GitLab Deploy – Package Registry – A Complete Guide

🏗️ 1. Ensure Your GitLab Project Is Maven-Ready

To store your Java packages (JAR/WAR) into the GitLab Package Registry using GitLab CI/CD (SaaS, version 18.x), you can use GitLab’s built-in Maven repository support.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to:

✅ Build your Java project
✅ Upload the .jar or .war to GitLab’s Maven Package Registry
✅ Do this all through your .gitlab-ci.yml pipeline

In your project root:

Ensure pom.xml (for Maven) is set up with:

<project>
  ...
  <groupId>com.example</groupId>
  <artifactId>my-app</artifactId>
  <version>1.0.0</version>
  ...
</project>
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

🧪 2. GitLab Package Registry URL

GitLab SaaS Maven registry endpoint:

https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/<PROJECT_ID>/packages/maven
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

You can find <PROJECT_ID> in your GitLab project settings or by using:

https://gitlab.com/<namespace>/<project_name>
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

🔐 3. Create a CI/CD Job to Publish Artifact

.gitlab-ci.yml example for Maven:

stages:
  - build
  - publish

variables:
  MAVEN_CLI_OPTS: "-B -DskipTests"

build-job:
  stage: build
  image: maven:3.8.7-jdk-11
  script:
    - mvn $MAVEN_CLI_OPTS clean package
  artifacts:
    paths:
      - target/*.jar
      - target/*.war

publish-job:
  stage: publish
  image: maven:3.8.7-jdk-11
  script:
    - mvn deploy -s settings.xml
  only:
    - main
Code language: PHP (php)

⚙️ 4. Add settings.xml for GitLab Auth

In the root of your repo (or dynamically generate in CI):

<settings>
  <servers>
    <server>
      <id>gitlab</id>
      <username>gitlab-ci-token</username>
      <password>${env.CI_JOB_TOKEN}</password>
    </server>
  </servers>
</settings>
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

Ensure your pom.xml contains:

<distributionManagement>
  <repository>
    <id>gitlab</id>
    <url>https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/<PROJECT_ID>/packages/maven</url>
  </repository>
</distributionManagement>
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

🛡️ 5. Use the CI_JOB_TOKEN Securely

• gitlab-ci-token is a special user recognized by GitLab’s package registry.
• CI_JOB_TOKEN is auto-injected in GitLab CI/CD and scoped to your project.

📦 6. Check Published Packages

After the pipeline completes:

1. Go to your GitLab project
2. Click on Packages & Registries → Package Registry
3. You’ll see your .jar or .war listed

🧠 Bonus: Clean Up or Promote Packages

You can add manual jobs to:

• Promote packages to another environment
• Delete old versions via API
• Install them in another Java project using Maven:

<dependency>
  <groupId>com.example</groupId>
  <artifactId>my-app</artifactId>
  <version>1.0.0</version>
</dependency>
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

✅ Summary

How to use Package registry using Gradle

Here is a step-by-step guide to publish JAR/WAR packages from a Gradle-based Java project to GitLab’s Maven Package Registry, using GitLab SaaS 18.x.

✅ Overview

• You’ll use GitLab’s Maven-compatible Package Registry
• You’ll configure Gradle to use GitLab as a Maven repo
• You’ll automate it using .gitlab-ci.yml and CI_JOB_TOKEN

📁 1. Setup Your Gradle Project

In your build.gradle file:

plugins {
    id 'java'
    id 'maven-publish'
}

group = 'com.example'
version = '1.0.0'

publishing {
    publications {
        mavenJava(MavenPublication) {
            from components.java
        }
    }
    repositories {
        maven {
            name = "GitLab"
            url = uri("https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/<PROJECT_ID>/packages/maven")
            credentials {
                username = project.findProperty("gitlabUser") ?: System.getenv("CI_JOB_TOKEN")
                password = project.findProperty("gitlabToken") ?: System.getenv("CI_JOB_TOKEN")
            }
        }
    }
}
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Replace <PROJECT_ID> with your GitLab project ID. You can find it on the project homepage (e.g., gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/1234567).

🔐 2. No Hardcoded Credentials

Do not store username/token in code.

In CI/CD, GitLab will inject CI_JOB_TOKEN automatically. For local testing, you can override via gradle.properties or CLI:

gitlabUser=gitlab-ci-token
gitlabToken=<your personal access token>
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

🧪 3. Test Locally (Optional)

./gradlew publish \
  -PgitlabUser=gitlab-ci-token \
  -PgitlabToken=<your GitLab personal access token>
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)

⚙️ 4. Create .gitlab-ci.yml

stages:
  - build
  - publish

variables:
  GRADLE_USER_HOME: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR/.gradle"

build-job:
  stage: build
  image: gradle:8.2.1-jdk17
  script:
    - gradle build

publish-job:
  stage: publish
  image: gradle:8.2.1-jdk17
  script:
    - gradle publish
  only:
    - main
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

This will publish the JAR/WAR file to GitLab Package Registry on main branch only.

📦 5. Where to View Packages

After successful pipeline execution:

• Navigate to Your Project → Packages & Registries → Package Registry
• You’ll see the .jar or .war under your published Maven group.

🔁 6. How to Use in Other Projects

In another Gradle project, consume the published package:

repositories {
    maven {
        url = uri("https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/<PROJECT_ID>/packages/maven")
        credentials {
            username = 'gitlab-ci-token'
            password = System.getenv("CI_JOB_TOKEN") // or use .env or gradle.properties
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    implementation 'com.example:your-artifact:1.0.0'
}
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

✅ Summary Table

Rajesh Kumar

I’m Rajesh Kumar, a DevOps, SRE, DevSecOps, Cloud, and Platform Engineering expert passionate about sharing practical knowledge, real-world experiences, and industry best practices. I have worked at Cotocus and regularly write about technology, travel, investing, health, product reviews, and digital marketing through my various platforms.

I publish technical articles at DevOps School, travel stories at Holiday Landmark, stock market insights at Stocks Mantra, health and fitness guidance at My Medic Plus, product reviews at TrueReviewNow, and SEO and digital marketing strategies at Wizbrand.