gogs/gogs - Detailed Review#

1. Overview & GitHub Stats#

URL: https://github.com/gogs/gogs
Stars: 46802

2. Project Description#

Gogs (Go Git Service) is an open-source, self-hosted Git service written in Go. It provides a lightweight, fast, and user-friendly alternative to platforms like GitHub and GitLab, with a minimal resource footprint. Designed for simplicity and ease of use, Gogs offers essential Git repository management, issue tracking, and collaboration tools without the complexity or overhead of larger solutions.

3. What Software Does It Replace?#

Gogs serves as a viable alternative to:

GitHub (self-hosted/Enterprise)
GitLab (self-hosted/Community Edition)
Bitbucket Server
Gitea (a fork of Gogs with additional features)

4. Core Functionality#

Key features of Gogs include:

Git repository hosting with HTTP/SSH support
Issue tracking and milestones
Pull requests and code review
User and organization management
Webhooks and integrations
Built-in wiki and file editor
Multi-language support (internationalization)
Lightweight and fast, even on low-resource systems

5. Pros and Cons#

Pros:

Extremely lightweight and resource-efficient
Simple setup and configuration
Intuitive, clean user interface
Active community and regular updates
Supports multiple databases (SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL)
Docker support for easy deployment

Cons:

Lacks some advanced features found in GitLab (e.g., CI/CD integration)
Smaller ecosystem of plugins/extensions compared to GitHub/GitLab
Limited built-in automation compared to commercial alternatives

6. Detailed Installation Guide (Self-host)#

This guide covers deploying Gogs on an Ubuntu 22.04 server using Docker for simplicity and reliability.

Prerequisites:#

Ubuntu 22.04 server
Docker and Docker Compose installed
Domain name pointed to your server (optional but recommended for production)

Step 1: Install Docker and Docker Compose#

Update your system and install Docker:

1
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
2
sudo apt install docker.io docker-compose -y
3
sudo systemctl enable docker && sudo systemctl start docker

Step 2: Create a Docker Compose File#

Create a directory for Gogs and navigate into it:

1
mkdir gogs && cd gogs

Create a docker-compose.yml file:

1
version: '3'
2

3
services:
4
  gogs:
5
    image: gogs/gogs
6
    container_name: gogs
7
    restart: unless-stopped
8
    ports:
9
      - "3000:3000"
10
      - "10022:22"
11
    volumes:
12
      - ./data:/data
13
    environment:
14
      - USER_UID=1000
15
      - USER_GID=1000

Step 3: Deploy Gogs#

Start the container with:

1
sudo docker-compose up -d

Step 4: Configure Gogs#

Open your browser and go to http://your-server-ip:3000 (replace with your domain if configured). Follow the setup wizard:

Database Settings: Use SQLite3 (default, stored in /data).
General Settings: Set application URL, e.g., http://your-domain.com:3000.
Admin Account: Create an admin user.
Complete the installation.

Step 5 (Optional): Set Up Reverse Proxy (Nginx)#

For production use, set up Nginx as a reverse proxy. Install Nginx:

1
sudo apt install nginx -y

Create a new configuration file:

1
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/gogs

Add the following, replacing your-domain.com with your actual domain:

1
server {
2
    listen 80;
3
    server_name your-domain.com;
4

5
    location / {
6
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
7
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
8
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
9
    }
10
}

Enable the site and restart Nginx:

1
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/gogs /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
2
sudo nginx -t && sudo systemctl restart nginx

Step 6: Secure with SSL (Optional but Recommended)#

Use Let’s Encrypt to add HTTPS:

1
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
2
sudo certbot --nginx -d your-domain.com

Your Gogs instance is now live and accessible securely!

For further customization, refer to the official Gogs documentation.