Get Started with Gitolite: Open Source Git Hosting on Your Own Server (Using Podman)

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Host Your Own Git Server with Gitolite and Podman

Want to run your own Git server without relying on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket? Gitolite is a powerful, open-source tool that lets you manage Git repositories on your own terms – with SSH-based access control, fine-grained permissions, and no need for a web interface.

In this post, I will show you how to install Gitolite inside a Podman container, taking full advantage of official repositories.

Why Gitolite?

• Self-hosted Git server
• Fine-grained access control using SSH keys
• Lightweight and scriptable
• 100% open source

Step 1: Prepare Your Admin SSH Key

You’ll need your SSH public key for administration. Save it as admin.pub in the same folder where you create the container files.

Step 2: Create the Containerfile

Create a file named Containerfile (or Dockerfile) with the following content:

FROM alpine:latest

# Install required packages
RUN apk add --no-cache git gitolite openssh

# Prepare SSH and home directory
RUN mkdir -p /var/run/sshd /home/git/.ssh && \
    chown -R git:git /home/git

# Generate SSH host keys
RUN ssh-keygen -A

# Copy your public key into the image
COPY admin_key.pub /tmp/admin_key.pub
RUN chown git:git /tmp/admin_key.pub

# Run gitolite setup as git user
RUN su git -c "gitolite setup -pk /tmp/admin_key.pub"

# Copy SSHD config (rootless-safe)
COPY sshd_config /etc/ssh/sshd_config

# Expose high port for rootless podman
EXPOSE 2222

CMD ["/usr/sbin/sshd", "-D", "-e"]

Step 3: Create the podman-compose.yml File

Create a podman-compose.yml file alongside the Containerfile:

version: "3.9"

services:
  gitolite:
    build: .
    container_name: gitolite
    ports:
      - "2222:2222"
    volumes:
      - gitolite_data:/home/git
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  gitolite_data:

Step 4: Build and Run Your Gitolite Container

1. Build the container image:

   podman-compose build

2. Start the container:

   podman-compose up -d

3. Your Gitolite server will be running and accessible on port 2222.

Step 5: Connect to Your Gitolite Server

From your host machine, clone the Gitolite admin repository using:

git clone ssh://git@localhost:2222/gitolite-admin

Now you can manage your repositories, users, and permissions by editing the Gitolite config and pushing changes.

Screenshots and Screencast Tutorial

Learn More with My Books and Courses

• Programming Books on Amazon
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Need Help?

• Book One-on-One Programming Tutorials
• Install or Migrate Git or Gitolite Repositories

Conclusion

With Podman, setting up Gitolite is fast, clean, and secure. Whether you are managing your own projects or hosting for a team, this setup gives you total control over your source code and workflows.

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