Using GitLab for Managing Research Code

Ross Knapman, Philipp Geßler, Igor Polonskiy, Jonas Nothhelfer

TWIST Retreat 2025

23 Oct 2025

Create a Git Repo

  1. Sign into https://git.uni-due.de
  2. Click “New project”
  3. Click “Create blank project”
  4. Give it a name e.g. “GitLab Workshop”
  5. Under “Project URL”, pick the namespace as your Unikennung
  6. Leave everything else as it is and click “Create project”

Working On Your Project

  1. Click the blue “Code” button, copy the link under “Clone with HTTPS”
  2. Run git clone <link>
  3. Open the resulting folder in VS Codium

Basic Git Usage

  • Add all files (except ignored): git add --all
  • Creating a commit: git commit -m "<message>"
  • Push to GitLab: git push

Git Branches

Important note: main/master branch is typically protected by default, and Developers can only merge to it (rather than pushing directly)

Git Branches

  • Creating a new branch: git checkout -b <branch name>
  • Edit code and commit code as normal
  • git push origin
  • Review merge request on GitLab
  • Switch local branch back to main and delete other branch git branch -d <branch name>

Issue Tracker

Left pane \(\rightarrow\) “Issues” \(\rightarrow\) “New item” Kanban board: Left pane \(\rightarrow\) “Plan” \(\rightarrow\) “Issue boards”

Upload to Zenodo

Left pane \(\rightarrow\) “Code” \(\rightarrow\) “Tags” \(\rightarrow\) “New tag”

Name e.g. v1.0

Test upload to https://sandbox.zenodo.org

Further Topics