GitLab Repo Mirror Pull Sync - Docker Image + GitLab Scheduled Pipeline

Useful Docker image that can be used in combination with a GitLab Scheduled Pipelines for pulling remote repositories.

Normally, GitLab Community Edition (GitLab CE) only offers you to mirroring repositories via push direction. This Docker image with yaml file + scheduler allows you to sync a repository via pull mirror direction!

Have the "GitLab mirror pull" feature for free, even when using GitLab CE! Use the steps below to get started.

Docker Image

We are following Docker image in our pipeline: danger89/repo_mirror_pull (source)

GitLab Pipeline

GitLab Scheduled Pipeline yaml file (.gitlab-ci.yml). No changes are needed, the variables can be changed in the GitLab Schedule (see next heading).

If the rebase fails the pipeline aborts automatically (so no git push).

repo_pull_sync:
  image: danger89/repo_mirror_pull:latest
  rules:
    - if: '$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "schedule"'
    - if: $REMOTE_URL
    - if: $REMOTE_BRANCH
    - if: $ACCESS_TOKEN
  before_script:
    - git config --global user.name "${GITLAB_USER_NAME}"
    - git config --global user.email "${GITLAB_USER_EMAIL}"
  script:
    - git checkout $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH
    - git pull
    - git remote remove upstream || true
    - git remote add upstream $REMOTE_URL
    - git fetch upstream
    - git rebase upstream/$REMOTE_BRANCH
    - git push "https://${GITLAB_USER_LOGIN}:${ACCESS_TOKEN}@${CI_REPOSITORY_URL#*@}" "HEAD:${CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH}"

Note: If you want to use git merge instead of git rebase that is up to you. You can change the script above to your needs.

Create GitLab Schedule

Create Project Access token fist:

• Go to: Settings -> Access Tokens. Check 'api' as the scope. Save the secret token for later.

Create a new GitLab Schedule:

• Go to: CI/CD -> Schedules -> New schedule. With the following 3 variables:
  • REMOTE_URL (example: https://github.com/project/repo.git)
  • REMOTE_BRANCH (example: master)
  • ACCESS_TOKEN (see Access Token in the first step! Example: gplat-234hcand9q289rba89dghqa892agbd89arg2854)
• Save pipeline schedule
• Press the Play button to trigger the Schedule prematurely (for testing purpose)