, these steps will help you configure your SSH keys and clone your project locally.

By the end of this guide, you will have a fully functional local GitLab setup, allowing you to commit and sync changes effortlessly.

Prerequisites for Setting Up GitLab Locally

Before we dive into the details, ensure you have the following:

Mac with Terminal access or Windows with Command Prompt
Git installed on your Mac. To check, run: git --version
If Git is not installed, install it using Homebrew brew install git
A GitLab account and a project created.

Setting Up GitLab Locally

Generate SSH Keys

To securely connect your Mac to your GitLab repository, you need to set up SSH keys. SSH keys help authenticate your system with GitLab without needing a password.

Open the Terminal on your Mac.
Run the following command to generate a new SSH key pair:
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"
Replace your_email@example.com with your GitLab account email.
Press Enter to accept the default file location for the SSH key: /Users/yourusername/.ssh/id_ed25519
When prompted, set a passphrase for added security, or press Enter to leave it blank.

New Files Generated
This generates two files, id_ed25519 (private key) and id_ed25519.pub (public key)

Add Your SSH Key to the SSH Agent

To ensure GitLab uses the SSH key, add it to the SSH agent:

Start the SSH agent by running:
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
Add your SSH private key to the agent:
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Add SSH Key to GitLab

Now that you have generated an SSH key, it needs to be added to your GitLab account:

Copy your public SSH key by running:
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
This will display the key in the terminal. Copy the entire key.
Log in to your GitLab account and navigate to User Settings SSH Keys .
Paste the copied key into the Key field and give it a title.
Click Add Key .

Clone Your GitLab Repository Locally

With SSH configured, it’s time to clone your project to your local machine.

In your GitLab repository, click the Clone button and copy the SSH link (it looks like git@gitlab.com:username/project-name.git).
Open Terminal and navigate to the directory where you want the project: cd ~/Projects
Use the git clone command to clone the repository:
git clone git@gitlab.com:username/project-name.git
Replace username and project-name with your actual GitLab username and project name.
Once the repository is cloned, navigate into the project folder:
cd project-name

Verify Your Setup

To ensure everything is set up correctly, run the following commands:

Check the remote origin, cd to the cloned git project git remote -v
You should see the SSH URL of your GitLab repository.

Test your SSH connection to GitLab ssh -T git@gitlab.com

If everything is configured correctly, you will see a message like:

Welcome to GitLab, @username!

Create a new file in the repository:touch testfile.txt
Add text to file: echo Congrats on creating and pushing your first commit file! > testfile.txt
Add the file:git add testfile.txt
Commit the file:
git commit -m "Committing test file from local to main"
Push the changes:git push origin main

Replace main with your branch name if it differs.

Conclusion

By following the steps in this guide, you’ve successfully completed Setting Up GitLab Locally on your Mac with SSH setup. Your local environment is now connected to your GitLab repository, making it easy to push and pull code changes securely. With SSH configured, you no longer need to enter your credentials every time, saving you time and effort.

Now that your setup is complete, you can focus on coding and collaborating with your team seamlessly. If you encounter any issues, ensure your SSH keys are correctly added to GitLab and your system. Ready to take the next step? Dive into our guide on Managing Projects in GitLab to explore how to organize and collaborate on your projects effectively!