GitLab Container Registry – Integrated Registry for CI/CD

Manage container images easily – right inside your GitLab project.
The integrated GitLab Registry enables seamless container management – without external services or manual setup.

What Is the GitLab Container Registry?​

Each GitLab project includes a built-in container registry by default:
Just enable it, push your image – and use it directly in your pipelines or deployments.

• Private, project-bound container repositories
• No additional components or external logins required
• Access via CI/CD tokens, deploy tokens, or personal access tokens
• Compatible with Docker, Podman, BuildKit & more

Common Use Cases​

• Pushing build images from GitLab CI/CD
• Versioned deployment of application images
• Tight integration of code & containers in a single system
• Kubernetes deployment using imagePullSecrets from GitLab

Advantages​

• Immediately available – no separate registry needed
• Access control via GitLab’s role model
• Integrated into GitLab UI, API & pipelines
• Simple cleanup via manual tag management or API

Limitations of the GitLab Registry​

The integrated registry is sufficient for many use cases – but in some scenarios, Harbor may be a better fit:

Feature	GitLab Registry	Harbor
Project-based repositories	✅	✅
Helm chart support	❌	✅
Image scanning	❌ (Ultimate only)	✅ (Open Source)
Granular retention policies	❌ (manual only)	✅ (automated)
Cross-project RBAC	❌	✅

For simple CI/CD workflows, GitLab Registry is ideal. For more complex requirements, we recommend Harbor.

GitLab Registry with RiKuWe​

We fully operate GitLab including the container registry for you – including:

• Securing & encrypting container data
• Backup & recovery of repositories
• Integration into your CI/CD pipelines & deployment strategies
• Optional: additional external registry like Harbor

You develop. We take care of the secure delivery of your images.