Set up Gogs with MySQL on Ubuntu 24.04 to host a lightweight Git server for our development team. This guide shows how to install and configure everything securely and efficiently, helping us take full control of our code without relying on GitHub or GitLab.
What is Gogs?
Gogs, short for Go Git Service, is an open-source, self-hosted Git server written entirely in Go. It’s designed to be extremely lightweight, fast, and simple to deploy on virtually any platform — whether that’s Linux, macOS, Windows, or even ARM-based devices like Raspberry Pi.
What makes Gogs stand out is its minimal resource usage and ease of installation. We don’t need to configure a heavy stack or worry about large system dependencies. It runs as a single binary with a built-in web UI, making it perfect for small teams, individual developers, or businesses that want full control over their code repositories without relying on platforms like GitHub or GitLab.
Gogs supports SSH/HTTPS, user authentication, repository management, pull requests, webhooks, issue tracking, and more—all packaged in a clean, fast, and user-friendly interface.
Prerequisites
Before we begin, let’s ensure our environment meets the following requirements:
- A Ubuntu 24.04 installed dedicated server or KVM VPS.
- A non-root user with sudo privileges.
- Basic knowledge of using the terminal.
- A domain name pointing to server IP.
Setting Up Gogs on Ubuntu 24.04 Server
Step 1: Update Our Server
Before we begin, make sure the system is fully updated.
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Step 2: Install MySQL Server
We’ll use MySQL as the backend database for Gogs.
sudo apt install mysql-server -y
Once installed, secure the setup:
sudo mysql_secure_installation
Follow the prompts to set the root password and remove anonymous users.
Step 3: Create a MySQL Database for Gogs
Log into the MySQL shell:
sudo mysql -u root -p
Then run:
CREATE DATABASE gogs CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_general_ci;
CREATE USER 'gogsuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strong_password_here';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON gogs.* TO 'gogsuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;
Replace 'strong_password_here' with a secure password we’ll remember.
Step 4: Install Required Packages
sudo apt install git curl -y
Step 5: Create a System User for Gogs
sudo adduser --system --shell /bin/bash --gecos 'Gogs user' --group --disabled-password --home /home/gogs gogs
Step 6: Download and Extract Gogs
For latest version visit official Gogs download page .
cd /home/gogs
sudo -u gogs curl -L https://github.com/gogs/gogs/releases/download/v0.13.3/gogs_0.13.3_linux_amd64.tar.gz -o gogs.tar.gz
sudo -u gogs tar -xzf gogs.tar.gz
Now Gogs is ready to be started.
Step 7: Create a Systemd Service for Gogs
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/gogs.service
Paste the following:
[Unit]
Description=Gogs Git Service
After=network.target
[Service]
User=gogs
Group=gogs
WorkingDirectory=/home/gogs/gogs
ExecStart=/home/gogs/gogs/gogs web
Restart=always
Environment=USER=gogs HOME=/home/gogs
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
Now enable and start Gogs:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now gogs
Step 8: Configure Firewall (if UFW is enabled)
We need to open HTTP and HTTPS ports in firewall.
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp
Step 9: Reverse Proxy with Nginx and HTTPS
Install Nginx:
sudo apt install nginx -y
Set up a basic config:
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/gogs
Add following content:
server {
listen 80;
server_name git.example.com;
location / {
proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
}
}
Note: Replace git.example.com with your domain name.
Enable the site and reload:
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/gogs /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo systemctl restart nginx
Add SSL using Certbot:
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
sudo certbot --nginx -d git.example.com
Step 10: Access the Gogs Web Interface
Open a browser and visit:
https://git.example.com
Now fill in the installation form:
- Database Type: MySQL
- Host: 127.0.0.1:3306
- User: gogsuser
- Password: the one we created earlier
- Database Name: gogs
Other fields:
- Application URL: https://git.example.com/
- Repository Root Path: leave default
- Run User: gogs
- Domain: https://example.com/
- Create an admin user at the bottom of the form
Click Install Gogs to complete the setup.
Final Thoughts
By setting up Gogs with MySQL on Ubuntu 24.04, we now have a secure, self-hosted Git server that’s lightweight, fast, and easy to manage. Whether we’re working solo or as a team, this gives us full control over our development workflow with no third-party lock-in.
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