path: root/doc/administration/pages/index.md

---
description: 'Learn how to administer GitLab Pages.'
---

# GitLab Pages administration

> - [Introduced][ee-80] in GitLab EE 8.3.
> - Custom CNAMEs with TLS support were [introduced][ee-173] in GitLab EE 8.5.
> - GitLab Pages [was ported][ce-14605] to Community Edition in GitLab 8.17.
> - Support for subgroup project's websites was
>   [introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/30548) in GitLab 11.8.

GitLab Pages allows for hosting of static sites. It must be configured by an
administrator. Separate [user documentation][pages-userguide] is available.

Read the [changelog](#changelog) if you are upgrading to a new GitLab
version as it may include new features and changes needed to be made in your
configuration.

NOTE: **Note:**
This guide is for Omnibus GitLab installations. If you have installed
GitLab from source, see
[GitLab Pages administration for source installations](source.md).

## Overview

GitLab Pages makes use of the [GitLab Pages daemon], a simple HTTP server
written in Go that can listen on an external IP address and provide support for
custom domains and custom certificates. It supports dynamic certificates through
SNI and exposes pages using HTTP2 by default.
You are encouraged to read its [README][pages-readme] to fully understand how
it works.

In the case of [custom domains](#custom-domains) (but not
[wildcard domains](#wildcard-domains)), the Pages daemon needs to listen on
ports `80` and/or `443`. For that reason, there is some flexibility in the way
which you can set it up:

1. Run the Pages daemon in the same server as GitLab, listening on a secondary IP.
1. Run the Pages daemon in a separate server. In that case, the
   [Pages path](#change-storage-path) must also be present in the server that
   the Pages daemon is installed, so you will have to share it via network.
1. Run the Pages daemon in the same server as GitLab, listening on the same IP
   but on different ports. In that case, you will have to proxy the traffic with
   a loadbalancer. If you choose that route note that you should use TCP load
   balancing for HTTPS. If you use TLS-termination (HTTPS-load balancing) the
   pages will not be able to be served with user provided certificates. For
   HTTP it's OK to use HTTP or TCP load balancing.

In this document, we will proceed assuming the first option. If you are not
supporting custom domains a secondary IP is not needed.

## Prerequisites

Before proceeding with the Pages configuration, you will need to:

1. Have an exclusive root domain for serving GitLab Pages. Note that you cannot
   use a subdomain of your GitLab's instance domain.
1. Configure a **wildcard DNS record**.
1. (Optional) Have a **wildcard certificate** for that domain if you decide to
   serve Pages under HTTPS.
1. (Optional but recommended) Enable [Shared runners](../../ci/runners/README.md)
   so that your users don't have to bring their own.
1. (Only for custom domains) Have a **secondary IP**.

NOTE: **Note:**
If your GitLab instance and the Pages daemon are deployed in a private network or behind a firewall, your GitLab Pages websites will only be accessible to devices/users that have access to the private network.

### Add the domain to the Public Suffix List

The [Public Suffix List](https://publicsuffix.org) is used by browsers to
decide how to treat subdomains. If your GitLab instance allows members of the
public to create GitLab Pages sites, it also allows those users to create
subdomains on the pages domain (`example.io`). Adding the domain to the Public
Suffix List prevents browsers from accepting
[supercookies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie#Supercookie),
among other things.

Follow [these instructions](https://publicsuffix.org/submit/) to submit your
GitLab Pages subdomain. For instance, if your domain is `example.io`, you should
request that `example.io` is added to the Public Suffix List. GitLab.com
added `gitlab.io` [in 2016](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/infrastructure/issues/230).

### DNS configuration

GitLab Pages expect to run on their own virtual host. In your DNS server/provider
you need to add a [wildcard DNS A record][wiki-wildcard-dns] pointing to the
host that GitLab runs. For example, an entry would look like this:

```
*.example.io. 1800 IN A    192.0.2.1
*.example.io. 1800 IN AAAA 2001::1
```

where `example.io` is the domain under which GitLab Pages will be served
and `192.0.2.1` is the IPv4 address of your GitLab instance and `2001::1` is the
IPv6 address. If you don't have IPv6, you can omit the AAAA record.

NOTE: **Note:**
You should not use the GitLab domain to serve user pages. For more information see the [security section](#security).

[wiki-wildcard-dns]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildcard_DNS_record

## Configuration

Depending on your needs, you can set up GitLab Pages in 4 different ways.
The following options are listed from the easiest setup to the most
advanced one. The absolute minimum requirement is to set up the wildcard DNS
since that is needed in all configurations.

### Wildcard domains

**Requirements:**

- [Wildcard DNS setup](#dns-configuration)

---

URL scheme: `http://page.example.io`

This is the minimum setup that you can use Pages with. It is the base for all
other setups as described below. Nginx will proxy all requests to the daemon.
The Pages daemon doesn't listen to the outside world.

1. Set the external URL for GitLab Pages in `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`:

    ```shell
    pages_external_url 'http://example.io'
    ```

1. [Reconfigure GitLab][reconfigure].

Watch the [video tutorial][video-admin] for this configuration.

### Wildcard domains with TLS support

**Requirements:**

- [Wildcard DNS setup](#dns-configuration)
- Wildcard TLS certificate

---

URL scheme: `https://page.example.io`

Nginx will proxy all requests to the daemon. Pages daemon doesn't listen to the
outside world.

1. Place the certificate and key inside `/etc/gitlab/ssl`
1. In `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb` specify the following configuration:

    ```shell
    pages_external_url 'https://example.io'

    pages_nginx['redirect_http_to_https'] = true
    pages_nginx['ssl_certificate'] = "/etc/gitlab/ssl/pages-nginx.crt"
    pages_nginx['ssl_certificate_key'] = "/etc/gitlab/ssl/pages-nginx.key"
    ```

    where `pages-nginx.crt` and `pages-nginx.key` are the SSL cert and key,
    respectively.

1. [Reconfigure GitLab][reconfigure].

### Additional configuration for Docker container

The GitLab Pages daemon will not have permissions to bind mounts when it runs
in a Docker container. To overcome this issue you'll need to change the chroot
behavior:

1. Edit `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`.
1. Set the `inplace_chroot` to `true` for GitLab Pages:

    ```shell
    gitlab_pages['inplace_chroot'] = true
    ```

1. [Reconfigure GitLab][reconfigure].

NOTE: **Note:**
`inplace_chroot` option might not work with the other features, such as [Pages Access Control](#access-control).
The [GitLab Pages README](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-pages#caveats) has more information about caveats and workarounds.

## Advanced configuration

In addition to the wildcard domains, you can also have the option to configure
GitLab Pages to work with custom domains. Again, there are two options here:
support custom domains with and without TLS certificates. The easiest setup is
that without TLS certificates. In either case, you'll need a secondary IP. If
you have IPv6 as well as IPv4 addresses, you can use them both.

### Custom domains

**Requirements:**

- [Wildcard DNS setup](#dns-configuration)
- Secondary IP

---

URL scheme: `http://page.example.io` and `http://domain.com`

In that case, the Pages daemon is running, Nginx still proxies requests to
the daemon but the daemon is also able to receive requests from the outside
world. Custom domains are supported, but no TLS.

1. Edit `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`:

    ```shell
    pages_external_url "http://example.io"
    nginx['listen_addresses'] = ['192.0.2.1']
    pages_nginx['enable'] = false
    gitlab_pages['external_http'] = ['192.0.2.2:80', '[2001::2]:80']
    ```

    where `192.0.2.1` is the primary IP address that GitLab is listening to and
    `192.0.2.2` and `2001::2` are the secondary IPs the GitLab Pages daemon
    listens on. If you don't have IPv6, you can omit the IPv6 address.

1. [Reconfigure GitLab][reconfigure].

### Custom domains with TLS support

**Requirements:**

- [Wildcard DNS setup](#dns-configuration)
- Wildcard TLS certificate
- Secondary IP

---

URL scheme: `https://page.example.io` and `https://domain.com`

In that case, the Pages daemon is running, Nginx still proxies requests to
the daemon but the daemon is also able to receive requests from the outside
world. Custom domains and TLS are supported.

1. Edit `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`:

    ```shell
    pages_external_url "https://example.io"
    nginx['listen_addresses'] = ['192.0.2.1']
    pages_nginx['enable'] = false
    gitlab_pages['cert'] = "/etc/gitlab/ssl/example.io.crt"
    gitlab_pages['cert_key'] = "/etc/gitlab/ssl/example.io.key"
    gitlab_pages['external_http'] = ['192.0.2.2:80', '[2001::2]:80']
    gitlab_pages['external_https'] = ['192.0.2.2:443', '[2001::2]:443']
    ```

    where `192.0.2.1` is the primary IP address that GitLab is listening to and
    `192.0.2.2` and `2001::2` are the secondary IPs where the GitLab Pages daemon
    listens on. If you don't have IPv6, you can omit the IPv6 address.

1. [Reconfigure GitLab][reconfigure].

### Custom domain verification

To prevent malicious users from hijacking domains that don't belong to them,
GitLab supports [custom domain verification](../../user/project/pages/getting_started_part_three.md#dns-txt-record).
When adding a custom domain, users will be required to prove they own it by
adding a GitLab-controlled verification code to the DNS records for that domain.

If your userbase is private or otherwise trusted, you can disable the
verification requirement. Navigate to `Admin area ➔ Settings` and uncheck
**Require users to prove ownership of custom domains** in the Pages section.
This setting is enabled by default.

### Access control

> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/33422) in GitLab 11.5.

GitLab Pages access control can be configured per-project, and allows access to a Pages
site to be controlled based on a user's membership to that project.

Access control works by registering the Pages daemon as an OAuth application
with GitLab. Whenever a request to access a private Pages site is made by an
unauthenticated user, the Pages daemon redirects the user to GitLab. If
authentication is successful, the user is redirected back to Pages with a token,
which is persisted in a cookie. The cookies are signed with a secret key, so
tampering can be detected.

Each request to view a resource in a private site is authenticated by Pages
using that token. For each request it receives, it makes a request to the GitLab
API to check that the user is authorized to read that site.

Pages access control is disabled by default. To enable it:

1. Enable it in `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`:

    ```ruby
    gitlab_pages['access_control'] = true
    ```

1. [Reconfigure GitLab][reconfigure].
1. Users can now configure it in their [projects' settings](../../user/project/pages/introduction.md#gitlab-pages-access-control-core-only).

### Running behind a proxy

Like the rest of GitLab, Pages can be used in those environments where external
internet connectivity is gated by a proxy. In order to use a proxy for GitLab
pages:

1. Configure in `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`:

    ```ruby
    gitlab_pages['http_proxy'] = 'http://example:8080'
    ```

1. [Reconfigure Gitlab][reconfigure] for the changes to take effect.

## Activate verbose logging for daemon

Verbose logging was [introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/omnibus-gitlab/merge_requests/2533) in
Omnibus GitLab 11.1.

Follow the steps below to configure verbose logging of GitLab Pages daemon.

1. By default the daemon only logs with `INFO` level.
   If you wish to make it log events with level `DEBUG` you must configure this in
   `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`:

    ```shell
    gitlab_pages['log_verbose'] = true
    ```

1. [Reconfigure GitLab][reconfigure].

## Change storage path

Follow the steps below to change the default path where GitLab Pages' contents
are stored.

1. Pages are stored by default in `/var/opt/gitlab/gitlab-rails/shared/pages`.
   If you wish to store them in another location you must set it up in
   `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`:

    ```shell
    gitlab_rails['pages_path'] = "/mnt/storage/pages"
    ```

1. [Reconfigure GitLab][reconfigure].

## Configure listener for reverse proxy requests

Follow the steps below to configure the proxy listener of GitLab Pages. [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/omnibus-gitlab/merge_requests/2533) in
Omnibus GitLab 11.1.

1. By default the listener is configured to listen for requests on `localhost:8090`.

    If you wish to disable it you must configure this in
    `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`:

    ```shell
    gitlab_pages['listen_proxy'] = nil
    ```

    If you wish to make it listen on a different port you must configure this also in
    `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`:

    ```shell
    gitlab_pages['listen_proxy'] = "localhost:10080"
    ```

1. [Reconfigure GitLab][reconfigure].

## Set maximum pages size

The maximum size of the unpacked archive per project can be configured in the
Admin area under the Application settings in the **Maximum size of pages (MB)**.
The default is 100MB.

## Running GitLab Pages in a separate server

You may want to run GitLab Pages daemon on a separate server in order to decrease the load on your main application server.
Follow the steps below to configure GitLab Pages in a separate server.

1. Suppose you have the main GitLab application server named `app1`. Prepare
   new Linux server (let's call it `app2`), create NFS share there and configure access to
   this share from `app1`. Let's use the default GitLab Pages folder `/var/opt/gitlab/gitlab-rails/shared/pages`
   as the shared folder on `app2` and mount it to `/mnt/pages` on `app1`.

1. On `app2` install GitLab omnibus and modify `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb` this way:

    ```shell
    external_url 'http://<ip-address-of-the-server>'
    pages_external_url "http://<your-pages-domain>"
    postgresql['enable'] = false
    redis['enable'] = false
    prometheus['enable'] = false
    unicorn['enable'] = false
    sidekiq['enable'] = false
    gitlab_workhorse['enable'] = false
    gitaly['enable'] = false
    alertmanager['enable'] = false
    node_exporter['enable'] = false
    gitlab_rails['auto_migrate'] = false
    ```
1. Run `sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure`.
1. On `app1` apply the following changes to `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb`:

    ```shell
    gitlab_pages['enable'] = false
    pages_external_url "http://<your-pages-domain>"
    gitlab_rails['pages_path'] = "/mnt/pages"
    ```

1. Run `sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure`.

## Backup

Pages are part of the [regular backup][backup] so there is nothing to configure.

## Security

You should strongly consider running GitLab pages under a different hostname
than GitLab to prevent XSS attacks.

## Changelog

GitLab Pages were first introduced in GitLab EE 8.3. Since then, many features
where added, like custom CNAME and TLS support, and many more are likely to
come. Below is a brief changelog. If no changes were introduced or a version is
missing from the changelog, assume that the documentation is the same as the
latest previous version.

---

**GitLab 8.17 ([documentation](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/blob/8-17-stable/doc/administration/pages/index.md))**

- GitLab Pages were ported to Community Edition in GitLab 8.17.
- Documentation was refactored to be more modular and easy to follow.

**GitLab 8.5 ([documentation](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/blob/8-5-stable-ee/doc/pages/administration.md))**

- In GitLab 8.5 we introduced the [gitlab-pages][] daemon which is now the
  recommended way to set up GitLab Pages.
- The [NGINX configs][] have changed to reflect this change. So make sure to
  update them.
- Custom CNAME and TLS certificates support.
- Documentation was moved to one place.

**GitLab 8.3 ([documentation](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/blob/8-3-stable-ee/doc/pages/administration.md))**

- GitLab Pages feature was introduced.

[backup]: ../../raketasks/backup_restore.md
[ce-14605]: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/14605
[ee-80]: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/merge_requests/80
[ee-173]: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/merge_requests/173
[gitlab pages daemon]: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-pages
[NGINX configs]: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/tree/8-5-stable-ee/lib/support/nginx
[pages-readme]: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-pages/blob/master/README.md
[pages-userguide]: ../../user/project/pages/index.md
[reconfigure]: ../restart_gitlab.md#omnibus-gitlab-reconfigure
[restart]: ../restart_gitlab.md#installations-from-source
[gitlab-pages]: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-pages/tree/v0.2.4
[video-admin]: https://youtu.be/dD8c7WNcc6s