GitLab CI training

What Is GitLab CI/CD?

GitLab CI/CD is an integrated automation platform within GitLab that allows you to define, test, and deploy your applications using simple YAML configurations. It enables building, testing, and deploying code in predefined stages — from compilation to production deployment — all fully integrated with your Git repository.

How the Training Works

The GitLab CI/CD training is designed as an interactive workshop during which you will progressively try:

1. Setting up and configuring a project in GitLab
2. Creating your first pipeline using the .gitlab-ci.yml file
3. Running jobs on your own or shared GitLab Runners
4. Tuning and optimizing pipeline runs
5. Advanced techniques such as caching, artifacts, and parallel runs

Each lesson concludes with a practical exercise where you will apply the skills you’ve learned on a real-world example.

What You Will Learn

• Introduction to CI/CD and the GitLab ecosystem
• Structure and syntax of .gitlab-ci.yml
• Defining and configuring Runners (shared vs. specific)
• Stages, jobs, and their dependencies
• Environment variables and secret variables
• Using cache and artifacts to speed up repeated runs
• Building and testing Docker images within the pipeline
• Setting up manual, protected, and scheduled jobs
• Debugging pipelines and troubleshooting runs
• Best practices for maintainable and scalable CI/CD

Who Is This Training For

• Developers and DevOps specialists who want to automate the build-test-deploy process
• Teams and individuals planning to migrate from existing CI tools (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, etc.)
• Anyone with no prior GitLab CI/CD experience who wants to get started quickly and efficiently

Prerequisites

• Basic Linux and command line skills
• Basic Git and repository knowledge

Technical Requirements

• Git installed
• Account on GitLab.com or your own GitLab instance
• Internet access