Gitolite

What it does

Access control

It controls read access by repository and write access by branch, tag, file, or directory.checked 11 Oct 2026

Authentication

Authentication commonly uses sshd, and Gitolite also supports smart HTTP mode.checked 11 Oct 2026

Customization

Gitolite supports custom commands for users and custom code.checked 11 Oct 2026

Groups and configuration

Convenience features include repository groups, user groups, LDAP-sourced user group information, include files, and macros.checked 11 Oct 2026

Groups and LDAP

Rule-writing features include repo and user groups, LDAP-sourced user group information, include files, and macros.checked 11 Oct 2026

Hosting model

The maker's setup guide installs Gitolite under a hosting Unix user and provides installation from source or a distribution package.checked 11 Oct 2026

Installation requirements

Gitolite can be installed without root access if Git and Perl are already installed.checked 11 Oct 2026

Install requirements

The maker says it can be installed without root access if Git and Perl are already installed.checked 11 Oct 2026

Intended use

The maker says Gitolite is useful on servers hosting multiple repositories with many developers when unrestricted access to every repository is unsuitable.checked 11 Oct 2026

License

The software is licensed under GPL v2.checked 11 Oct 2026

Limitations

The maker says Gitolite does not provide code review and recommends Gerrit when code review is essential.checked 11 Oct 2026

Mirroring

The overview describes its mirroring system as powerful and flexible.checked 11 Oct 2026

Purpose

Gitolite is an access control layer for hosting Git repositories on a central server.checked 11 Oct 2026

Rule features

Its rules can use factors such as branch or tag names, changed files, and changed-file size or count.checked 11 Oct 2026

Rules

Its rule language can use factors such as branch or tag names, files or directories touched, changed file size, and number of changed files.checked 11 Oct 2026

Security contact

The maker asks that possible security issues be reported directly by email.checked 11 Oct 2026

Security process

The site says the v3 version has not had the outside security audit mentioned for an earlier version.checked 11 Oct 2026

Self-service repositories

Users can create repositories and set access rights when the administrator allows it.checked 11 Oct 2026

Support

The maker directs general support and discussion to a mailing list and identifies an IRC channel on libera.chat.checked 11 Oct 2026

User isolation

Multiple Gitolite users share one Unix server user and do not receive shell access.checked 11 Oct 2026

User model

It uses one real Unix user on the server while Gitolite users are not real users and do not receive shell access.checked 11 Oct 2026

Web interface limit

The maker describes Gitolite as invisible to users except when access is denied and contrasts it with alternatives that offer a full web-based GUI.checked 11 Oct 2026