Get Started with GitLab Duo
GitLab Duo is the suite of AI capabilities powering your software development workflows. Whether you’re a developer looking to incorporate GitLab Duo in your day-to-day workstreams or an administrator getting your organization up and running, we have a learning journey to help streamline your onboarding.
To get started, select your role:
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Developer onboarding
Choose how you prefer to learn:
GitLab Duo for developers quick start
Integrate GitLab Duo with your IDE
Generate code with Code Suggestions
Integrate GitLab Duo with your IDE
Prerequisite: Validate you’ve been assigned a GitLab Duo seat by logging into your GitLab instance and checking for the GitLab Duo Chat button in the top right.
Incorporate GitLab Duo in your day-to-day workflow and eliminate context switching by adding the GitLab extension to your preferred IDE. See the Prepare to use GitLab Duo in your IDE documentation page for a full list of supported IDEs and instructions. Below we’ll highlight two common ones for quick reference:
VS Code
- Install the GitLab Workflow extension
- Authenticate to GitLab
- If needed, try one of these common troubleshooting strategies:
- In the extension settings, enable GitLab: Debug
- Run GitLab: Show Extension Logs
JetBrains
- Install the GitLab Duo plugin
- Authenticate to GitLab
- If needed, try one of these common troubleshooting strategies:
- Run a health check
- View logs stored in idea.lo
Generate code with Code Suggestions
GitLab Duo Code Suggestions provides two main functionalities: code completion and code generation. Code completion provides suggestions as you type in your project files, allowing you to just press tab in order to quickly complete one (or a few) lines of code. Code generation, on the other hand, generates code based on natural language prompts. By typing a comment describing the outcome you want, GitLab Duo will generate the corresponding code based on the context of the comment and the surrounding code.
Try it out
In your IDE, type a comment with a prompt to generate code, then select Enter. You might try something like:
# Create a simple HTML structure for a responsive navigation bar using Bootstrap classes
# Provide a JavaScript function to validate an email address using regular expressions
# Generate a basic GitLab CI/CD pipeline configuration for a Ruby on Rails application
Learn more
Write a test with GitLab Duo Chat
GitLab Duo Chat can help you with a variety of day-to-day tasks while using GitLab.com or working in your IDE. Using conversational, back and forth language, you’ll get answers, explanations, and suggestions to help you streamline your work.
Quick tips for getting started:
- Keyboard shortcuts allow you to quickly open GitLab Duo Chat. On Mac, select Option + d or on Windows and Linux use Alt + d.
- There's parity between chat history in your IDE and GitLab.com. If you start a conversation in one place but move your work to the other, you can pick up where you left off.
- Ensure Open Tabs Context is enabled in your IDE settings. As you work, open the files relevant to the code you want to create to get more accurate and relevant results.
- Use the GitLab Duo Chat palette to quickly select from available actions.
Try it out
Use GitLab Duo to help you write a test for your code:
- Select some code in your IDE.
- In Duo Chat, type
/tests
. - Add additional instructions as needed.
More applications
This section focused on generating a test for your code, but GitLab Duo Chat has so many more applications.
- Ask questions about GitLab to get answers to questions from sources like the documentation, without having to leave your IDE.
- Get a headstart on drafting the documentation for your code using the
/explain
command. - Speed up the process of refining your code using the
/refactor
command. - Forget YAML syntax rules in writing a CI/CD pipeline? Ask GitLab Duo Chat to help you get started.
- Quickly identify the cause of a failed pipeline with the /troubleshoot command and root cause analysis.
Learn more
Explore features across the SDLC
GitLab Duo helps streamline processes across the software development lifecycle from source code management to CI/CD to security. Now that you have a better idea of what GitLab Duo can do, keep exploring different features:
Microlearning
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Microlearning
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Comprehensive learning path
Earn a certificate of completion, shareable on LinkedIn, by completing this comprehensive learning path. You’ll take an in-depth look at all the features available in GitLab Duo Enterprise and practice what you learn with hands-on exercises in our lab environment.
Admin onboarding
Choose how you prefer to learn:
GitLab Duo for admins checklist
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Refine visibility by groups, projects, or feature maturity
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Enable your organization by sharing the developer onboarding resources
Microlearning
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Microlearning
GitLab Duo Enterprise Features
Micro CourseGitLab Duo is a suite of AI-powered features that assist you while you work…
View Course -
Microlearning
Accelerating the SDLC with GitLab Duo
VideoJoin Regnard Raquedan, Senior Partner Solutions Architect at GitLab, as he …
View Course -
Microlearning
Combine GitLab Flow and GitLab Duo
VideoGitLab Flow is a prescribed approach to help organizations successfully app…
View Course