Create a project with git push

  • Tier: Free, Premium, Ultimate
  • Offering: GitLab.com, GitLab Self-Managed, GitLab Dedicated

You can use git push to add a local project repository to GitLab. After you add a repository, GitLab creates your project in your chosen namespace.

You cannot use git push to create projects with paths that were previously used or renamed. Previously used project paths have a redirect. Instead of creating a new project, the redirect causes push attempts to redirect requests to the renamed project location. To create a new project for a previously used or renamed project, use the UI or the Projects API.

Prerequisites:

  • You must have permission to add new projects to a namespace. To verify your permissions:

    1. On the left sidebar, select Search or go to and find your group.
    2. In the upper-right corner, confirm that New project is visible.

    If you do not have the necessary permission, contact your GitLab administrator.

To create a project with git push:

  1. Push your local repository to GitLab with one of the following:

    • With SSH:

      • If your project uses the standard port 22, run:

        git push --set-upstream git@gitlab.example.com:namespace/myproject.git main

      • If your project requires a non-standard port number, run:

        git push --set-upstream ssh://git@gitlab.example.com:00/namespace/myproject.git main

    • With HTTP, run:

      git push --set-upstream https://gitlab.example.com/namespace/myproject.git master

      Replace the following values:

      • gitlab.example.com with the machine domain name hosts your Git repository.
      • namespace with your namespace name.
      • myproject with your project name.
      • If specifying a port, change 00 to your project’s required port number.
      • Optional. To export existing repository tags, append the --tags flag to your git push command.

  2. Optional. Configure the remote:

    git remote add origin https://gitlab.example.com/namespace/myproject.git

When the git push operation completes, GitLab displays the following message:

remote: The private project namespace/myproject was created.

To view your new project, go to https://gitlab.example.com/namespace/myproject. By default, your project’s visibility is set to Private, but you can change the project’s visibility.