> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ahmadraza.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# V Upgrade

# GitLab Edition Upgrade Guide

## Overview

This guide provides instructions for upgrading your self-hosted GitLab Community Edition (CE) instance. It is essential to follow the correct upgrade path, especially for minor version upgrades.

***

## Prerequisites

* Ensure you have root or sudo access to the server.
* Backup your GitLab instance before performing an upgrade.
* Review the [official GitLab upgrade documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/update/package/) for any specific release notes or breaking changes.

***

## Step 1: Check Available Versions

To see the available versions of GitLab, use the following command:

```bash theme={null}
sudo apt-cache madison gitlab-ee
```

This command will list all the versions available for installation.

***

## Step 2: Upgrade GitLab

### 2.1 Upgrade Version by Version

To upgrade GitLab, you must follow the minor version upgrade path. For example, if you are upgrading from version `16.6.1` to `16.7.4`, perform the following steps:

1. **Update the package index:**

   ```bash theme={null}
   sudo apt update
   ```

2. **Install the specific version of GitLab:**

   ```bash theme={null}
   sudo apt install gitlab-ee=16.7.4-ee.0
   ```

   Repeat this step for each minor version until you reach the desired version (e.g., upgrade from `16.6.1` to `16.7.4`).

### 2.2 Upgrade to the Latest Version

If you want to upgrade to the latest version (e.g., `16.8.1`), you can run:

```bash theme={null}
sudo apt update
sudo apt install gitlab-ee
```

Alternatively, you can specify the exact version:

```bash theme={null}
sudo apt install gitlab-ee=16.8.1-ee.0
```

***

## Step 3: Restart and Reconfigure GitLab

After the upgrade, you need to restart and reconfigure GitLab:

1. **Restart GitLab:**

   ```bash theme={null}
   sudo gitlab-ctl restart
   ```

2. **Reconfigure GitLab:**

   ```bash theme={null}
   sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure
   ```

***

## Step 4: Verify the Upgrade

After the upgrade, verify that your GitLab instance is functioning correctly by performing the following tests:

* Clone an existing repository.
* Push changes to a repository.
* Create a new repository.
* Test the user interface (UI) by editing a file, merging branches, creating runners, and creating branches.

***

## Important Notes

* **Skipping Auto Backup (Not Recommended):** If you need to skip the auto-backup during the upgrade for any reason, you can create a file:

  ```bash theme={null}
  sudo touch /etc/gitlab/skip-auto-backup
  ```

* **Backup Command:** To create a backup manually, run:

  ```bash theme={null}
  gitlab-backup create CRON=1
  ```

* **Upgrade Path:** Only minor versions should be upgraded one by one. For major version upgrades, refer to the specific upgrade instructions in the official documentation.

***

## Conclusion

Following this guide will help you successfully upgrade your GitLab Community Edition instance while ensuring minimal disruption. For more detailed information and advanced configurations, refer to the [GitLab documentation](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/update/package/).

***