---
title: Gitlab
...

Please do not use GitLab to host libreboot. Libreboot is a free software
project, so this is only a request, and not a restriction on the
software.

[Back to the Git page](git.md)

What's wrong with GitLab?
--------------------------

-   GitLab itself is proprietary software. There is a *community
    edition* but this is only used as a source of cheap labour for
    GitLab to prop up its proprietary version, which it sells for
    profit. In fact, the [Enterprise Edition used to be Free software,
    until early
    2014](https://web.archive.org/web/20141215225437/https://about.gitlab.com/2014/02/11/gitlab-ee-license-change/).
    What else will they make proprietary? Perhaps one day they will drop
    the community edition?
-   GitLab requires a
    [CLA](https://web.archive.org/web/20150405153359/https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/commits/master/doc/legal/individual_contributor_license_agreement.md)
    for all contributions to the community edition.
    What this means is that they want you to use their permissive
    (non-copyleft) license, so that they can make your work proprietary
    as part of the enterprise edition.
-   The GitLab CEO (Sytse Sijbrandij) really likes to talk about
    freedom, but in reality that person's opinion is the same as the
    [GitHub](github.md) CEO.
-   Monopolistic practises. For instance, GitLab bought
    [Gitorious](https://web.archive.org/web/20150905091808/https://about.gitlab.com/2015/03/03/gitlab-acquires-gitorious/)
    just to asset strip it. Gitorious was the go-to Git hosting provider for
    Free Software developers, and Gitorious was released under AGPLv3 which
    meant that it truly safeguarded user freedom. GitLab killed it.

GitLab simply uses Free Software for its own benefit, releasing source code
under a free license only when suited to its business goals; they are quite
happy to violate the rights of their users, for profit.

By contrast, the libreboot project adheres strictly to the goals of the Free
Software movement, which seeks to eliminate proprietary software to the point
where all software is free.

The opinions expressed by the CEO of GitLab (not to mention, the actions of
GitLab BV) are incompatible with those of the libreboot project.  Users and
developers of *[free software](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software)*
are strongly advised not to use GitLab, for any of their projects.

Where should I host and share my code?
--------------------------------------

[Read this section on the libreboot website](../git/#githosting) for a list of
recommended Git hosting providers.

