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diff --git a/doc/administration/docs_self_host.md b/doc/administration/docs_self_host.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..007055b5de7 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/administration/docs_self_host.md @@ -0,0 +1,131 @@ +--- +stage: Enablement +group: Distribution +info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments +--- + +# How to self-host the docs site **(FREE SELF)** + +If you have a self-managed instance of GitLab, you may not be able to access the +product documentation as hosted on `docs.gitlab.com` from your GitLab instance. + +Be aware of the following items if you self-host the product documentation: + +- You must host the product documentation site under a subdirectory that matches + your installed GitLab version (for example, `14.5/`). The + [Docker images](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/container_registry/631635) + hosted by the GitLab Docs team provide this by default. We use a + [script](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs/-/blob/2995d1378175803b22fb8806ba77adf63e79f32c/scripts/normalize-links.sh#L28-82) + to normalize the links and prefix them with the respective version. +- The version dropdown will display additional versions that don't exist, selecting + those versions will display a 404 Not Found page. +- Results when using the search box will display results from `docs.gitlab.com` + and not the local documentation. +- When you use the Docker images to serve the product documentation site, by + default the landing page redirects to the respective version (for example, `/14.5/`), + which causes the landing page <https://docs.gitlab.com> to not be displayed. + +## Documentation self-hosting options + +You can self-host the GitLab product documentation locally using one of these +methods: + +- Docker +- GitLab Pages +- From your own webserver + +The examples on this page are based on GitLab 14.5. + +### Self-host the product documentation with Docker + +The Docker images use a built-in webserver listening on port `4000`, so you need +to expose that. + +In the server that you host GitLab, or any other server that your GitLab instance +can talk to, you can use Docker to pull the docs site: + +```shell +docker run -it --rm -p 4000:4000 registry.gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs:14.5 +``` + +If you use [Docker compose](../install/docker.md#install-gitlab-using-docker-compose) +to host your GitLab instance, add the following to `docker-compose.yaml`: + +```yaml +version: '3.6' +services: + docs: + image: registry.gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs:14.5 + hostname: 'https://gitlab.example.com' + ports: + - '4000:4000' +``` + +### Self-host the product documentation with GitLab Pages + +You use GitLab Pages to host the GitLab product documentation locally. + +Prerequisite: + +- The Pages site URL must not use a subfolder. Due to the nature of how the docs + site is pre-compiled, the CSS and JavaScript files are relative to the + main domain or subdomain. For example, URLs like `https://example.com/docs/` + are not supported. + +To host the product documentation site with GitLab Pages: + +1. [Create a new blank project](../user/project/working_with_projects.md#create-a-blank-project). +1. Create a new or edit your existing `.gitlab-ci.yml` file, and add the following + `pages` job, while ensuring the version is the same as your GitLab installation: + + ```yaml + image: registry.gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs:14.5 + pages: + script: + - mkdir public + - cp -a /usr/share/nginx/html/* public/ + artifacts: + paths: + - public + ``` + +1. Optional. Set the GitLab Pages domain name. Depending on the type of the + GitLab Pages website, you have two options: + + | Type of website | [Default domain](../user/project/pages/getting_started_part_one.md#gitlab-pages-default-domain-names) | [Custom domain](../user/project/pages/custom_domains_ssl_tls_certification/index.md) | + |-------------------------|----------------|---------------| + | [Project website](../user/project/pages/getting_started_part_one.md#project-website-examples) | Not supported | Supported | + | [User or group website](../user/project/pages/getting_started_part_one.md#user-and-group-website-examples) | Supported | Supported | + +### Self-host the product documentation on your own webserver + +Because the product documentation site is static, you can grab the directory from +the container (in `/usr/share/nginx/html`) and use your own web server to host +it wherever you want. + +Use the following commands, and replace `<destination>` with the directory where the +documentation files will be copied to: + +```shell +docker create -it --name gitlab-docs registry.gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-docs:14.5 +docker cp gitlab-docs:/usr/share/nginx/html <destination> +docker rm -f gitlab-docs +``` + +## Redirect the `/help` links to the new docs page + +After your local product documentation site is running, [redirect the help +links](../user/admin_area/settings/help_page.md#redirect-help-pages) in the GitLab +application to your local site. + +Be sure to use the fully qualified domain name as the docs URL. For example, if you +used the [Docker method](#self-host-the-product-documentation-with-docker), enter `http://0.0.0.0:4000`. + +You don't need to append the version, as GitLab will detect it and append it to +any documentation URL requests, as needed. For example, if your GitLab version is +14.5, the GitLab Docs URL becomes `http://0.0.0.0:4000/14.5/`. The link +inside GitLab displays as `<instance_url>/help/user/admin_area/settings/help_page#destination-requirements`, +but when you select it, you are redirected to +`http://0.0.0.0:4000/14.5/ee/user/admin_area/settings/help_page/#destination-requirements`. + +To test the setting, select a **Learn more** link within the GitLab application. |