I’m using Gitlab CE and trying to decide between a separate Mattermost install vs the version included with Gitlab. I know there are a couple of threads on this but they’re fairly old… I’d prefer a separate install if the integration is just as seamless. Will the experience be identical if install the Gitlab plugin and enable slash commands + notifications?
For example, the plugin docs say:
Step 3: Connect Your GitLab Accounts
Run the /gitlab connect slash command to connect your Mattermost account with GitLab.
Do users still need to do that in the version included with Gitlab?
Hi @menathor and welcome to the Mattermost forums!
I saw your posting on the community server too, but was unsure so I didn’t answer there and I’m still not sure if I can fully answer your question here, since I’m not a heavy Gitlab user, but I think there’s technically not a big difference between the bundled version and the external one, except for a few preconfigured things to make it work better in the Gitlab ecosystem. F.ex. the authentication method is set to Gitlab by default (I think), so on the login screen, you do not enter your username and password in the respective fields, but you click on “Sign in with GitLab” and it takes you to the GitLab SSO login page which will automatically be configured properly. I happen to have a user account on a gitlab integrated Mattermost server and the Gitlab Plugin is not set up there. Not sure if it’s something specific to this installation, but this setup is GitLab integrated but does not automatically come with the GitLab Plugin installed and configured, which hardens my assumption that it doesn’t really matter and there’s no special integration with regards to the bundled version, but I can’t tell for sure, so YMMV.
Personally, I’m a fan of separate non-bundled installations, because it gives you the freedom of choice to update both components individually and to connect Mattermost to GitLab, you will have to use the GitLab Mattermost plugin anyways.
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