July 2015 Summaries

In GitLab, maintaining high code quality is facilitated through the use of Merge Requests, which require approval before code can be merged into the target branch. This process ensures that only individuals with developer permission or higher can approve and merge code, with additional functionality in GitLab Enterprise Edition allowing for Merge Request Approvals. This feature mandates a set number of approvals before a merge can proceed, and users can assign specific approvers or leave it open to any qualified person. Approvers can be set individually or as a default within project settings, and approvals can be automatically reset upon new pushes to the merge request. Future enhancements include automatic reviewer suggestions based on file history, aimed at further improving the Merge Request Approvals feature to benefit all users without inconvenience.

GitLab, initially an on-premises software for hosting repositories, has evolved into a significant open-source platform used by organizations like NASA and CERN for software development. With a community-driven approach, GitLab has expanded rapidly, driven by contributions from developers worldwide, to become a popular choice for creating, reviewing, and deploying code. To further its mission of becoming the default software solution, GitLab has secured $1.5 million in seed funding from investors including Khosla Ventures and 500 Startups, aiming to accelerate growth and enhance its U.S. operations. The funding will bolster GitLab's sales and marketing efforts in San Francisco, while maintaining a remote-first strategy, and is seen as a testament to the growing demand for open-source solutions in enterprise technology. CEO Sytse "Sid" Sijbrandij emphasizes the company's commitment to fostering a collaborative environment for developers to build better products more efficiently, while expressing gratitude towards the community, team, and investors for their vital roles in GitLab's journey.

GitLab employees actively engage in "dogfooding" by using their own platform for various operational and development tasks, allowing them to test and gain confidence in their product. GitLab.com is utilized for public work, while dev.GitLab.org is reserved for sensitive development activities, with access granted to team members. New employees are onboarded through a simple and accessible employee handbook, and communication is facilitated through Slack, emails, and the use of Issues and Merge Requests in repositories. This approach fosters a collaborative environment where team members contribute to problem-solving and product improvement. Additionally, annual team events, such as attending OSCON in The Netherlands, promote team building and personal interaction.

GitLab, originally founded in Ukraine by Dmitriy Zaporozhets and later expanded by Sytse Sijbrandij, operates as a fully distributed company where employees can work from any location. Initially established as a Dutch company to support its open-source project, GitLab has a global customer base primarily located in North America. To better serve these customers and overcome challenges associated with being a Dutch corporation, GitLab decided to incorporate in the United States and operate as GitLab, Inc. The company also opened an Experience Center in San Francisco to provide a workspace option near Silicon Valley for its employees.