Moving a project or entire organization from GitHub to GitLab does not have to be disruptive. With a bit of preparation and a clear migration plan, teams can switch platforms while protecting their code, issues, workflows, and collaboration history. This guide walks through the process step by step so small teams, growing product companies, and independent developers can migrate with confidence.<\/p>\n
Before touching any settings, clarify your goals. Your \u201cwhy\u201d shapes your migration strategy and what you prioritize.<\/p>\n
Next, define the scope of what you are moving:<\/p>\n
For many small teams, a staged approach works well: move core repositories first, then move issues and automation once you\u2019ve validated the basics.<\/p>\n
A bit of cleanup on GitHub reduces noise and makes it easier to confirm a successful migration.<\/p>\n
main<\/code>), or note differences per repo.<\/li>\n- Review access:<\/strong> Confirm who has admin rights and who should have access in GitLab after migration.<\/li>\n
- Document current workflows:<\/strong> Note how CI\/CD, webhooks, and external integrations (Slack, Jira, etc.) are configured.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This information makes it easier to recreate or adjust your workflows in GitLab.<\/p>\n
\n3. Set Up Your GitLab Environment<\/h2>\n
GitLab can be used as GitLab.com (hosted) or self-managed. The setup process is similar either way, but self-hosted instances will include extra infrastructure steps.<\/p>\n
Create your GitLab account and groups<\/h3>\n\n- Create or log in to your GitLab account.<\/li>\n
- Create a group<\/strong> that will hold your projects (repos). For organizations, groups often map to your company or product line.<\/li>\n
- Under the group, define subgroups<\/strong> if you want to mirror GitHub organizations or teams (e.g.,
frontend<\/code>, backend<\/code>, ops<\/code>).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nConfigure basic group settings<\/h3>\n\n- Visibility:<\/strong> Decide which projects should be public, internal, or private.<\/li>\n
- Permissions:<\/strong> Set role-based access (Guest, Reporter, Developer, Maintainer, Owner).<\/li>\n
- Default branch:<\/strong> Align this with your GitHub convention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Doing this upfront keeps your permission model consistent when new projects are imported.<\/p>\n
\n4. Enable the GitHub Integration in GitLab<\/h2>\n
GitLab can connect directly to GitHub using OAuth or personal access tokens. This allows you to import repositories and associated data with fewer manual steps.<\/p>\n
Create a GitHub personal access token<\/h3>\n\n- In GitHub, go to Settings > Developer settings > Personal access tokens<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Create a new token with scopes that allow reading repositories, issues, and pull requests (e.g.,
repo<\/code>, read:org<\/code> as needed).<\/li>\n- Copy the token and store it securely for the next step.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Connect GitLab to GitHub<\/h3>\n\n- In GitLab, go to New project<\/strong> or your group\u2019s project area.<\/li>\n
- Select the option to Import project<\/strong> and choose GitHub<\/strong> as the source.<\/li>\n
- When prompted, provide your GitHub personal access token.<\/li>\n
- Authorize GitLab to access your GitHub repositories.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Once connected, GitLab will show a list of available GitHub repositories you can import.<\/p>\n
\n5. Import Repositories and Project Data<\/h2>\n
After integration is configured, you can import your repositories project by project or in batches.<\/p>\n
Import a repository from GitHub to GitLab<\/h3>\n\n- In GitLab, choose New project > Import project > GitHub<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Select the GitHub repository you want to import.<\/li>\n
- Confirm the target namespace (group)<\/strong> and project name<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Choose what to import, based on options available:\n
\n- Repository (commits, branches, tags)<\/li>\n
- Issues and pull requests (mapped to GitLab issues and merge requests)<\/li>\n
- Labels, milestones, and comments<\/li>\n
- Wiki pages (if supported for that project)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Start the import and wait for GitLab to finish processing.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
For each imported project, review the import log in GitLab to see if any items failed or were skipped.<\/p>\n
Verify the imported project<\/h3>\n\n- Check the commit history<\/strong> and confirm branches are present.<\/li>\n
- Open a few issues and merge requests<\/strong> to verify comments, labels, and authors.<\/li>\n
- Confirm the default branch<\/strong> and protection rules match your GitHub setup.<\/li>\n
- Test cloning the new GitLab project locally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Repeat this process for all repositories you plan to migrate. For large portfolios, start with a small pilot project to validate the process before you move mission-critical code.<\/p>\n
\n6. Recreate CI\/CD Pipelines and Automation<\/h2>\n
GitHub Actions and GitLab CI\/CD solve similar problems using different configuration formats. This usually requires some translation rather than a direct import.<\/p>\n
Plan your CI\/CD migration<\/h3>\n\n- List existing workflows:<\/strong> Identify which GitHub Actions workflows, checks, or third-party CI providers your repo uses.<\/li>\n
- Prioritize critical pipelines:<\/strong> Focus first on production build, test, and deployment pipelines.<\/li>\n
- Identify secrets:<\/strong> Note environment variables and secrets used by your workflows so you can recreate them in GitLab.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Create GitLab CI\/CD pipelines<\/h3>\n\n- Add a
.gitlab-ci.yml<\/code> file to the root of your repository.<\/li>\n- Define stages (e.g.,
build<\/code>, test<\/code>, deploy<\/code>).<\/li>\n- Translate each key workflow into GitLab jobs.<\/li>\n
- Configure GitLab Runners (shared or self-hosted) if necessary.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Use GitLab\u2019s pipeline editor and built-in templates as starting points. For simple setups, you can often recreate a minimal pipeline and iterate from there.<\/p>\n
Set secrets and environment variables<\/h3>\n\n- In GitLab, go to Settings > CI\/CD > Variables<\/strong> for the project.<\/li>\n
- Add sensitive values (API keys, tokens, connection strings) as masked, protected variables.<\/li>\n
- Update your
.gitlab-ci.yml<\/code> to reference these variables.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nRun your pipelines and fix any issues before you fully switch traffic to the GitLab-based workflow.<\/p>\n
\n7. Reconnect Integrations and Webhooks<\/h2>\n
Many teams use GitHub as a hub for notifications and automations. Those integrations need to be rebuilt or updated to point to GitLab.<\/p>\n
Common integrations to review<\/h3>\n\n- Chat tools:<\/strong> Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Discord notifications.<\/li>\n
- Issue trackers:<\/strong> Jira, Linear, or other project management tools.<\/li>\n
- Monitoring\/ops:<\/strong> Sentry, Datadog, or similar tools referencing GitHub repositories.<\/li>\n
- Deployment platforms:<\/strong> Platforms that pull code or webhooks from GitHub.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For each integration:<\/p>\n
\n- Create new GitLab webhooks pointing to your external tools.<\/li>\n
- Update any external apps that reference GitHub URLs, branches, or repos.<\/li>\n
- Test notifications and workflows to confirm they trigger correctly from GitLab events.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\n8. Update Local Clones and Developer Workflows<\/h2>\n
Once repositories are imported and validated, your team needs to switch from GitHub remotes to GitLab remotes in their local environments.<\/p>\n
Change the Git remote for each repository<\/h3>\n\n- In your local repo folder, check the current remote:\n
\ngit remote -v<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n- Update the
origin<\/code> remote to the new GitLab URL:\n\ngit remote set-url origin <new-gitlab-repo-url><\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n- Fetch and verify:\n
\ngit fetch origin<\/code><\/li>\ngit branch -r<\/code> to confirm remote branches.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nShare this process with your team, along with the timeline for when GitHub repositories will be locked or archived.<\/p>\n
\n9. Plan the Cutover and Decommission GitHub Repositories<\/h2>\n
To avoid confusion and accidental divergence between platforms, plan a clear cutover window.<\/p>\n
Cutover checklist<\/h3>\n\n- Announce a freeze window<\/strong> on GitHub (no new branches or pull requests) while final sync occurs.<\/li>\n
- Perform a last sync or import in GitLab if needed for any recent changes.<\/li>\n
- Confirm GitLab pipelines, permissions, and integrations are working in production.<\/li>\n
- Lock or archive GitHub repositories to prevent new changes after the switch.<\/li>\n
- Update documentation, READMEs, and internal links to point to GitLab.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Keep GitHub repos archived but accessible for a time in case you need to reference old issues or PR discussions.<\/p>\n
\nConclusion: Make the Move Without Losing Momentum<\/h2>\n
Migrating from GitHub to GitLab is less about clicking an import button and more about planning: clarifying why you\u2019re moving, deciding what to bring over, and validating that your workflows still serve your team. With a structured approach\u2014preparation, import, CI\/CD translation, integration updates, and a clean cutover\u2014you can shift platforms without slowing down delivery.<\/p>\n
If your team would benefit from outside help planning or executing a GitHub-to-GitLab migration\u2014especially when it touches CI\/CD, containerization, and deployment pipelines\u2014Izende Studio Web can help you design a tailored, low-friction path forward.<\/p>\n