Convert a Linux package CE instance to EE

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

You can convert an existing Linux package instance from Community Edition (CE) to Enterprise Edition (EE). To convert the instance, you install the EE Linux package on top of the CE instance.

You don’t need the same version of CE to EE. For example, CE 18.0 to EE 18.1 should work. However, upgrading the same version (for example, CE 18.1 to EE 18.1) is recommended.

After you convert from EE from CE, don’t revert back to CE if you plan to go to EE again. Reverting back to CE can cause database issues that may require Support intervention.

Convert from CE to EE

To convert a Linux package CE instance to EE:

  1. Make a GitLab backup.

  2. Find the installed GitLab version:

    sudo apt-cache policy gitlab-ce | grep Installed

    Note down the returned version.

    sudo rpm -q gitlab-ce

    Note down the returned version.

  3. Add the gitlab-ee Apt or Yum repository. These commands find your OS version and automatically set up the repository. If you are not comfortable installing the repository through a piped script, you can first check the script’s contents.

    curl --silent "https://packages.gitlab.com/install/repositories/gitlab/gitlab-ee/script.deb.sh" | sudo bash
    curl --silent "https://packages.gitlab.com/install/repositories/gitlab/gitlab-ee/script.rpm.sh" | sudo bash

    To use dpkg or rpm instead of using apt-get or yum follow Upgrade using a manually downloaded package.

  4. Install the gitlab-ee Linux package. The install automatically uninstalls the gitlab-ce package on your GitLab.

    ## Make sure the repositories are up-to-date
sudo apt-get update

## Install the package using the version you wrote down from step 1
sudo apt-get install gitlab-ee=18.1.0-ee.0

## Reconfigure GitLab
sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure
    ## Install the package using the version you wrote down from step 1
sudo yum install gitlab-ee-18.1.0-ee.0.el9.x86_64

## Reconfigure GitLab
sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure

  5. Add your license to activate Enterprise Edition.

  6. Confirm that GitLab is working as expected, then you can remove the old Community Edition repository:

    sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gitlab_gitlab-ce.list
    sudo rm /etc/yum.repos.d/gitlab_gitlab-ce.repo

  7. Optional. Set up the Elasticsearch integration to enable advanced search.

That’s it! You can now use GitLab Enterprise Edition! To upgrade to a newer version, follow Upgrading Linux package instances.

Revert back to CE

For information on reverting an EE instance to CE, see how to revert from EE to CE.