Gitea is an open source GitHub alternative that gives teams a full Git hosting platform, including pull requests, CI/CD, issue tracking, and package registries, on infrastructure they control.
The Problem
GitHub requires internet access and sends all repository data and contribution history to Microsoft's servers. For teams in regulated industries, air-gapped environments, or those with strict data residency requirements, this is a hard constraint. GitLab self-hosted is an option but runs heavy: a minimal install needs 4 GB of RAM and the configuration surface is large. For small teams, the operational overhead is disproportionate to the workflow they need.
How Gitea Solves It
Gitea ships as a single binary with no external runtime dependencies. It runs on a cheap VPS, a Raspberry Pi, or an air-gapped server and consumes roughly 100 MB of RAM at idle. The interface mirrors GitHub's workflow closely enough that developers switch without relearning. Gitea Actions is compatible with GitHub Actions workflow syntax, so existing CI/CD pipelines migrate with minimal changes. MIT licensed.
Key Features
- Full Git repository hosting with branches, tags, forks, and pull request workflows
- Gitea Actions for CI/CD with GitHub Actions workflow syntax compatibility
- Issue tracker with labels, milestones, and project kanban boards
- Package registry supporting Docker, NPM, PyPI, Helm, and more
- Built-in code search, blame view, and protected branch rules
- LDAP and OAuth2 integration for enterprise identity providers
Self-Hosting
Gitea ships as a single binary with no external runtime dependencies. Download the binary for your OS from the GitHub releases page and run it directly. It runs on a VPS with 512 MB of RAM, a Raspberry Pi, or an air-gapped server. SQLite is the default database; Postgres and MySQL are supported for production deployments.
License
MIT. Free to use, modify, and distribute for personal or commercial use without restriction.
Who It's For
Gitea is best for small to mid-size engineering teams who need self-hosted Git hosting without the overhead of GitLab. It fits teams in regulated industries with data residency requirements, organizations running air-gapped environments, and anyone who wants a GitHub-like workflow on a server that costs $5 a month.
Compared to GitHub
Unlike GitHub, Gitea runs entirely on your own server with no monthly per-seat fees and no dependency on external connectivity. Your code, history, and CI/CD logs stay on your infrastructure.
