Self-hosting Gitea the easy way
Yulei ChenGitea is a lightweight, self-hosted Git service. Think of it as your own private GitHub - code hosting, pull requests, issue tracking, and CI/CD - all in one package. GitHub and GitLab are great, but they can get expensive for teams or come with limitations on private repos and CI minutes.
Sliplane is a managed container platform that makes self-hosting painless. With one-click deployment, you can get Gitea up and running in minutes - no server setup, no reverse proxy config, no infrastructure to maintain.
Prerequisites
Before deploying, ensure you have a Sliplane account (free trial available).
Quick start
Sliplane provides one-click deployment with presets.
Deploy Gitea >- Click the deploy button above
- Select a project
- Select a server. If you just signed up you get a 48-hour free trial server
- Click Deploy!
About the preset
The one-click deploy above uses Sliplane's Gitea preset. The preset is built for a clean, stable default setup:
- Official
gitea/giteaimage - Specific version tag (
1.25.5) for stability - check Docker Hub for the latest stable version - Persistent storage mounted to
/datafor repositories, database, and configuration PORT=3000so Sliplane routes traffic to Gitea's web interface (the image also exposes SSH on port 22)USER_UIDandUSER_GIDset to1000for proper file permissions
Next steps
Once Gitea is running on Sliplane, access it using the domain Sliplane provided (e.g. gitea-xxxx.sliplane.app).
Initial setup
On first visit, Gitea shows you an installation wizard. Most defaults work fine. The key things to check:
- Site Title: Set your instance name
- Server Domain: This is already set to your Sliplane domain
- Administrator Account: Create your admin user at the bottom of the page
After that, click Install Gitea and you're good to go.
Key environment variables
You can customize Gitea's behavior through environment variables. Gitea uses the GITEA__ prefix with section and key names. For example, to change the app name:
| Variable | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
GITEA__DEFAULT__APP_NAME | Instance name shown in the UI | My Git Server |
GITEA__server__ROOT_URL | Full public URL of your instance | https://$SLIPLANE_DOMAIN |
GITEA__service__DISABLE_REGISTRATION | Disable new user signups | true |
GITEA__mailer__ENABLED | Enable email notifications | true |
The full list of configuration options is in the Gitea Configuration Cheat Sheet.
Logging
By default, Gitea logs to STDOUT, which works perfectly with Sliplane's built-in log viewer. You can adjust the log level through environment variables:
| Variable | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
GITEA__log__LEVEL | Log verbosity | info, debug, warn |
For general Docker log tips, check out our post on how to use Docker logs.
Troubleshooting
If you run into issues, bump the log level to debug by setting GITEA__log__LEVEL=debug and redeploy. This gives you detailed output about what Gitea is doing. Common issues include:
- 502 errors right after deploy: Gitea might still be initializing. Give it a minute
- Permission errors: Make sure
USER_UIDandUSER_GIDmatch the volume ownership (the preset sets both to1000)
Cost comparison
Of course you can also self-host Gitea with other cloud providers. Here is a pricing comparison for the most common ones:
| Provider | vCPU Cores | RAM | Disk | Estimated Monthly Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sliplane | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | €9 | charge per server |
| Render | 1 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$35-$45 | VM Small |
| Fly.io | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$20-$25 | VM + volume |
| Railway | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$15-$66 | Usage-based |
FAQ
What can I use Gitea for?
Gitea gives you code hosting with Git repositories, pull requests, issue tracking, a package registry, and even built-in CI/CD with Gitea Actions (compatible with GitHub Actions). It's a full development platform you own and control.
How do I disable public registration?
Set the environment variable GITEA__service__DISABLE_REGISTRATION=true and redeploy. This restricts account creation to admins only, which is recommended if you're running a private instance.
How do I update Gitea?
Change the image tag in your service settings to the newer version and redeploy. Check Docker Hub for the latest stable version. Gitea handles database migrations automatically on startup.
Are there alternatives to Gitea?
Yes. Popular self-hosted options include Forgejo (a Gitea fork focused on community governance), GitLab CE (feature-rich but heavier), and Gogs (minimal and fast). For managed services, there's GitHub, GitLab.com, and Bitbucket.
Can I use Gitea Actions for CI/CD?
Yes. Gitea Actions is compatible with GitHub Actions workflows. You'll need to set up an act runner - you can deploy one as a separate service on Sliplane and connect it to your Gitea instance through Sliplane's internal networking.
