Self-Hosted Services and ProductivityService Portals and MediaIntermediate1-2 hoursLab build

Build a Lightweight Internal Git and Script Catalog with Gitea

A practical setup for a lightweight internal Git repository and script catalog using Gitea, a self-hosted Git service.

Last reviewed4/30/2026

Gitea script catalogs

GiteaDockerGit

Expected Outcome

A working internal Git repository hosted on Gitea, allowing for easy script management and version control.

Assumptions

A server or cloud instance with at least 1GB of RAM
Docker installed on the server
Basic knowledge of Git and command line operations

Bill of Materials

Docker
Docker Compose
A domain name or IP address for accessing Gitea
SSL certificate (optional, for secure access)

Build Steps

Install Docker and Docker Compose
Ensure Docker and Docker Compose are installed on your server. This will allow you to run Gitea in a containerized environment.
Changes system state: review before running
```
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y docker.io
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo apt-get install -y docker-compose
```
Create a Docker Compose file for Gitea
Set up a Docker Compose file to define the Gitea service and its dependencies.
Safe to run: read-only
```
mkdir -p ~/gitea
cd ~/gitea
nano docker-compose.yml
```
Start Gitea using Docker Compose
Run the Docker Compose command to start Gitea.
Changes system state: review before running
```
docker-compose up -d
```
Access Gitea web interface
Open your web browser and navigate to the Gitea instance to complete the setup.
Example pattern only. Adjust for your environment before running.
```
http://your-domain.com:3000
```
Create a new repository for scripts
Once logged in, create a new repository in Gitea to store your scripts. Manual action: Click on 'New Repository' in the Gitea dashboard; Click 'Create Repository'.
Example pattern only. Adjust for your environment before running.
```
Fill in the repository name, description, and set it to private or public based on your preference
```
Clone the repository locally
Clone the newly created repository to your local machine for script management.
Safe to run: read-only
```
git clone http://your-domain.com:3000/username/repository-name.git
```
Add scripts to the repository
Add your scripts to the cloned repository and push them back to Gitea.
Safe to run: read-only
```
cd repository-name
touch script.sh
git add script.sh
git commit -m 'Add initial script'
git push origin master
```

Validation

Access the Gitea web interface and confirm that the repository is listed.
Check that the scripts can be cloned, edited, and pushed successfully.

Troubleshooting

If a step fails, capture the exact command, exit code, and log line before retrying or changing the design.
Use `docker compose ps` and `docker compose logs <service>` to separate image, environment, port, and volume problems.

Cleanup or Rollback

Keep a copy of working configuration, compose files, scripts, and service credentials before removing containers, packages, or data directories.
Stop test containers with `docker compose down` only after confirming which volumes contain persistent data.
Rollback by redeploying the previous compose file or image tag and restoring the saved environment file.

Next Improvements

Explore Gitea's features such as issue tracking, pull requests, and wiki.
Consider setting up webhooks for automated deployments or CI/CD integration.